Has not a man hard service upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?

Is there not a term for a mortal upon the earth? Are his days not those of a hired laborer?

As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as a hireling looks for the reward of his work:

As a servant who longs for the shadow [of night], and as a hired laborer, who looks forward to the wages of his labor,

so I am allotted months of emptiness, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

so have I inherited months in vain [(having longed for repose, but not having found it)], and nights of toil have they appointed for me [(in Heaven)].

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro until the dawning of the day.

When I lie down, I say, "When will I rise and the night move on?" and I am sated with "movings" until dusk.

My flesh is clothed with worms; my skin is a clod of earth: it curdles and decays.

[For] my flesh has clothed itself in worms and encrustation; my skin has split and become putrescent.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.

My days [of good] are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and will end without hope.

O remember that my life is a breath: my eye shall no more see good.

Remember [G d] that my life is like the wind; my eyes will not return to see good [(a denial of the resurrection)].

The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more: while Thy eyes are upon me, I am gone.

The eye that sees me now will not see me again. If You [merely] set Your eyes upon me, I would no longer be here [(Why, then, do You torture me so?)]

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he who goes down to the grave shall come up no more.

Just as the cloud dissolves and is gone, so he who descends to the grave will not rise.

He shall return no more to his house, nor shall his place know him any more.

He will return no more to his home. [The people of] his place will recognize him no more.

Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

Therefore, [(because You do not leave off tormenting me)], I, too, will not spare my mouth [(from contending with you)]. I will speak in the affliction of my spirit. I will make my plaint in the bitterness of my soul.

Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that Thou settest a watch over me?

Am I the ocean or a sea-serpent that You have placed a guard [(Satan)] over me [that my soul not leave me? (viz. 2:6)]

When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;

If I said, "My bed will console me, my couch will bear my plaint" [i.e., it will relieve my afflictions and lessen my complaint],

then Thou dost scare me with dreams, and dost terrify me through visions:

then You broke me with dreams and terrified me with visions.

so that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than these my bones.

My soul chooses strangulation [above life]; death, above my bones.

I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are emptiness.

I have sickened [of my life]! I will not live forever. Quit me [of suffering], for my days are vanity.

What is man, that Thou shouldst magnify him? and that Thou shouldst set thy heart upon him?

What is man that You should aggrandize him by giving heart to him?

and that Thou shouldst remember him every morning, and try him every moment?

That You should remember him each morning and examine him each moment?

How long wilt Thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

How [long it is] that You do not quit me. You do not leave me long enough to swallow my spittle.

If I have sinned, what do I do to Thee, O Thou preserver of men? why hast Thou set me as thy target, so that I am a burden to myself?

And if I sinned, what can I do to You? Creator of man, why did You make me, to offend You and to be a burden to You?

And why dost Thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now I shall sleep in the dust; and Thou shalt seek me, but I shall not be.

And why do You not forgive my offense and remove my transgression? For I will soon be in the earth, and You will look for me, and I will not be there.