Job 7:1–4

“Has not man a hard service on earth,

and are not his days like the days of a hired hand?

Like a slave who longs for the shadow,

and like a hired hand who looks for his wages,

so I am allotted months of emptiness,

and nights of misery are apportioned to me.

When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’

But the night is long,

and I toss and turn till the dawn.

“Do not mortals have hard service on earth?

Are not their days like those of hired laborers?

Like a slave longing for the evening shadows,

or a hired laborer waiting to be paid,

so I have been allotted months of futility,

and nights of misery have been assigned to me.

When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’

The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.

Isn’t each person consigned to forced labor on earth?

Are not his days like those of a hired worker?

Like a slave he longs for shade;

like a hired worker he waits for his pay.

So I have been made to inherit months of futility,

and troubled nights have been assigned to me.

When I lie down I think,

“When will I get up?”

But the evening drags on endlessly,

and I toss and turn until dawn.

“Is not all human life a struggle?

Our lives are like that of a hired hand,

like a worker who longs for the shade,

like a servant waiting to be paid.

I, too, have been assigned months of futility,

long and weary nights of misery.

Lying in bed, I think, ‘When will it be morning?’

But the night drags on, and I toss till dawn.

“Does not a human being have hard service on earth?

And are not his days like the days of a laborer?

Like a slave he longs for the shadow,

and like a laborer he waits for his wages.

So I had to inherit months of worthlessness,

and nights of misery are apportioned to me.

When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I rise?’

But the night is long,

and I have my fill of tossing until dawn.

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?

Are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow,

And as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

So am I made to possess months of vanity,

And wearisome nights are appointed to me.

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.