Job 14

1 Man, that is born of woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.

“Man, who is born of a woman, is 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.

He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

3 And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?

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

4 Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.

Who can bring 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,

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

6 O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!

Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, 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 will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

8 Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,

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

9 Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.

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

10 But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?

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

11 The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth up;

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

12 So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his sleep.

so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of 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)

“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)

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, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.

15 Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!

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

16 But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.

But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?

17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.

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

18 As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;

“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of 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.

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

20 Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and 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 come to honour, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

22 But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.

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