| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? | 1"Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers? |
| 2As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: | 2Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid, |
| 3So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. | 3so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to 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. | 4When I lie down I think, 'How long before I get up?' The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn. |
| 5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. | 5My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering. |
| 6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. | 6"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end without hope. |
| 7O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. | 7Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again. |
| 8The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. | 8The eye that now sees me will see me no longer; you will look for me, but I will be no more. |
| 9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. | 9As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. |
| 10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. | 10He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more. |
| 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"Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. |
| 12Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? | 12Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard? |
| 13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; | 13When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, |
| 14Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: | 14even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, |
| 15So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. | 15so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. |
| 16I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. | 16I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning. |
| 17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? | 17"What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, |
| 18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? | 18that you examine them every morning and test them every moment? |
| 19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? | 19Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? |
| 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? | 20If I have sinned, what have I done to you, you who see everything we do? Why have you made me your target? Have I become a burden to you? |
| 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 do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more." |
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