Job 7
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
7 Is there not an [appointed] warfare and hard labor to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant earnestly longs for the shade and the evening shadows, and as a hireling who looks for the reward of his work,
3 So am I allotted months of futile [suffering], and [long] nights of misery are appointed to me.
4 When I lie down I say, When shall I arise and the night be gone? And I am full of tossing to and fro till the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and has become loathsome, and it closes up and breaks out afresh.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that my life is but wind (a puff, a breath, a sob); my eye shall see good no more.
8 The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more; while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol (the place of the dead) shall come up no more.
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul [O Lord]!
12 Am I the sea, or the sea monster, that You set a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint,
14 Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me through visions,
15 So that I would choose strangling and death rather than these my bones.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are a breath (futility).
17 What is man that You should magnify him and think him important? And that You should set Your mind upon him?(A)
18 And that You should visit him every morning and try him every moment?
19 How long will Your [plaguing] glance not look away from me, nor You let me alone till I swallow my spittle?
20 If I have sinned, what [harm] have I done You, O You Watcher and Keeper of men? Why have You set me as a mark for You, so that I am a burden to myself [and You]?
21 And why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; and [even if] You will seek me diligently, [it will be too late, for] I shall not be.
Job 7
English Standard Version
Job Continues: My Life Has No Hope
7 “Has not man (A)a hard service on earth,
and are not his (B)days like the days of a hired hand?
2 Like a slave who longs for (C)the shadow,
and like (D)a hired hand who looks for his (E)wages,
3 so I am allotted months of (F)emptiness,
(G)and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
4 (H)When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’
But the night is long,
and I toss and turn till the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with (I)worms and (J)dirt;
my skin hardens, then (K)breaks out afresh.
6 My days are (L)swifter than (M)a weaver's shuttle
and come to their end without hope.
7 “Remember that my life is a (N)breath;
my eye will never again see good.
8 (O)The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
while your eyes are on me, (P)I shall be gone.
9 As (Q)the cloud fades and vanishes,
so he who (R)goes down to Sheol does not come up;
10 he (S)returns no more to his house,
nor does his (T)place know him anymore.
11 “Therefore I will not (U)restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will (V)complain in (W)the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or (X)a sea monster,
that you set a guard over me?
13 (Y)When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint,’
14 then you scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so that I would choose strangling
and death rather than my (Z)bones.
16 I (AA)loathe my life; I would not live forever.
(AB)Leave me alone, for my days are (AC)a breath.
17 (AD)What is man, that you make so much of him,
and that you set your heart on him,
18 (AE)visit him every morning
and (AF)test him every moment?
19 How long will you not (AG)look away from me,
nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind?
Why have you made me (AH)your mark?
Why have I become a burden to you?
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in (AI)the earth;
you will (AJ)seek me, (AK)but I shall not be.”
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
