Job 14

1 Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.

Man [that is] born of a woman [is] of few days, and full of trouble.

2 He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

3 And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?

And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

4 Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?

Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean? not one.

5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.

Seeing his days [are] determined, the number of his months [are] with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

6 Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

7 A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

8 If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

9 at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.

[Yet] through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

10 Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where [is] he?

11 It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;

[As] the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

12 just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens [be] no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me? (Sheol h7585)

O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! (Sheol h7585)

14 Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.

If a man die, shall he live [again]? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

15 You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

16 Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

17 You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.

My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

18 A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.

And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

19 Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.

The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow [out] of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

21 Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth [it] not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth [it] not of them.

22 And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.

But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.