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.
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 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?
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 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.
Manas ciešanas ir nemitīgas bez gala
1 Vai cilvēks nav kara kalps zemes virsū
un viņa dienas kā algādža dienas –
2 kā vergam, kas ēnas alkst,
kā algādzim, kas gaida algu?
3 Tāpat man doti nīcības mēneši,
moku naktis man nolemtas,
4 guldamies prasu: kad celšos? –
bet nakts velkas,
apnicis grozos līdz ausmai.
5 Miesa man klāta tārpiem un pīšļiem,
āda man plaisā un pūžņo.
6 Par atspoli žiglāk man dienas steidz,
tās beidzas, un cerības nav.
7 Atceries, mana dzīve kā dvesma,
manas acis vairs neredzēs laba!
8 Kas uzlūkos, neredzēs mani,
raugies uz mani – un manis nav.
9 Padebesis izirst un zūd,
kas kapā nokāps, atpakaļ nenāks,
10 savā namā neatgriezīsies,
viņa mājvieta nepazīs viņu.
11 Tādēļ es nesavaldīšu mēli,
runāšu gara mokās,
gaudīšos dvēseles rūgtumā –
12 vai es jūra, vai es pūķis,
ka tu izliec sardzi pret mani?
13 Ja saku: pagalvis lolos mani,
cisas vieglinās manas nopūtas, –
14 vienalga, tu satrauc mani sapņiem,
nakts jausmām tu biedē mani,
15 un mana dvēsele grib nosmakt,
nāvi grib mani kauli.
16 Nu man pietiek! – ne mūžam man dzīvot,
mities no manis! – manas dienas tik dvaša.
17 Kas tev cilvēks, ka to paaugstini,
ka pievērs tam savu sirdi,
18 ka meklē to katru rītu,
katru mirkli to tirdi?
19 Cik ilgi vēl turēsi mani priekš acīm?
Tu nelaid pat tik, lai noriju slienas!
20 Esmu grēkojis! – bet ko tev
es darījis, cilvēka Uzraudzītāj?
Kādēļ mani par mērķi sev noliec?
Kādēļ es kļuvis sev par nastu?
21 Kādēļ tu nepiedod manu vainu,
kādēļ nenoņem manu grēku?
Redzi, tagad es pīšļos gulstos –
meklēsi mani – un nav manis!”
