| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1“Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man? | 1"Do not mortals have hard service on earth? Are not their days like those of hired laborers? |
| 2Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade, And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages, | 2Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired laborer waiting to be paid, |
| 3So I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been 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 ended?’ For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn. | 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 caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh. | 5My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering. |
| 6“My 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. |
| 7Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good. | 7Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath; my eyes will never see happiness again. |
| 8The eye of him who sees me will see me no more; While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be. | 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 disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down to the grave does not come up. | 9As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. |
| 10He shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore. | 10He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more. |
| 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. | 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 sea serpent, That You set a guard over me? | 12Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that you put me under guard? |
| 13When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,’ | 13When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, |
| 14Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions, | 14even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions, |
| 15So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body. | 15so that I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. |
| 16I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath. | 16I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning. |
| 17“What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, | 17"What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention, |
| 18That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment? | 18that you examine them every morning and test them every moment? |
| 19How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva? | 19Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? |
| 20Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, 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? |
| 21Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer 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." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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