Chapter 7

1Truly man has a term of service on earth; His days are like those of a hireling—

ha-LO-tza-VA le-E-nosh (al) [a-LEI-]a-RETZ v'-ki-MAY sa-KHEER ya-MAV

אהֲלֹֽא־צָבָ֣א לֶֽאֱנ֣וֹשׁ (על) [עֲלֵי־]אָ֑רֶץ וְכִימֵ֖י שָׂכִ֣יר יָמָֽיו׃

2Like a slave who longs for [evening's] shadows, Like a hireling who waits for his wage.

k'-E-ved yish-AF-tzel u-k'-sa-KHEER ye-ka-VEH po-a-LO

בכְּעֶ֥בֶד יִשְׁאַף־צֵ֑ל וּ֝כְשָׂכִ֗יר יְקַוֶּ֥ה פׇעֳלֽוֹ׃

3So have I been allotted months of futility; Nights of misery have been apportioned to me.

KEN ha-n'-KHAL-tee LEE yar-KHAY sha-VE v'-lay-LOT a-MAL mi-NU-LEE

גכֵּ֤ן הׇנְחַ֣לְתִּי לִ֭י יַרְחֵי־שָׁ֑וְא וְלֵיל֥וֹת עָ֝מָ֗ל מִנּוּ־לִֽי׃

4When I lie down, I think, “When shall I rise?” Night drags on, And I am sated with tossings till morning twilight.

im-sha-KHAV-tee v'-a-mar-TEE ma-TAI a-KUM u-mi-DAD a-REV v'-sa-va-TI ne-du-DEEM a-day-na-SHEF

דאִם־שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מָתַ֣י אָ֭קוּם וּמִדַּד־עָ֑רֶב וְשָׂבַ֖עְתִּי נְדֻדִ֣ים עֲדֵי־נָֽשֶׁף׃

5My flesh is covered with maggots and clods of earth; My skin is broken and festering.

la-VASH b'-sa-REE ri-MAH (v'-GUSH) [v'-GOOSH] a-FAHR o-REE ra-GA va-yi-MA-es

הלָ֘בַ֤שׁ בְּשָׂרִ֣י רִ֭מָּה (וגיש) [וְג֣וּשׁ] עָפָ֑ר עוֹרִ֥י רָ֝גַ֗ע וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃

6My days fly faster than a weaver's shuttle, And come to their end without hope.

ya-MAI ka-LU mi-ni-a-REG va-yikh-LU b'-E-fes tik-VAH

ויָמַ֣י קַ֭לּוּ מִנִּי־אָ֑רֶג וַ֝יִּכְל֗וּ בְּאֶ֣פֶס תִּקְוָֽה׃

7Consider that my life is but wind; I shall never see happiness again.

ZE-khor ki-ROO-akh KHA-yai lo-ta-SHU-vay AY-nee lir-OT TOV

זזְ֭כֹר כִּי־ר֣וּחַ חַיָּ֑י לֹֽא־תָשׁ֥וּב עֵ֝ינִ֗י לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃

8The eye that gazes on me will not see me; Your eye will seek me, but I shall be gone.

lo-t'-shu-RE-nee AYN ro-EE, EY-ne-KHA bee v'-EY-ne-NEE

חלֹא־תְ֭שׁוּרֵנִי עֵ֣ין רֹ֑אִי עֵינֶ֖יךָ בִּ֣י וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

9As a cloud fades away, So whoever goes down to Sheol does not come up;

ka-LAH a-NAN va-YE-lakh, KEN yo-RED she-OL lo ya-a-LEH

טכָּלָ֣ה עָ֭נָן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ כֵּ֥ן יוֹרֵ֥ד שְׁ֝א֗וֹל לֹ֣א יַעֲלֶֽה׃

10He returns no more to his home; His place does not know him.

lo ya-SHU-vod le-VEE-to, v'-lo ya-ki-RE-nu od m'-ko-MO

ילֹא־יָשׁ֣וּב ע֣וֹד לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹא־יַכִּירֶ֖נּוּ ע֣וֹד מְקֹמֽוֹ׃

11On my part, I will not speak with restraint; I will give voice to the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

gam-a-NEE lo e-khe-SOK-pee a-da-VE-ra b'-tzar ru-KHEE, a-see-KHA b'-mar naf-SHEE

יאגַּם־אֲנִי֮ לֹ֤א אֶחֱשׇׂ֫ךְ־פִּ֥י אֲֽ֭דַבְּרָה בְּצַ֣ר רוּחִ֑י אָ֝שִׂ֗יחָה בְּמַ֣ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃

12Am I the sea or the Dragon, That You have set a watch over me?

ha-YAM-a-NEE im-ta-NEEN, ki-ta-SEEM a-LAI mish-MAR

יבהֲֽיָם־אָ֭נִי אִם־תַּנִּ֑ין כִּֽי־תָשִׂ֖ים עָלַ֣י מִשְׁמָֽר׃

13When I think, “My bed will comfort me, My couch will share my sorrow,”

ki-a-mar-TEE t'-na-kha-ME-nee ar-SEE, yi-SA v'-see-KHEE mish-ka-VEE

יגכִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי תְּנַחֲמֵ֣נִי עַרְשִׂ֑י יִשָּׂ֥א בְ֝שִׂיחִ֗י מִשְׁכָּבִֽי׃

14You frighten me with dreams, And terrify me with visions,

v'-chi-ta-TA-ni va-cha-LO-mot u-m'-chez-yo-NOT t'-va-a-ta-NI

ידוְחִתַּתַּ֥נִי בַחֲלֹמ֑וֹת וּֽמֵחֶזְיֹנ֥וֹת תְּבַעֲתַֽנִּי׃

15Till I prefer strangulation, Death, to my wasted frame.

va-tiv-KHAR ma-cha-NAK naf-SHEE, ma-VET me-a-tz'-mo-TAI

טווַתִּבְחַ֣ר מַחֲנָ֣ק נַפְשִׁ֑י מָ֝֗וֶת מֵעַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

16I am sick of it. I shall not live forever; Let me be, for my days are a breath.

ma-AS-tee lo l'-o-LAM ekh-YEH, kha-DAL mi-ME-ni kee-he-VEL ya-MAI

טזמָ֭אַסְתִּי לֹא־לְעֹלָ֣ם אֶחְיֶ֑ה חֲדַ֥ל מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי כִּי־הֶ֥בֶל יָמָֽי׃

17What is man, that You make much of him, That You fix Your attention upon him?

mah e-NOSH KEE t'-ga-d'-LE-nu v'-KHEE ta-SHEET ay-LAV li-BE-kha

יזמָֽה־אֱ֭נוֹשׁ כִּ֣י תְגַדְּלֶ֑נּוּ וְכִֽי־תָשִׁ֖ית אֵלָ֣יו לִבֶּֽךָ׃

18You inspect him every morning, Examine him every minute.

va-tif-ke-DAY-nu liv-ka-RIM, lir-ga-IM tiv-kha-NE-nu

יחוַתִּפְקְדֶ֥נּוּ לִבְקָרִ֑ים לִ֝רְגָעִ֗ים תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃

19Will You not look away from me for a while, Let me be, till I swallow my spittle?

ka-MAH lo-tish-EH mi-ME-ni, lo-tar-PE-ni ad-bil-I ru-KI

יטכַּ֭מָּה לֹא־תִשְׁעֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי לֹֽא־תַ֝רְפֵּ֗נִי עַד־בִּלְעִ֥י רֻקִּֽי׃

20If I have sinned, what have I done to You, Watcher of men? Why make of me Your target, And a burden to myself?

kha-TA-tee, MAH ef-AHL LAKH, no-TZER ha-a-DAM, LA-MAH sam-TA-NEE l'-mif-GA LAKH, va-EH-yeh a-LAI l'-ma-SA

כחָטָ֡אתִי מָ֤ה אֶפְעַ֨ל ׀ לָךְ֮ נֹצֵ֢ר הָ֫אָדָ֥ם לָ֤מָה שַׂמְתַּ֣נִי לְמִפְגָּ֣ע לָ֑ךְ וָאֶהְיֶ֖ה עָלַ֣י לְמַשָּֽׂא׃

21Why do You not pardon my transgression And forgive my iniquity? For soon I shall lie down in the dust; When You seek me, I shall be gone.

u-MEH lo-ti-SA fish-I v'-ta-a-VIR et-a-vo-NI ki-a-TAH le-a-FAR esh-KAV v'-shi-KHAR-ta-NI v'-ei-NE-ni.

כאוּמֶ֤ה ׀ לֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֣א פִשְׁעִי֮ וְתַעֲבִ֢יר אֶת־עֲוֺ֫נִ֥י כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה לֶעָפָ֣ר אֶשְׁכָּ֑ב וְשִׁ֖חַרְתַּ֣נִי וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃