Job 14

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

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

2 He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down; he flees like a shadow and does not last.

He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

3 Do you look at any of these? Do you bring me into judgment with you?

And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with Thee?

4 Who can bring something clean out of something unclean? No one.

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

5 Man's days are determined. The number of his months is with you; you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

6 Look away from him that he may rest, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.

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

7 There can be hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it might sprout again, so that its tender stalk does not disappear.

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

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

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

9 yet even if it only smells water, it will bud and send out branches like a plant.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.

10 But man dies; he becomes weak; indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?

But man dieth, and lieth low; yea, man perisheth, and where is he?

11 As water disappears from a lake, and as a river loses water and dries up,

As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry;

12 so people lie down and do not rise again. 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, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

13 Oh, that you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles, and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over, that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind! (Sheol h7585)

Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! — (Sheol h7585)

14 If a man dies, will he live again? If so, I would wish to wait all my weary time there until my release should come.

If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come —

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

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of Thy hands.

16 You would number and care for my footsteps; you would not keep track of my sin.

But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin;

17 My transgression would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover up my iniquity.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and Thou heapest up mine iniquity.

18 But even mountains fall and come to nothing; even rocks are moved out of their place;

And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, and the rock is removed out of its place;

19 the waters wear down the stones; their flooding washes away the dust of the earth. Like this, you destroy the hope of man.

The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 You always defeat him, and he passes away; you change his face and send him away to die.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

21 If his sons are honored, he does not know it; and if they are brought low, he does not see it.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he regardeth them not.

22 He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns for himself.

But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him.