Is there notהֲלֹאserviceצָבָאfor a mortalלֶאֱנוֹשׁonעֲלֵיearth,אָרֶץand like the daysוְכִימֵיof a hired workerשָׂכִירare his days?יָמָיו
Like a slaveכְּעֶבֶדwho pants forיִשְׁאַףthe shade,צֵלand like a hired workerוּכְשָׂכִירwho hopes forיְקַוֶּהhis wages,פָעֳלוֹ
soכֵּןI have been given as my inheritanceהָנְחַלְתִּי לִיmonthsיַרְחֵיof emptiness,שָׁוְאand nightsוְלֵילוֹתof sufferingעָמָלhave been assignedמִנּוּto me.לִי
WhenאִםI lie down,שָׁכַבְתִּיI say,וְאָמַרְתִּי‘Whenמָתַיshall I arise?’אָקוּםBut the eveningעָרֶבstretches on,וּמִדַּדand I am satedוְשָׂבַעְתִּיwith tossingנְדֻדִיםuntilעֲדֵיtwilight.נָשֶׁף
My fleshבְּשָׂרִיis clothedלָבַשׁwith wormsרִמָּהand a crustוְגוּשׁof dust;עָפָרmy skinעוֹרִיhardensרָגַעand festers.וַיִּמָּאֵס
My daysיָמַיare swifterקַלּוּthan a shuttle,מִנִּי אָרֶגand they come to an endוַיִּכְלוּwithoutבְּאֶפֶסhope.תִּקְוָה
Rememberזְכֹרthatכִּיmy lifeחַיָּיis wind;רוּחַmy eyeעֵינִיwill notלֹאagainתָשׁוּבseeלִרְאוֹתgood.טוֹב
The eyeעֵיןof the one who sees meרֹאִיwill notלֹאcatch sight of me;תְשׁוּרֵנִיyour eyesעֵינֶיךָwill be on me,בִּיand I will be no more.וְאֵינֶנִּי
The cloudעָנָןcomes to an endכָּלָהand goes away;וַיֵּלַךְsoכֵּןone who goes downיוֹרֵדto Sheolשְׁאוֹלdoes notלֹאcome up.יַעֲלֶה
He will notלֹאreturnיָשׁוּבagainעוֹדto his house,לְבֵיתוֹnorוְלֹאwill his placeמְקֹמוֹrecognize himיַכִּירֶנּוּanymore.עוֹד
So I tooגַּם אֲנִיwill notלֹאrestrainאֶחֱשָׂךְmy mouth;פִּיI will speakאֲדַבְּרָהin the distressבְּצַרof my spirit;רוּחִיI will complainאָשִׂיחָהin the bitternessבְּמַרof my soul.נַפְשִׁי
Am Iהֲ אָנִיthe sea,יָםorאִםa sea monster,תַּנִּיןthatכִּיyou setתָשִׂיםa guardמִשְׁמָרover me?עָלַי
WhenכִּיI say,אָמַרְתִּי‘My bedעַרְשִׂיwill comfort me,תְּנַחֲמֵנִיmy couchמִשְׁכָּבִיwill help bearיִשָּׂא בְmy complaint,’שִׂיחִי
then you scare meוְחִתַּתַּנִיwith dreamsבַחֲלֹמוֹתand with visionsוּמֵחֶזְיֹנוֹתyou terrify me,תְּבַעֲתַנִּי
so thatוַmy soulנַפְשִׁיchoosesתִּבְחַרstrangling,מַחֲנָקdeathמָוֶתrather than my bones.מֵעַצְמוֹתָי
I despise my life;מָאַסְתִּיI will notלֹאliveאֶחְיֶהforever.לְעֹלָםLet me alone,חֲדַל מִמֶּנִּיforכִּיmy daysיָמָיare a vapor.הֶבֶל
Whatמָהis a mortal,אֱנוֹשׁthatכִּיyou magnify him,תְגַדְּלֶנּוּand thatוְכִיyou setתָשִׁיתyour heartלִבֶּךָon him,אֵלָיו
and inspect himוַתִּפְקְדֶנּוּevery morningלִבְקָרִיםand test himתִּבְחָנֶנּוּevery moment?לִרְגָעִים
How longכַּמָּהwill you notלֹאlook awayתִשְׁעֶהfrom me,מִמֶּנִּיnorלֹאlet me goתַרְפֵּנִיuntilעַדI swallowבִּלְעִיmy spittle?רֻקִּי
I have sinned;חָטָאתִיwhatמָהdo I doאֶפְעַלto you,לָךְguardianנֹצֵרof human beings?הָאָדָםWhyלָמָהhave you set meשַׂמְתַּנִיas your target,לְמִפְגָּע לָךְso that I amוָאֶהְיֶהa burdenלְמַשָּׂאto myself?עָלַי
And whyוּמֶהdo you notלֹאpardonתִשָּׂאmy transgressionפִשְׁעִיand letוְmy iniquityאֶת עֲוֺנִיpass away?תַעֲבִירForכִּיnowעַתָּהin the dustלֶעָפָרI will lie down;אֶשְׁכָּבand you will seek me,וְשִׁחֲרְתַּנִיand I will be no more.”וְאֵינֶנִּי