Job 14

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

Life is short and full of trouble,

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

like a flower that blooms and withers, like a passing shadow that soon disappears.

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

Do you even notice me, God, and why do you have to drag me to court?

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

Who can bring something clean of what is 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;

You have determined how long we shall live—the number of months, a time limit on our lives.

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

So leave us alone and give us some peace—so like a laborer we could enjoy a few hours of rest at the end of the 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.

Even a tree that's cut down has the hope of sprouting again, of sending up shoots and continuing to live.

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

Even though its roots grow 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.

just a trickle of water will make it bud and grow branches like a young plant.

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

But human beings die, their strength dwindles away; they perish, and where are they then?

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

Like water evaporating from a lake and a river that dries up and disappears,

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 human beings lie down and don't get up again. Until the heavens cease to exist they will not awake from 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)

I wish you would hide me in Sheol; conceal me there until your anger is gone. Set a definite time for me there, and remember me! (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.

Will the dead live again? Then I would have hope through all my time of trouble until my release comes.

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 long for me, the being that you made.

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

Then you would look after me and wouldn't be watching me to see if I sinned.

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

My sins would be sealed up in a bag and you would cover my guilt.

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

But just as the mountains crumble and fall, and the rocks tumble down;

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 water wears away the stones, as floods wash away the soil, so you destroy the hope people have.

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

You continually overpower them and they pass away; you distort their faces in death and send them away.

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

Their children may become important or fall from their positions, but they don't know or see any of this.

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

As people die they only know their own pain and are sad for themselves.”