7:1 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

7:2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,

7:3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.

7:4 If I lay down then I said, `When do I rise!` And evening hath been measured, And I have been full of tossings till dawn.

7:5 Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,

7:6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.

7:7 Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

7:8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me -- and I am not.

7:9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.

7:10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.

7:11 Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.

7:12 A sea-[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

7:13 When I said, `My bed doth comfort me,` He taketh away in my talking my couch.

7:14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

7:15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.

7:16 I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.

7:17 What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

7:18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?

7:19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.

7:20 I have sinned, what do I to Thee, O watcher of man? Why hast Thou set me for a mark to Thee, And I am for a burden to myself -- and what?