Job 14

1 Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

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

2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.

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

3 Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

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

4 Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!

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

5 If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, [and] thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

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].

6 Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

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

7 For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;

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.

8 Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,

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

9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.

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

10 But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?

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

11 The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:

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

12 So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.

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.

13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, — (Sheol h7585)

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)

14 (If a man die, shall he live [again]?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:

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

15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.

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

16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

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

17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.

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

18 And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;

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

19 The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

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

20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.

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

21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.

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

22 But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.

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