Job 14
1 As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.
“Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
2 He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.
As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
3 Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?
Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.
Who gives a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5 If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;
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 Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.
Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker his day.
7 For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.
For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does not cease.
8 Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;
If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
9 Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.
From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
10 But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
11 The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
12 So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their 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 keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again! (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 If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.
If a man dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
15 At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.
You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
16 For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.
But now, You number my steps, You do not watch over my sin.
17 My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.
My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity.
18 But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;
And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its place.
19 The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.
Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed the hope of man.
20 You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.
You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
21 His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.
His sons are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
22 Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.
Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
