Job 14

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

“Man, who is born of woman, is short of 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.

Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

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

Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?

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

Who can bring out clean from 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 cannot pass.

Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,

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

look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.

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 is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.

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

If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,

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

at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.

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

But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?

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

As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,

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 a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from 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!

If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me 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.

When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.

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

You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.

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

For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.

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

My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.

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

But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged 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 water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.

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

You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send 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.

If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.

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

He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”