Job 14

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

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

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?

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

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 is with you, and you have 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.

Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a 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 for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

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

Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies 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 sprout 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 dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, 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 river wastes and dries 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 lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused 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)

"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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its 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. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy 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.

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

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

His sons come to honor, and he does not know it. They are brought low, but he does not perceive it 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 on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”