| kjv | web | basic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? | "Isn't a man forced to labor on earth? Aren't his days like the days of a hired hand? | Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment? | ||
| 2. | As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: | As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages, | As a servant desiring the shades of evening, and a workman looking for his payment: | ||
| 3. | So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. | so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me. | So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me. | ||
| 4. | When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. | When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone?' I toss and turn until the dawning of the day. | When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light. | ||
| 5. | My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. | My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh. | My flesh is covered with worms and dust; my skin gets hard and then is cracked again. | ||
| 6. | My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. | My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. | My days go quicker than the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope. | ||
| 7. | O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. | Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good. | O, keep in mind that my life is wind: my eye will never again see good. | ||
| 8. | The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. | The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be. | The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone. | ||
| 9. | As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. | As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol{Sheol is the place of the dead.} shall come up no more. | A cloud comes to an end and is gone; so he who goes down into the underworld comes not up again. | ||
| 10. | He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. | He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. | He will not come back to his house, and his place will have no more knowledge of him. | ||
| 11. | Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. | "Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. | So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry. | ||
| 12. | Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? | Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me? | Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me? | ||
| 13. | When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; | When I say, 'My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;' | When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease; | ||
| 14. | Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: | then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions: | Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear; | ||
| 15. | So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. | so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones. | So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains. | ||
| 16. | I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. | I loathe my life. I don't want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. | I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath. | ||
| 17. | What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? | What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him, | What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him, | ||
| 18. | And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? | that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment? | And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute? | ||
| 19. | How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? | How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle? | How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space? | ||
| 20. | I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? | If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself? | If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself? | ||
| 21. | And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be. | Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be." | And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone. | ||