Job 14
1 “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
“Man, born of woman! 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.
As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
3 Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
Who gives 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,
If his days are determined, The number of his months [are] with You, You have made his limit, And he does not pass over;
6 look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker 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 for a tree, if it is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does not cease.
8 If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
9 at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
10 But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
11 As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and 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.
And man has lain down, and does not rise, Until the wearing out of the heavens they do not awaken, Nor are roused from 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)
O that You would conceal me in Sheol, Hide me until the turning of Your anger, Set a limit for me, 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 dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
15 You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
16 For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
But now, You number my steps, You do not watch over 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 You sew up my iniquity.
18 But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its place.
19 as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed the hope of man.
20 You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
21 If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
His sons are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
22 He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”
Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
