Job 14

1 "Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

Man, who is born of woman, lives only a few days and is full of trouble.

2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.

He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down; he flees like a shadow and does not last.

3 Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?

Do you look at any of these? Do you bring me into judgment with you?

4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

Who can bring something clean out of something unclean? No one.

5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can't pass;

Man's days are determined. The number of his months is with you; you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.

6 Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

Look away from him that he may rest, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.

7 "For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

There can be hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it might sprout again, so that its tender stalk does not disappear.

8 Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,

Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,

9 yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.

yet even if it only smells water, it will bud and send out branches like a plant.

10 But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?

But man dies; he becomes weak; indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,

As water disappears from a lake, and as a river loses water and dries up,

12 so man lies down and doesn't rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

so people lie down and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused out of their sleep.

13 "Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me. (Sheol h7585)

Oh, that you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles, and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over, that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind! (Sheol h7585)

14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.

If a man dies, will he live again? If so, I would wish to wait all my weary time there until my release should come.

15 You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.

You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.

16 But now you number my steps. Do you not watch over my sin?

You would number and care for my footsteps; you would not keep track of my sin.

17 My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.

My transgression would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover up my iniquity.

18 "But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;

But even mountains fall and come to nothing; even rocks are moved out of their place;

19 The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.

the waters wear down the stones; their flooding washes away the dust of the earth. Like this, you destroy the hope of man.

20 You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.

You always defeat him, and he passes away; you change his face and send him away to die.

21 His sons come to honor, and he doesn't know it. They are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it of them.

If his sons are honored, he does not know it; and if they are brought low, he does not see it.

22 But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns."

He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns for himself.