Job 14
1 “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with Thee?
4 Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
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 and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
Look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
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 If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.
10 But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
But man dieth, and lieth low; yea, man perisheth, and where is he?
11 As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry;
12 so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from 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 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)
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 When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come —
15 You will call, and I will answer; You will desire 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 For then You would count my steps, but 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 in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and Thou heapest up mine iniquity.
18 But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, and the rock is removed out of its place;
19 as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
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 mourns only for himself.”
But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him.
