"For nowI would have laindownand beenquiet;I would have sleptthen,I would have beenat rest,
BeforeI go--and I shall not return--To the landof darknessand deepshadow,
The landof uttergloomas darkness[itself], Of deepshadowwithoutorder,And which shinesas the darkness."
"You foreveroverpowerhim and he departs;[You] changehis appearanceand sendhim away.
"For when a fewyearsare past,I shall gothe wayof noreturn.
"IfI lookfor Sheolas my home,I makemy bedin the darkness;
"As for me, I knowthat my Redeemerlives,And at the lastHe will takeHis standon the earth.
WhomI myselfshall behold,And whom my eyeswill seeand not another.My heartfaintswithinme!
"They spendtheir daysin prosperity,And suddenlythey godownto Sheol.
"Onediesin his fullstrength,Being whollyat easeand satisfied;
"Togetherthey liedownin the dust,And wormscoverthem.
"Droughtand heatconsumethe snowwaters,[So does] Sheol[those who] have sinned.
"A motherwill forgethim; The wormfeedssweetlytill he is nolongerremembered.And wickednesswill be brokenlike a tree.
"The departedspiritstrembleUnderthe watersand their inhabitants.
"Nakedis SheolbeforeHim, And Abaddonhasnocovering.
"Whydid the kneesreceiveme, And whythe breasts,that I should suck?
"Thereis nodarknessor deepshadowWherethe workersof iniquitymay hidethemselves.
"Whythen do You not pardonmy transgressionAnd takeawaymy iniquity?For nowI will liedownin the dust;And You will seekme, but I will not be."
Whateveryour handfindsto do,do[it] with [all] your might;for thereis noactivityor planningor knowledgeor wisdomin Sheolwhereyou are going.
"Nordo they liebesidethe fallenheroesof the uncircumcised,whowentdownto Sheolwith their weaponsof warand whose swordswere laidundertheir heads;but the punishmentfor their iniquityrestedon their bones,thoughthe terrorof [these] heroes[was once] in the landof the living.
