Job 14

1 For a mortal born of a woman [is] short lived, and full of wrath.

“We humans are very frail. We live only a short time, and we experience a lot of trouble.

2 Or he falls like a flower that has bloomed; and he departs like a shadow, and cannot continue.

We disappear quickly, like flowers that grow from the ground quickly and then wither and die [SIM]. We are like shadows that disappear [when the sun stops shining].

3 Hast thou not taken account even of him, and caused him to enter into judgment before thee?

[Yahweh, ] why do you keep watching me [to see if I am doing something that is wrong] [RHQ]? Are you wanting to take me to court to judge me?

4 For who shall be pure from uncleanness? not even one;

People are sinners from the time when they are born; who can cause them to be sinless? No one [RHQ]!

5 if even his life should be [but] one day upon the earth: and his months are numbered by him: thou hast appointed [him] for a time, and he shall by no means exceed [it].

You have decided how long our lives will be. You have decided how many months we will live, and we cannot live more months than the (limit/number of months) that you have decided.

6 Depart from him, that he may be quiet, and take pleasure in his life, [though] as a hireling.

So please stop examining us, and allow us to be alone, until/while we finish our time [here on earth], like a man finishes his work [at the end of the day].

7 For there is hope for a tree, even if it should be cut down, [that] it shall blossom again, and its branch shall not fail.

If someone cuts a tree down, we hope that it will sprout again and grow new branches.

8 For though its root should grow old in the earth, and its stem die in the rock;

Its roots in the ground may be very old, and its stump may decay,

9 it will blossom from the scent of water, and will produce a crop, as one newly planted.

but if some water falls on it, it may bud/sprout and send up shoots like a young plant.

10 But a man that has died is utterly gone; and when a mortal has fallen, he is no more.

But when we people lose all our strength and die, we stop breathing and then we are gone [forever].

11 For the sea wastes in [length of] time, and a river fails and is dried up.

Just like water evaporates from the ocean, or like a riverbed dries up,

12 And man that has lain down [in death] shall certainly not rise again till the heaven be dissolved, and they shall not awake from their sleep.

people [lie down and die and] do not get up again. Until the heavens disappear, people who die [EUP] do not wake up, and no one can wake them up.

13 For oh that thou hadst kept me in the grave, and hadst hidden me until thy wrath should cease, and thou shouldest set me a time in which thou wouldest remember me! (Sheol h7585)

[“Yahweh, ] I wish that you would put me safely in the place of the dead and forget about me until you are no longer angry with me. I wish that you would decide how much time I would spend there, and then remember [that] I [am there]. (Sheol h7585)

14 For if a man should die, shall he live [again], having accomplished the days of his life? I will wait till I exist again?

When we humans die, we will certainly not live again [RHQ]. If [I knew that] we would live again, I would wait patiently, and I would wait for you to release me [from my sufferings].

15 Then shalt thou call, and I will hearken to thee: but do not thou reject the work of thine hands.

You would call me, and I would answer. You would be eager to see me, one of the creatures that you had made.

16 But thou hast numbered my devices: and not one of my sins shall escape thee?

You would take care of [MET] me, instead of watching me to see if I would sin.

17 An thou hast sealed up my transgressions in a bag, and marked if I have been guilty of any transgression unawares.

[It is as though the record of] my sins would be sealed in a small bag, and you would cover them up.

18 And verily a mountain falling will utterly be destroyed, and a rock shall be worn out of its place.

“But, just like mountains crumble and rocks fall down from a cliff,

19 The waters wear the stones, and waters falling headlong [overflow] a heap of the earth: and thou destroyest the hope of man.

and just like water slowly wears away the stones, and just like floods wash away soil, [you eventually destroy us]; you do not allow us to continue to (hope/confidently expect) [that we will keep on living].

20 Thou drivest him to an end, and he is gone: thou settest thy face against him, and sendest him away;

You always defeat us, and then we die [EUP]. You cause our faces to look ugly after we die, and you send us away.

21 and though his children be multiplied, he knows [it] not; and if they be few, he is not aware.

[When we die] we do not know if our sons will grow up and [do things that will cause them to] be honored. And if they become disgraced, we do not see that, [either].

22 But his flesh is in pain, and his soul mourns.

We will feel our own pains; we will not feel anything else; we will be sorry for ourselves, not for anyone else.”