The Meaning of Job 7:1 Explained

Job 7:1

KJV: Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

YLT: Is there not a warfare to man on earth? And as the days of an hireling his days?

Darby: Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?

ASV: Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Is there] not an appointed time  to man  upon earth?  [are not] his days  also like the days  of an hireling? 

What does Job 7:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Job 7:1-21 - Longing For The Evening
The servant eagerly longs for the lengthening shadow, which tells him that his day of labor is at an end, and we may allow ourselves to anticipate the hour of our reward and deliverance.
In plaintive words, which have so often been on the lips of heavy sufferers, Job tells the story of his sorrow and bitterness. The sufferer addresses God directly-almost suggesting at first that God was persecuting him without cause. Let those who have been disposed to think God unmindful and hard in His dealings, ponder these words. Even this saint of patience has trodden that path before them, and he came out right at last. But a softer tone follows; Job realizes that he has sinned, pleads to be forgiven, and asks that the word of forgiving love may not tarry, lest it be too late. The psalmist uses expressions similar to Job 7:17-18, but with a more wholesome application, Psalms 8:4; Psalms 144:3.
Notice that wonderful name for God-the watcher of men, Job 7:20, r.v. Not to discover their sins, but to learn their sorrows and needs with the intent of helping them with His saving strength. [source]

Chapter Summary: Job 7

1  Job excuses his desire of death
12  He complains of his own restlessness, and reasons with God

What do the individual words in Job 7:1 mean?

[is there] not a time of hard service for man - on earth and like the days of a hired man [Are not] his days
הֲלֹא־ צָבָ֣א לֶאֱנ֣וֹשׁ [על־] (עֲלֵי־) אָ֑רֶץ וְכִימֵ֖י שָׂכִ֣יר ؟ יָמָֽיו

הֲלֹא־  [is  there]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
צָבָ֣א  a  time  of  hard  service 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לֶאֱנ֣וֹשׁ  for  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
[על־]  - 
Parse: Preposition
אָ֑רֶץ  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וְכִימֵ֖י  and  like  the  days 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
שָׂכִ֣יר  of  a  hired  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׂכִיר  
Sense: hired.
؟ יָמָֽיו  [Are  not]  his  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.