1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4 When 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.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaints;
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 I 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?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
<html><b>Is not man on earth for a limited time</b> This is what I said to you. ‘Agree and turn to me.’ because how can I be silent from crying our about my misfortune? Do you not know that the time a man has to live is limited? <b>and…like the days of a hireling</b> and I—that time that is allotted to me…</html>
<html><b>As a slave who longs for the shadow</b> As a slave, who toils all day through and longs and yearns, “When will the shadow of evening come?” And as a hireling, who hopes for his wages at eventide, because the whole day was to him for toil, and he yearns for the sunset.</html>
<html><b>So was I made to possess</b> from Heaven <b>months of futility</b> and torments, that limited time that is given to man upon earth. <b>and they appointed wearisome nights for me</b> from Heaven</html>
<html><b>If I would lie down</b> at night, I would hope and say, etc. <b>and the evening depart</b> When will it become light and when will the time of arising come, and when will the evening depart? [The word מדד ] is an expression of (Gen. 31:40) “and sleep was banished (ותדד).” The “mem” is a defective radical, as in מאמר, statement; משמר, watch. <b>And I was sated with restlessness</b> I was sated with restlessness on my bed by day until twilight, because, due to the torments I could not sleep until the twilight of day, since my flesh was clothed with worms.</html>
<html><b>and clods of earth</b> Clods of earth (?) Now this is the development of rust, because it is the custom of clods of earth to moisten and cause rust. <b>wrinkled</b> Heb. רגע wrinkled, as in (Isa. 51:15), “Who wrinkles (רגע) the sea.” Another explanation: עוֹרִי רָגַע is an expression of resting a wave after a wave, like wrinkles (?).</html>
<html><b>My days are swifter</b> The days of my prosperity hastened to go away. <b>than a weaver’s shuttle</b> Than weaving that is done swiftly. So said Hezekiah (Isa. 38:12), “I severed, like a weaver, my life.” <b>without hope</b> I no longer hope for good.</html>
<html><b>my eye will not return</b> after death. Here Job denies the dogma of the Resurrection of the Dead.</html>
<html><b>shall see me no more</b> The eye that wishes to see me shall see me no more after I die. <b>set Your eyes upon me and I will be here no longer</b> He is addressing the Holy One, blessed be He: “Why did You have to finish me off and crush me with pains? With one look that you set Your eyes on me, I am no longer in the world.”</html>
<html><b>Neither will I restrain my mouth</b> Since You do not desist from me, neither will I restrain my speech from complaining about Your ways.</html>
<html><b>Am I a sea</b> that You placed sand over me as a guard? <b>or a sea monster</b> A huge fish that You imprisoned in the depths of the sea, that You place this Adversary as a guard over me, to watch me lest my soul depart?</html>
<html><b>that my couch shall bear my speech</b> The couch upon which I sleep at night will bear my trouble somewhat, and I will be able to restrain my speech.</html>
<html><b>death rather than these my bones</b> I choose death rather than these limbs in my body.</html>
<html><b>I despised</b> my life, because ultimately I will not live forever. <b>desist from me</b> From harming me, because my days are futile and few.</html>
<html><b>that You should give him importance</b> to pay attention to him, to visit his deeds every morning and test him every moment?</html>
<html><b>How long</b> For what length of time will You not desist from me, like (Exod. 5:9), “and let them not turn (ישעו) to false words.” Similarly (below 14:6), “Turn away (שעה) from him and desist.” <b>until I swallow my spit</b> long enough to swallow my spit.</html>
<html><b>as a mark for You</b> As an object that a man strikes when he is angry and vents upon it the entire act of his hatred (other editions: his sin). <b>so that I have become a burden to myself</b> [Etz Chayim ms: Like “and I have become a burden to You.”] This is one of the words in which Scripture euphemized, and they are known as the emendation of the scribes.</html>
<html><b>Now why do You not forgive my transgression</b> What is this matter that You do not forgive my transgression? <b>and You shall seek me</b> You shall seek me and not find me.</html>