1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? 2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: 3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed 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. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more 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. 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 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. 12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? 13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; 14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: 15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. 16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 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? 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.
1 "人在世上怎能没有劳役呢?你的日子不像雇工的日子吗?
2 正如仆人切慕暮影, 又像雇工盼望工价。
3 照样, 我有空虚的岁月, 也有劳苦的黑夜为我派定。
4 我躺下的时候, 就说: ‘我什么时候起来?’然而, 长夜漫漫, 我辗转反侧, 直到黎明。
5 我的肉体以虫子和土块为衣裳, 我的皮肤裂开又流脓。
6 我过的日子比梭还要快, 在毫无盼望之中而结束。
7 求你记念我的性命不过是一口气, 我的眼必不再看见福乐。
8 看我的, 他的眼再也看不到我, 你的眼要看我, 我已经不在了。
9 云彩怎样消散逝去, 照样, 人下阴间也不再上来。
10 他不再回自己的家, 故乡再也不认识他。
11 因此, 我不再禁止我的口, 我要说出灵里的忧愁, 倾诉心中的痛苦。
12 我岂是洋海或是海怪, 你竟然设守卫防备我?
13 我若说: ‘我的床必安慰我, 我的榻必减轻我的苦情’,
14 你就用梦惊扰我, 又用异象惊吓我,
15 以致我宁可窒息而死, 也不肯保留我这一身的骨头。
16 我厌恶自己, 不愿永远活下去。任凭我吧, 因为我的日子都是空虚的。
17 人算什么, 你竟看他为大, 又把他放在心上;
18 每天早晨你都鉴察他, 每时每刻你也试验他。
19 你到什么时候才转眼不看我, 任凭我咽下唾沫呢?
20 鉴察世人的主啊! 我若犯了罪, 跟你有什么关系呢?你为什么把我当作箭靶, 使我以自己为重担呢?
21 你为什么不赦免我的过犯, 除去我的罪孽呢?现在我快要躺卧在尘土中, 那时你寻找我, 我却不在了。"