Chapter 7
Job Continues: Life Seems Futile
1
[“]Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
𐤄𐤋𐤀 𐤋𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤑𐤁𐤀 𐤏𐤋 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤅𐤊𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤅 𐤔𐤊𐤉𐤓
הֲלֹא־ לֶאֱנ֣וֹשׁ צָבָ֣א עַל אָ֑רֶץ וְכִימֵ֖י יָמָֽיו׃ שָׂכִ֣יר hă·lō- le·’ĕ·nō·wōš ṣā·ḇā ʿal ’ā·reṣ wə·ḵî·mê yā·māw śā·ḵîr — WLC · 1
2
Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
𐤊𐤏𐤁𐤃 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤐 𐤑𐤋 𐤅𐤊𐤔𐤊𐤉𐤓 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤄 𐤐𐤏𐤋𐤅
כְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־ צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פָעֳלֽוֹ׃ kə·‘e·ḇeḏ yiš·’ap̄- ṣêl ū·ḵə·śā·ḵîr yə·qaw·weh p̄ā·‘o·lōw — WLC · 2
3
So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed to me.
𐤊𐤍 𐤄𐤍𐤇𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤉 𐤉𐤓𐤇𐤉 𐤔𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤌𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤉
כֵּ֤ן הָנְחַ֣לְתִּי לִ֭י יַרְחֵי־ שָׁ֑וְא וְלֵיל֥וֹת עָ֝מָ֗ל מִנּוּ־ לִֽי׃ kên hā·nə·ḥal·tî lî yar·ḥê- šāw wə·lê·lō·wṯ ‘ā·māl min·nū- lî — WLC · 3
4
When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn… until dawn.
𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤕𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤏𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤌𐤃𐤃 𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤕𐤉 𐤍𐤃𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤃𐤉 𐤍𐤔𐤐
אִם־ שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם עָ֑רֶב וּמִדַּד־ וְשָׂבַ֖עְתִּי נְדֻדִ֣ים עֲדֵי־ נָֽשֶׁף׃ ’im- šā·ḵaḇ·tî wə·’ā·mar·tî mā·ṯay ’ā·qūm ‘ā·reḇ ū·mid·daḏ- wə·śā·ḇa‘·tî nə·ḏu·ḏîm ‘ă·ḏê- nā·šep̄ — WLC · 4
5
My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.
𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤉 𐤋𐤁𐤔 𐤓𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤂𐤉𐤔 𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤏𐤅𐤓𐤉 𐤓𐤂𐤏 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤀𐤎
בְּשָׂרִ֣י לָ֘בַ֤שׁ רִ֭מָּה וְגִישׁ עָפָ֑ר עוֹרִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃ bə·śā·rî lā·ḇaš rim·māh wə·ḡīš ‘ā·p̄ār ‘ō·w·rî rā·ḡa‘ way·yim·mā·’ês — WLC · 5
6
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤒𐤋𐤅 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤂 𐤅𐤉𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤀𐤐𐤎 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤄
יָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־ אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃ yā·may qal·lū min·nî- ’ā·reḡ way·yiḵ·lū bə·’e·p̄es tiq·wāh — WLC · 6
7
Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤇𐤉𐤉 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤓𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤈𐤅𐤁
זְ֭כֹר כִּי־ חַיָּ֑י ר֣וּחַ עֵ֝ינִ֗י לֹא־ תָשׁ֥וּב לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃ zə·ḵōr kî- ḥay·yāy rū·aḥ ‘ê·nî lō- ṯā·šūḇ lir·’ō·wṯ ṭō·wḇ — WLC · 7
8
The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
𐤏𐤉𐤍 𐤓𐤀𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤅𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤊 𐤁𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤍𐤉
עֵ֣ין רֹ֑אִי לֹֽא־ תְ֭שׁוּרֵנִי עֵינֶ֖יךָ בִּ֣י וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃ ‘ên rō·’î lō- ṯə·šū·rê·nî ‘ê·ne·ḵā bî wə·’ê·nen·nî — WLC · 8
9
As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up.
𐤏𐤍𐤍 𐤊𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤋𐤊 𐤊𐤍 𐤉𐤅𐤓𐤃 𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤋 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤋𐤄
עָ֭נָן כָּלָ֣ה וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ כֵּ֥ן יוֹרֵ֥ד שְׁ֝א֗וֹל לֹ֣א יַעֲלֶֽה׃ ‘ā·nān kā·lāh way·yê·laḵ kên yō·w·rêḏ šə·ʾôl lō ya·‘ă·leh — WLC · 9
10
He never… returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤅 𐤌𐤒𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤊𐤉𐤓𐤍𐤅 𐤏𐤅𐤃
לֹא־ ע֣וֹד יָשׁ֣וּב לְבֵית֑וֹ מְקֹמֽוֹ׃ וְלֹא־ יַכִּירֶ֖נּוּ ע֣וֹד lō- ‘ō·wḏ yā·šūḇ lə·ḇê·ṯōw mə·qō·mōw wə·lō- yak·kî·ren·nū ‘ō·wḏ — WLC · 10
11
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.
𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤇𐤔𐤊 𐤐𐤉 𐤀𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤄 𐤁𐤑𐤓 𐤓𐤅𐤇𐤉 𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤇𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤓 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉
גַּם־ אֲנִי֮ לֹ֤א אֶחֱשָׂ֫ךְ פִּ֥י אֲֽ֭דַבְּרָה בְּצַ֣ר רוּחִ֑י אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃ gam- ’ă·nî lō ’e·ḥĕ·śāḵ pî ’ăḏab·bə·rāh bə·ṣar rū·ḥî ’ā·śî·ḥāh bə·mar nap̄·šî — WLC · 11
12
Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under… guard?
𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤌 𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤌𐤔𐤌𐤓
אָ֭נִי הֲֽיָם־ אִם־ תַּנִּ֑ין כִּֽי־ תָשִׂ֖ים עָלַ֣י מִשְׁמָֽר׃ ’ā·nî hăyām- ’im- tan·nîn kî- ṯā·śîm ‘ā·lay miš·mār — WLC · 12
13
When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤓𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤓𐤔𐤉 𐤕𐤍𐤇𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤀 𐤁𐤔𐤉𐤇𐤉
כִּֽי־ אָ֭מַרְתִּי עַרְשִׂ֑י תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃ יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י kî- ’ā·mar·tî ‘ar·śî tə·na·ḥă·mê·nî miš·kā·ḇî yiś·śā ḇə·śî·ḥî — WLC · 13
14
then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
𐤅𐤇𐤕𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤇𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤕𐤁𐤏𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤇𐤆𐤉𐤍𐤅𐤕
וְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמ֑וֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃ וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנ֥וֹת wə·ḥit·tat·ta·nî ḇa·ḥă·lō·mō·wṯ tə·ḇa·‘ă·ṯan·nî ū·mê·ḥez·yō·nō·wṯ — WLC · 14
15
so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤁𐤇𐤓 𐤌𐤇𐤍𐤒 𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤑𐤌𐤅𐤕𐤉
נַפְשִׁ֑י וַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק מָ֝֗וֶת מֵֽעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃ nap̄·šî wat·tiḇ·ḥar ma·ḥă·nāq mā·weṯ mê·‘aṣ·mō·w·ṯāy — WLC · 15
16
I loathe [my life]! I would not live forever. Leave me alone…, for my days [are] [but] a breath.
𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤋𐤌 𐤇𐤃𐤋 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤄𐤁𐤋
מָ֭אַסְתִּי לֹא־ אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה לְעֹלָ֣ם חֲדַ֥ל מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי כִּי־ יָמָֽי׃ הֶ֥בֶל mā·’as·tî lō- ’eḥ·yeh lə·‘ō·lām ḥă·ḏal mim·men·nî kî- yā·māy he·ḇel — WLC · 16
17
What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤂𐤃𐤋𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤋𐤁𐤊 𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤅
מָֽה־ אֱ֭נוֹשׁ כִּ֣י תְגַדְּלֶ֑נּוּ וְכִי־ תָשִׁ֖ית לִבֶּֽךָ׃ אֵלָ֣יו māh- ’ĕ·nō·wōš kî ṯə·ḡad·də·len·nū wə·ḵî- ṯā·šîṯ lib·be·ḵā ’ê·lāw — WLC · 17
18
that You attend to him every morning, [and] test him every moment?
𐤅𐤕𐤐𐤒𐤃𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤁𐤒𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤁𐤇𐤍𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤓𐤂𐤏𐤉𐤌
וַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃ לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים wat·tip̄·qə·ḏen·nū liḇ·qā·rîm tiḇ·ḥā·nen·nū lir·ḡā·‘îm — WLC · 18
19
Will You never… look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤏𐤄 𐤌𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤓𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤃 𐤁𐤋𐤏𐤉 𐤓𐤒𐤉
כַּ֭מָּה לֹא־ תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־ תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־ בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃ kam·māh lō- ṯiš·‘eh mim·men·nî lō- ṯar·pê·nî ‘aḏ- bil·‘î ruq·qî — WLC · 19
20
If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You
𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤌𐤄 𐤀𐤐𐤏𐤋 𐤋𐤊 𐤍𐤑𐤓 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤌𐤐𐤂𐤏 𐤅𐤀𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤌𐤔𐤀 𐤏𐤋𐤉
חָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֪ר הָאָ֫דָ֥ם לָ֤מָה שַׂמְתַּ֣נִי לָ֑ךְ לְמִפְגָּ֣ע וָאֶהְיֶ֖ה לְמַשָּֽׂא׃ עָלַ֣י ḥā·ṭā·ṯî māh ’ep̄·‘al lāḵ nō·ṣêr hā·’ā·ḏām lā·māh śam·ta·nî lāḵ lə·mip̄·gā‘ wā·’eh·yeh lə·maś·śā ‘ā·lay — WLC · 20
21
Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤀 𐤐𐤔𐤏𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤁𐤉𐤓 𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤉 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤀𐤔𐤊𐤁 𐤋𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤅𐤔𐤇𐤓𐤕𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍𐤍𐤉𐤐
וּמֶ֤ה׀ לֹא־ תִשָּׂ֣א פִשְׁעִי֮ וְתַעֲבִ֪יר אֶת־ עֲוֺ֫נִ֥י כִּֽי־ עַ֭תָּה אֶשְׁכָּ֑ב לֶעָפָ֣ר וְשִׁ֖חֲרְתַּ֣נִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃פ ū·meh lō- ṯiś·śā p̄iš·‘î wə·ṯa·‘ă·ḇîr ’eṯ- ‘ă·wō·nî kî- ‘at·tāh ’eš·kāḇ le·‘ā·p̄ār wə·ši·ḥăr·ta·nî wə·’ê·nen·nî — WLC · 21