| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? | 1"Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not? His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not? |
| 2As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: | 2I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages. |
| 3So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. | 3Truly I've been allotted months of emptiness; nights of trouble have been appointed for me. |
| 4When 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. | 4"When I lie down I ask, 'When will I wake up?' But the night continues and I keep tossing and turning until dawn. |
| 5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. | 5My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh. |
| 6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. | 6My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom; they come to their conclusion without hope. |
| 7O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. | 7Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things. |
| 8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. | 8The eyes of the one who sees me won't see me anymore; your eyes will look for me but I won't be around! |
| 9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. | 9As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return. |
| 10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. | 10He doesn't return again to his house, and his place won't recognize him anymore." |
| 11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. | 11"In addition, I won't keep my opinion to myself; I'll speak from my distressed spirit; I'll complain with my bitter soul. |
| 12Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? | 12Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you keep watching me? |
| 13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; | 13For I've said, 'My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.' |
| 14Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: | 14But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions. |
| 15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. | 15I would rather die by strangulation than continue living. |
| 16I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. | 16I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless." |
| 17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? | 17"What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him, |
| 18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? | 18visit him every morning, and test him continually? |
| 19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? | 19Why won't you look away from me? Why don't you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva? |
| 20I 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? | 20So what if I sin? What have I done against you, you observer of humankind? Why have you made me your target? Why burden yourself with me? |
| 21And 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. | 21Why haven't you pardoned my transgression and taken away my iniquity? Now I'm about to lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I won't be around!" |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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