Life Is Hard Labor
Study note
Job compares human life to the life of a hired worker who labors all day and waits for his pay. His own months are empty, and his nights are long and restless. His skin is covered with worms and scabs. His days fly past faster than a weaver's shuttle, without any hope.
1 'Is not life for people on this earth like a season of hard labor? Are our days not like those of a worker counting the hours until quitting time?' Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
2 'Like a slave dreaming of shade, like a worker waiting to get paid,' As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
3 'that is how I have been handed month after month of emptiness. Night after night of misery is all I have been given.' So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4 'When I lie down to sleep, I keep thinking, "How much longer until morning?" But the night stretches on forever as I toss from side to side until the sun finally comes up.' 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 body is covered with worms and crusty scabs. My skin cracks open and oozes.' My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.
6 'My days are flying by faster than a shuttle on a weaving loom, and they are running out with no hope in sight.' My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.
A Cry to God
Study note
Job turns to speak directly to God. He reminds God that his life is just a breath and that he will soon be gone forever. He says that God terrifies him with dreams and nightmares. Job would rather die than go on living. He begs God to leave him alone, since his days are meaningless.
7 'God, please remember that my life is nothing more than a single breath. My eyes are never going to see good times again.' O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.
8 'Anyone looking at me now will soon look for me and I will be gone. You will search for me, but I will not be around.' The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
9 'Just like a cloud that fades and disappears from the sky, that is what happens when a person goes down to the grave -- they do not come back.' As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
10 'They never walk through the door of their house again. The place where they lived forgets all about them.' He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
11 'So I am not going to hold anything back. I am going to let out every bit of the pain trapped inside my spirit. I am going to pour out every bitter thing on my heart.' 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 some kind of sea monster that you need to post a guard over me?' Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 'Whenever I think, "At least my bed will give me some comfort. At least lying down will ease some of my pain,"' When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
14 'that is when you send terrifying dreams and nightmares that scare me half to death.' Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:
15 'I would rather choke. I would pick death over living in this body.' So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
16 'I hate my life! I have no desire to keep going forever. Leave me alone -- my days mean nothing.' I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
Why Do You Watch Me So Closely?
Study note
In a bitter echo of Psalm 8, Job asks God why he pays so much attention to human beings. But instead of praising God for his care, Job is asking why God will not look away even for a moment. He asks why God has made him a target and whether God will simply let him die without forgiving his sins.
17 'Why do you make such a big deal out of human beings? Why do you focus so much attention on them?' What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
18 'You check on them every morning. You put them to the test every moment.' And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 'Will you ever stop staring at me? Can you not give me enough time to even swallow my own spit?' How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 'Even if I have messed up, what have I done to hurt you, you who watch over every person? Why have you turned me into your target? Have I become some kind of weight you have to carry?' 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 'Why not forgive whatever I did wrong and let my guilt go? Pretty soon I will be lying in the ground. You will come looking for me, and I will be gone.' And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.