1 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

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

2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,

2 כְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֹֽו׃

3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

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

4 If I lay down then I said, `When do I rise!' And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

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

5 Clothed hath been my flesh `with' worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,

5 לָ֘בַ֤שׁ בְּשָׂרִ֣י רִ֭מָּה וְגִישׁ וְג֣וּשׁ עָפָ֑ר עֹורִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃

6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.

6 יָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃

7 Remember Thou that my life `is' a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

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

8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes `are' upon me -- and I am not.

8 לֹֽא־תְ֭שׁוּרֵנִי עֵ֣ין רֹ֑אִי¹ עֵינֶ֖יךָ בִּ֣י וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.

9 כָּלָ֣ה עָ֭נָן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ כֵּ֥ן יֹורֵ֥ד אֹ֗ול לֹ֣א יַעֲלֶֽה׃

10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.

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

11 Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

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

12 A sea-`monster' am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

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

13 When I said, `My bed doth comfort me,' He taketh away in my talking my couch.

13 כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי עַרְשִׂ֑י יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃

14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

14 וְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמֹ֑ות וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנֹ֥ות תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.

15 וַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק נַפְשִׁ֑י מָ֝֗וֶת מֵֽעַצְמֹותָֽי׃

16 I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days `are' vanity.

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

17 What `is' man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

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

18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?

18 וַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃

19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.

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

20 I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what?

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

21 Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!

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