Study Desk

"^[a]Is not man ^(a)forced to labor on earth, And are not his days like the days of ^(b)a hired man?

"As a slave who pants for the shade, And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,

So am I allotted months of vanity, And ^(c)nights of trouble are appointed me.

"When I ^(d)lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?' But the night continues, And I am ^[b]continually tossing until dawn.

"My ^(e)flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt, My skin hardens and runs.

"My days are ^(f)swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And come to an end ^(g)without hope.

"Remember that my life ^(h)is but breath; My eye will ⁽ⁱ⁾not again see good.

"The ^(j)eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer; Your eyes will be on me, but ^(k)I will not be.

"When a ^(l)cloud vanishes, it is gone, So ^(m)he who goes down to ⁽ⁿ⁾Sheol does not come up.

"He will not return again to his house, Nor will ^(o)his place know him anymore.

"Therefore ^(p)I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

"Am I the sea, or ^(q)the sea monster, That You set a guard over me?

"If I say, ‘^(r)My bed will comfort me, My couch will ^[c]ease my complaint,'

Then You frighten me with dreams And terrify me by visions;

So that my soul would choose suffocation, Death rather than my ^[d]pains.

"I ^[e](s)waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, ^(t)for my days are but a breath.

"^(u)What is man that You magnify him, And that You ^[f]are concerned about him,

That ^(v)You examine him every morning And try him every moment?

"^[g](w)Will You never turn Your gaze away from me, Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?

"^(x)Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O ^(y)watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?

"Why then ^(z)do You not pardon my transgression And take away my iniquity? For now I will ^(aa)lie down in the dust; And You will seek me, ^(ab)but I will not be."