Job 14

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

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

2 He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and does not continue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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.

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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its 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.

As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.

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

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

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

His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.

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

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