1 - The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
2 - As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
3 - So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.
4 - If I lie down to sleep, I shall say: When shall I rise? and again, I shall look for the evening, and shall be filled with sorrows even till darkness.
5 - My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust; my skin is withered and drawn together.
6 - My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.
7 - Remember that my life is but wind, and my eye shall not return to see good things.
8 - Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be no more.
9 - As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up.
10 - Nor shall he return any more into his house, neither shall his place know him any more
11 - Wherefore, I will not spare my mouth, I will speak in the affliction of my spirit: I will talk with the bitterness of my soul.
12 - Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast enclosed me in a prison?
13 - If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, speaking with myself on my couch:
14 - Thou wilt frighten me with dreams, and terrify me with visions.
15 - So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.
16 - I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.
17 - What is a man, that thou shouldst magnify him or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
18 - Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
19 - How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?
20 - I have sinned: what shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee. and am I become burdensome to myself?
21 - Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away my iniquity? Behold now I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.
