¹ Is there not an appointed time to man on earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling? ² As a servant earnestly desires the shadow, and as a hireling looks 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 will I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro to 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: my eye will no more see good. ⁸ The eye of him that has seen me will see me no more: your eyes [are] on me, and I [am] not. ⁹ As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave will come up no [more]. ¹⁰ He will return no more to his house, neither will 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 you set a watch over me? ¹³ When I say, My bed will comfort me, my couch will ease my complaint; ¹⁴ Then you scares me with dreams, and terrifies me through visions ¹⁵ So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life. ¹⁶ I loathe it I would not live always: let me alone for my days are vanity. ¹⁷ What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart on him? ¹⁸ And that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment? ¹⁹ How long will you not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? ²⁰ I have sinned; what will I do to you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself? ²¹ And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now will I sleep in the dust; and you will seek me in the morning , but I [will] not [be].