Online Bible

“¹Is a person not ^aforced to labor on earth,And are his days not like the days of ^ba hired worker?2 “As a slave pants for the shade,And as a hired worker who eagerly waits for his wages,3 So I am allotted worthless months,And ^anights of trouble are apportioned to me.4 “When I ^alie down, I say,‘When shall I arise?’But the night continues,And I am continually tossing until dawn.5 “My ^aflesh is clothed with maggots and a crust of dirt,My skin hardens and ¹oozes.6 “My days are ^aswifter than a weaver’s shuttle,And they come to an end ^bwithout hope.

7 “Remember that my life ^ais a mere breath;My eye will ^bnot see goodness again.8 “The ^aeye of him who sees me will no longer look at me;Your eyes will be on me, but ^bI will not exist.9 “When a ^acloud vanishes, it is gone;In the same way ^bone who goes down to ¹^cSheol does not come up.10 “He will not return to his house again,Nor will ^ahis place know about him anymore.

11 “Therefore ^aI 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 ^athe sea monster,That You set a guard over me?13 “If I say, ‘^aMy couch will comfort me,My bed will ¹ease my complaint,’14 Then You frighten me with dreams,And terrify me by visions,15 So that my soul would choose suffocation,Death rather than my ¹pains.16 “I ¹^awaste away; I will not live forever.Leave me alone, ^bfor my days are only a breath.17 “^aWhat is man that You exalt him,And that You ¹are concerned about him,18 That ^aYou examine him every morningAnd put him to the test every moment?19 “¹^aWill You never turn Your gaze away from me,Nor leave me alone until I swallow my spittle?20 “^aHave I sinned? What have I done to You,^bWatcher of mankind?Why have You made me Your target,So that I am a burden to myself?21 “Why then ^ado You not forgive my wrongdoingAnd take away my ¹guilt?For now I will ^blie down in the dust;And You will search for me, ^cbut I will no longer exist.”