1Knighthood, that is, continual travail, and fighting against vices, is the life of a man upon (the) earth, and his days be as the days of an hired man.

2As an hart desireth shadow, and as an hired man abideth the end of his work; (Like a servant desireth the shade, and like a hired man waiteth for the end of his work day;)

3so I have had void months (or so I have had empty months), and I have numbered travailous nights to me.

4If I shall sleep, I shall say, When shall I rise? and again I shall abide the eventide, and I shall be full-filled with sorrows unto darknesses come(or and I shall be filled full with sorrow until the darknesses come).

5My flesh is clothed with rot, and filths of dust; my skin dried up, and is drawn together, (or my skin is dried up, and is altogether drawn, or and my skin is covered with running sores).

6My days have passed swifter than a web is cut down from the looms; and those days be wasted without any hope of coming again.

7God, have thou mind, for my life is wind, and mine eye shall not turn again, that it see goods. (God, remember that my life is but a breath, and I shall no longer see any good days.)

8Neither the sight of man shall behold me; but thine eyes be in me (or but thy eyes be upon me), and I shall not be in deadly life, that is, I shall not abide (alive).

9As a cloud is wasted, and passeth soon away, so he that goeth down to hell, shall not go up (from) thence; (Like a cloud that fadeth, and soon passeth away, is he who goeth down to the Sheol, or the grave, and shall never come up from there;)

10neither he shall turn again more into his house, and his place shall no more know him. (nor shall he return to his house, and his place shall know him no more.)

11Wherefore and I shall not spare my mouth; I shall speak in the tribulation of my spirit, I shall talk (al)together with the bitterness of my soul (or I shall speak out of the bitterness of my soul).

12Whether I am a sea, either a whale, for thou hast (en)compassed me with a prison? (Am I a sea, or a whale, for thou hast surrounded me with a prison?)

13If I shall say, My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, or quieted, speaking with me in my bed; (If I shall say, My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, or quieted, talking to myself in my bed;)

14thou shalt make me afeared by dreams, and thou shalt shake me with horror, either hideousness, by sights. (then thou shalt make me afraid with dreams, and thou shalt make me shake with visions of horror, or of hideousness.)

15Wherefore my soul chose hanging, and my bones have chosen death.

16I despaired, (and) now I shall no more live; Lord, spare thou me, for my days be nought.

17What is a man, for thou magnifiest him? either what settest thou thine heart toward him? (What is a man, that thou magnifiest him? or why settest thou thy heart toward him?)

18Thou visitest him early, and suddenly thou provest him. (And then thou punishest him early in the morning, and suddenly thou triest him.)

19How long sparest thou not me, neither sufferest me, that I swallow my spittle? (How long sparest thou me not, nor allowest me to swallow my own spittle?)

20I have sinned; O! thou keeper of men, what shall I do to thee? Why hast thou set me contrary to thee, and I am made grievous to myself? (I have sinned; O thou keeper of men! but what have I done to thee? Why hast thou put me contrary to thee, so that I am even made a burden to thee?)

21Why doest thou not away my sin, and why takest thou not away my wickedness? Lo! now I shall sleep in dust, and if thou seekest me early, I shall not abide, (or Behold! now I shall sleep in the dust, and when thou seekest me in the morning, I shall already be dead).