| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1“Is there not a time of hard service for man on earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hired man? | 1"Men have harsh servitude on earth, do they not? His days are like those of a hired laborer, are they not? |
| 2Like a servant who earnestly desires the shade, And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages, | 2I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages. |
| 3So I have been allotted months of futility, And wearisome nights have been appointed to me. | 3Truly I've been allotted months of emptiness; nights of trouble have been appointed for me. |
| 4When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, And the night be ended?’ For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn. | 4"When I lie down I ask, 'When will I wake up?' But the night continues and I keep tossing and turning until dawn. |
| 5My flesh is caked with worms and dust, My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh. | 5My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh. |
| 6“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope. | 6My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom; they come to their conclusion without hope. |
| 7Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good. | 7Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things. |
| 8The eye of him who sees me will see me no more; While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be. | 8The eyes of the one who sees me won't see me anymore; your eyes will look for me but I won't be around! |
| 9As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, So he who goes down to the grave does not come up. | 9As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return. |
| 10He shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore. | 10He doesn't return again to his house, and his place won't recognize 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. | 11"In addition, I won't keep my opinion to myself; I'll speak from my distressed spirit; I'll complain with my bitter soul. |
| 12Am I a sea, or a sea serpent, That You set a guard over me? | 12Am I the sea, or a sea monster, that you keep watching me? |
| 13When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,’ | 13For I've said, 'My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.' |
| 14Then You scare me with dreams And terrify me with visions, | 14But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions. |
| 15So that my soul chooses strangling And death rather than my body. | 15I would rather die by strangulation than continue living. |
| 16I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath. | 16I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless." |
| 17“What is man, that You should exalt him, That You should set Your heart on him, | 17"What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him, |
| 18That You should visit him every morning, And test him every moment? | 18visit him every morning, and test him continually? |
| 19How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva? | 19Why won't you look away from me? Why don't you leave me alone so I can swallow my saliva? |
| 20Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself? | 20So what if I sin? What have I done against you, you observer of humankind? Why have you made me your target? Why burden yourself with me? |
| 21Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be.” | 21Why haven't you pardoned my transgression and taken away my iniquity? Now I'm about to lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I won't be around!" |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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