Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job isn't just asking for a break; he's pleading for a moment of genuine relief, expressing a desperate desire to simply "gather some strength" and find a little cheer before his life's short remaining days are over. This isn't about wishing away suffering, but about finding a sliver of solace in the face of an inevitable, dark end.
Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is pouring out his heart in agony, feeling like God is relentlessly pursuing him and making his life miserable. He feels his days are numbered and his suffering is so intense that he's begging for just a brief respite from God's judgment before he dies and goes to the grave. This plea comes after he's questioned God's justice and power, feeling trapped and misunderstood.
Job is in the depths of despair, but he grounds his plea in a stark reality about life itself. What is this reality, and why is it so crucial to his argument?
Job begins by pointing to the undeniable shortness of his life. He's not just complaining; he's presenting a logical case.
Life's Brief Span
Job says, 'Are not my days few?' This is a rhetorical question, and the answer is a resounding 'yes.' Life, even at its longest, is incredibly brief when compared to eternity. Job feels this acutely because his suffering is consuming what little time he has left.
A Plea for Brevity
Because his days are few, Job argues that God doesn't need to hasten his end or continue his torment. He pleads, 'Cease then, and let me alone.' He's essentially asking for a pause, a moment of relief, before his short life inevitably runs its course and he enters the land of the dead.
In his extreme suffering, Job doesn't ask for a cure or a full restoration. What simple, yet profound, thing does he long for before he dies?
Job's request isn't for a lavish feast or a prolonged life, but for something far more modest: 'that I may find a little cheer.'
The Hunger for Respite
This 'cheer' (in some translations, 'comfort' or 'refreshment') is not about worldly happiness for Job. It's about a moment's relief from the unbearable pain and anguish that has defined his existence. He wants a brief pause, a chance to gather himself before the finality of death.
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The Dignity of a Moment
Even in his darkest hour, Job clings to a desire for a small measure of dignity and peace. This plea reveals a deep human need not just to survive, but to experience moments where suffering is not all-consuming. It’s a cry for a breath of air before sinking beneath the waves.
Understand the original words
yamim · Hebrew Noun
The finite, transient period of a human's life. It emphasizes the brevity and fragility of existence, often used in prayer to reflect on the limitation of time before eternity.
balag · Hebrew Verb
A state of brief respite, relaxation, or joy. In the midst of suffering, Job desires a moment of relief or the calming of his troubled spirit before he meets his end.
This passage echoes Job's plea, as the psalmist asks God to 'spare me a little, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen.'
Ecclesiastes 9:10Like Job, this verse reminds us that life is short and the time for action is now, urging, 'Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.'
Job 7:16This earlier lament from Job expresses a similar exhaustion with life and desire for release, stating, 'I waste away; I want not to live forever; just let me alone, for my days are a fleeting breath.'
Romans 8:23This verse speaks to the groaning and suffering of creation in its present state, a sentiment that Job deeply embodies as he longs for relief and a respite from his afflictions.
bensonJob 10:20: "Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,"
Job 10:20-22 . Are not my days few? Cease then, &c. — My life is short, and of itself hastens to an end; there is no need that thou shouldest grudge me some ease for so small a moment. Let me alone — Or lay aside, or remove thy hand or anger from me. That I may take comfort a little — Hebrews אבליגה , abligah, et recreabo me, I shall refresh, or strengthen myself: shall have some respite, some remi…
pooleJob 10:20: "Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,"
My life is short, and of itself hastens apace to an end; there is no need that thou shouldst push it forward, or grudge me some ease for so small a moment. Let me alone; or, lay aside , or remove , thy hand or anger from me.
Job isn't just asking for a break; he's pleading for a moment of genuine relief, expressing a desperate desire to simply "gather some strength" and find a little cheer before his life's short remaining days are over. This isn't about wishing away suffering, but about finding a sliver of solace in the face of an inevitable, dark end.
Job is pouring out his heart in agony, feeling like God is relentlessly pursuing him and making his life miserable. He feels his days are numbered and his suffering is so intense that he's begging for just a brief respite from God's judgment before he dies and goes to the grave. This plea comes after he's questioned God's justice and power, feeling trapped and misunderstood.
Job is pouring out his heart in agony, feeling like God is relentlessly pursuing him and making his life miserable. He feels his days are numbered and his suffering is so intense that he's begging for just a brief respite from God's judgment before he dies and goes to the grave. This plea comes after he's questioned God's justice and power, feeling trapped and misunderstood.
"Are not my days few? Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer" — Job isn't just asking for a break; he's pleading for a moment of genuine relief, expressing a desperate desire to simply "gather some strength" and find a little cheer before his life's short remaini…
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Last reviewed October 2026