Job 14
1 “We humans are very frail. We live only a short time, and we experience a lot of trouble.
Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
2 We disappear quickly, like flowers that grow from the ground quickly and then wither and die [SIM]. We are like shadows that disappear [when the sun stops shining].
As a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not.
3 [Yahweh, ] why do you keep watching me [to see if I am doing something that is wrong] [RHQ]? Are you wanting to take me to court to judge me?
Also — on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.
4 People are sinners from the time when they are born; who can cause them to be sinless? No one [RHQ]!
Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 You have decided how long our lives will be. You have decided how many months we will live, and we cannot live more months than the (limit/number of months) that you have decided.
If determined are his days, The number of his months [are] with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;
6 So please stop examining us, and allow us to be alone, until/while we finish our time [here on earth], like a man finishes his work [at the end of the day].
Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.
7 If someone cuts a tree down, we hope that it will sprout again and grow new branches.
For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.
8 Its roots in the ground may be very old, and its stump may decay,
If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,
9 but if some water falls on it, it may bud/sprout and send up shoots like a young plant.
From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.
10 But when we people lose all our strength and die, we stop breathing and then we are gone [forever].
And a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where [is] he?
11 Just like water evaporates from the ocean, or like a riverbed dries up,
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.
12 people [lie down and die and] do not get up again. Until the heavens disappear, people who die [EUP] do not wake up, and no one can wake them up.
And man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep.
13 [“Yahweh, ] I wish that you would put me safely in the place of the dead and forget about me until you are no longer angry with me. I wish that you would decide how much time I would spend there, and then remember [that] I [am there]. (Sheol h7585)
O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me. (Sheol h7585)
14 When we humans die, we will certainly not live again [RHQ]. If [I knew that] we would live again, I would wait patiently, and I would wait for you to release me [from my sufferings].
If a man dieth — doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.
15 You would call me, and I would answer. You would be eager to see me, one of the creatures that you had made.
Thou dost call, and I — I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.
16 You would take care of [MET] me, instead of watching me to see if I would sin.
But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.
17 [It is as though the record of] my sins would be sealed in a small bag, and you would cover them up.
Sealed up in a bag [is] my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18 “But, just like mountains crumble and rocks fall down from a cliff,
And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.
19 and just like water slowly wears away the stones, and just like floods wash away soil, [you eventually destroy us]; you do not allow us to continue to (hope/confidently expect) [that we will keep on living].
Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.
20 You always defeat us, and then we die [EUP]. You cause our faces to look ugly after we die, and you send us away.
Thou prevailest [over] him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.
21 [When we die] we do not know if our sons will grow up and [do things that will cause them to] be honored. And if they become disgraced, we do not see that, [either].
Honoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them.
22 We will feel our own pains; we will not feel anything else; we will be sorry for ourselves, not for anyone else.”
Only — his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'
