1 "Isn't a man forced to labor on earth? Aren't his days like the days of a hired hand?

1 הֲלֹא־צָבָ֣א לֶאֱנֹ֣ושׁ עַל־ עֲלֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְכִימֵ֖י שָׂכִ֣יר יָמָֽיו׃

2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, As a hireling who looks for his wages,

2 כְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֹֽו׃

3 So am I made to possess months of misery, Wearisome nights are appointed to me.

3 כֵּ֤ן הָנְחַ֣לְתִּי לִ֭י יַרְחֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וְלֵילֹ֥ות עָ֝מָ֗ל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃

4 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.

4 אִם־שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם וּמִדַּד־עָ֑רֶב וְשָׂבַ֖עְתִּי נְדֻדִ֣ים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃

5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.

5 לָ֘בַ֤שׁ בְּשָׂרִ֣י רִ֭מָּה וְגִישׁ וְג֣וּשׁ עָפָ֑ר עֹורִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃

6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And are spent without hope.

6 יָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃

7 Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.

7 זְ֭כֹר כִּי־ר֣וּחַ חַיָּ֑י לֹא־תָשׁ֥וּב עֵ֝ינִ֗י לִרְאֹ֥ות טֹֽוב׃

8 The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.

8 לֹֽא־תְ֭שׁוּרֵנִי עֵ֣ין רֹ֑אִי¹ עֵינֶ֖יךָ בִּ֣י וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, So he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more.

9 כָּלָ֣ה עָ֭נָן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ כֵּ֥ן יֹורֵ֥ד אֹ֗ול לֹ֣א יַעֲלֶֽה׃

10 He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.

10 לֹא־יָשׁ֣וּב עֹ֣וד לְבֵיתֹ֑ו וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶ֖נּוּ עֹ֣וד מְקֹמֹֽו׃

11 "Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

11 גַּם־אֲנִי֮ לֹ֤א אֶחֱשָׂ֫ךְ פִּ֥י אֲ‍ֽ֭דַבְּרָה בְּצַ֣ר רוּחִ֑י אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃

12 Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That you put a guard over me?

12 הֲ‍ֽיָם־אָ֭נִי אִם־תַּנִּ֑ין כִּֽי־תָשִׂ֖ים עָלַ֣י מִשְׁמָֽר׃

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

13 כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי עַרְשִׂ֑י יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃

14 Then you scar me with dreams, And terrify me through visions:

14 וְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמֹ֑ות וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֥ות תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

15 So that my soul chooses strangling, Death rather than my bones.

15 וַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק נַפְשִׁ֑י מָ֝֗וֶת מֵֽעַצְמֹותָֽי׃

16 I loathe my life. I don't want to live forever. Leave me alone; for my days are but a breath.

16 מָ֭אַסְתִּי לֹא־לְעֹלָ֣ם אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה חֲדַ֥ל מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי כִּי־הֶ֥בֶל יָמָֽי׃

17 What is man, that you should magnify him, That you should set your mind on him,

17 מָֽה־אֱ֭נֹושׁ כִּ֣י תְגַדְּלֶ֑נּוּ וְכִי־תָשִׁ֖ית אֵלָ֣יו לִבֶּֽךָ׃

18 That you should visit him every morning, And test him every moment?

18 וַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃

19 How long will you not look away from me, Nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

19 כַּ֭מָּה לֹא־תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃

20 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?

20 חָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֪ר הָאָ֫דָ֥ם לָ֤מָה שַׂמְתַּ֣נִי לְמִפְגָּ֣ע לָ֑ךְ וָאֶהְיֶ֖ה עָלַ֣י לְמַשָּֽׂא׃

21 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."

21 וּמֶ֤ה׀ לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פִשְׁעִי֮ וְתַעֲבִ֪יר אֶת־עֲוֹ֫נִ֥י כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה לֶעָפָ֣ר אֶשְׁכָּ֑ב וְשִׁ֖חֲרְתַּ֣נִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃