| Chapter 7 |
1 |
Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days? --
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2 |
As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage, --
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3 |
So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me. --
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4 |
If I lay down then I said, 'When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn. --
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5 |
Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome, --
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6 |
My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope. --
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7 |
Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good. --
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8 |
The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me -- and I am not. --
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9 |
Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up. --
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10 |
He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again. --
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11 |
Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul. --
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12 |
A sea-[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard? --
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13 |
When I said, 'My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch. --
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14 |
And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me, --
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15 |
And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones. --
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16 |
I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity. --
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17 |
What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart? --
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18 |
And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him? --
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19 |
How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle. --
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20 |
I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what? --
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21 |
Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not! --
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