Read the Bible

¹ Human life is like forced army service,
    like a life of hard manual labor,
²     like a slave longing for cool shade;
    like a worker waiting to be paid.
³ Month after month I have nothing to live for;
    night after night brings me grief.
⁴ When I lie down to sleep, the hours drag;
    I toss all night and long for dawn.
⁵ My body is full of worms;
    it is covered with scabs;
    pus runs out of my sores.
⁶ My days pass by without hope,
    pass faster than a weaver's shuttle.^[a]

⁷ Remember, O God, my life is only a breath;
    my happiness has already ended.
⁸ You see me now, but never again.
    If you look for me, I'll be gone.^9-10 (a)Like a cloud that fades and is gone,
    we humans die and never return;
    we are forgotten by all who knew us.<
¹¹ No! I can't be quiet!
    I am angry and bitter.
    I have to speak.

¹² Why do you keep me under guard?
    Do you think I am a sea monster?^[b]
13 I lie down and try to rest;
    I look for relief from my pain.
¹⁴ But you—you terrify me with dreams;
    you send me visions and nightmares
¹⁵     until I would rather be strangled
    than live in this miserable body.
¹⁶ I give up; I am tired of living.
Leave me alone. My life makes no sense.

^17 (b)Why are people so important to you?
    Why pay attention to what they do?
¹⁸ You inspect them every morning
    and test them every minute.
¹⁹ Won't you look away long enough
    for me to swallow my spit?
²⁰ Are you harmed by my sin, you jailer?
    Why use me for your target practice?
    Am I so great a burden to you?
²¹ Can't you ever forgive my sin?
    Can't you pardon the wrong I do?
Soon I will be in my grave,
    and I'll be gone when you look for me.