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