Job 14
1 Man, that is born of woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
“Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
2 He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
3 And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.
Who gives a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5 Seeing that his days are determined, And the number of his months, with thee, And that thou hast appointed him bounds which he cannot pass,
If his days are determined, The number of his months [are] with You, You have made his limit, And he does not pass over;
6 O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!
Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker his day.
7 For there is hope for a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;
For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does not cease.
8 Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
9 Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
10 But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
11 The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth up;
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his sleep.
And man has lain down, and does not rise, Until the wearing out of the heavens they do not awaken, Nor are roused from their sleep.
13 O that thou wouldst hide me in the under-world! That thou wouldst conceal me till thy wrath be past! That thou wouldst appoint me a time, and then remember me! (Sheol h7585)
O that You would conceal me in Sheol, Hide me until the turning of Your anger, Set a limit for me, and remember me. (Sheol h7585)
14 If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.
If a man dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
15 Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
16 But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
But now, You number my steps, You do not watch over my sin.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity.
18 As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;
And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its place.
19 As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.
Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed the hope of man.
20 Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
His sons are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
22 But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
