1“[a]Is a person not forced to labor on earth,

And are his days not like the days of a hired worker?

2“As a slave pants for the shade,

And as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages,

3So I am allotted worthless months,

And nights of trouble are apportioned to me.

4“When I lie down, I say,

‘When shall I arise?’

But the night continues,

And I am continually tossing until dawn.

5“My flesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt,

My skin hardens and [b]oozes.

6“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,

And they come to an end without hope.

7“Remember that my life is a mere breath;

My eye will not see goodness again.

8“The eye of him who sees me will no longer look at me;

Your eyes will be on me, but I will not exist.

9“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone;

In the same way one who goes down to [c]Sheol does not come up.

10“He will not return to his house again,

Nor will his place know about him anymore.

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.

12“Am I the sea, or the sea monster,

That You set a guard over me?

13“If I say, ‘My couch will comfort me,

My bed will [d]ease my complaint,’

14Then You frighten me with dreams,

And terrify me by visions,

15So that my soul would choose suffocation,

Death rather than my [e]pains.

16“I [f]waste away; I will not live forever.

Leave me alone, for my days are only a breath.

17“What is man that You exalt him,

And that You [g]are concerned about him,

18That You examine him every morning

And put him to the test every moment?

19“[h]Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,

Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?

20“Have I sinned? What have I done to You,

Watcher of mankind?

Why have You made me Your target,

So that I am a burden to myself?

21“Why then do You not forgive my wrongdoing

And take away my [i]guilt?

For now I will lie down in the dust;

And You will search for me, but I will no longer exist.”