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