1 "人在世上怎能没有劳役呢？你的日子不像雇工的日子吗？ 2 正如仆人切慕暮影， 又像雇工盼望工价。 3 照样， 我有空虚的岁月， 也有劳苦的黑夜为我派定。 4 我躺下的时候， 就说： ‘我什么时候起来？’然而， 长夜漫漫， 我辗转反侧， 直到黎明。 5 我的肉体以虫子和土块为衣裳， 我的皮肤裂开又流脓。 6 我过的日子比梭还要快， 在毫无盼望之中而结束。 7 求你记念我的性命不过是一口气， 我的眼必不再看见福乐。 8 看我的， 他的眼再也看不到我， 你的眼要看我， 我已经不在了。 9 云彩怎样消散逝去， 照样， 人下阴间也不再上来。 10 他不再回自己的家， 故乡再也不认识他。 11 因此， 我不再禁止我的口， 我要说出灵里的忧愁， 倾诉心中的痛苦。 12 我岂是洋海或是海怪， 你竟然设守卫防备我？ 13 我若说： ‘我的床必安慰我， 我的榻必减轻我的苦情’， 14 你就用梦惊扰我， 又用异象惊吓我， 15 以致我宁可窒息而死， 也不肯保留我这一身的骨头。 16 我厌恶自己， 不愿永远活下去。任凭我吧， 因为我的日子都是空虚的。 17 人算什么， 你竟看他为大， 又把他放在心上； 18 每天早晨你都鉴察他， 每时每刻你也试验他。 19 你到什么时候才转眼不看我， 任凭我咽下唾沫呢？ 20 鉴察世人的主啊！ 我若犯了罪， 跟你有什么关系呢？你为什么把我当作箭靶， 使我以自己为重担呢？ 21 你为什么不赦免我的过犯， 除去我的罪孽呢？现在我快要躺卧在尘土中， 那时你寻找我， 我却不在了。"

1 Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?2 As a servant desireth the shadow, And as a hireling expecteth his wage,3 So I have been caused to inherit months of vanity, And nights of misery they numbered to me.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.5 Clothed hath been my flesh [with] worms, And a clod of dust, My skin hath been shrivelled and is loathsome,6 My days swifter than a weaving machine, And they are consumed without hope.7 Remember Thou that my life [is] a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.8 The eye of my beholder beholdeth me not. Thine eyes [are] upon me -- and I am not.9 Consumed hath been a cloud, and it goeth, So he who is going down to Sheol cometh not up.10 He turneth not again to his house, Nor doth his place discern him again.11 Also I -- I withhold not my mouth -- I speak in the distress of my spirit, I talk in the bitterness of my soul.12 A sea-[monster] am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?13 When I said, `My bed doth comfort me,` He taketh away in my talking my couch.14 And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,15 And my soul chooseth strangling, Death rather than my bones.16 I have wasted away -- not to the age do I live. Cease from me, for my days [are] vanity.17 What [is] man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?18 And inspectest him in the mornings, In the evenings dost try him?19 How long dost Thou not look from me? Thou dost not desist till I swallow my spittle.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?21 Thou dost not take away my transgression, And cause to pass away mine iniquity, Because now, for dust I lie down: And Thou hast sought me -- and I am not!