Job 14

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

“Man, who 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 grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

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

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

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 you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t 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, until he accomplishes, 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 for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

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

Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies 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 sprout boughs like a plant.

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

But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, 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 wastes and dries up,

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 lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will 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 you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would 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 dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.

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

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

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

But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?

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

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

18 But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,

“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. 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 torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.

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

You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send 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 honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

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

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