Job 14
1 Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
“Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
2 Who cometh forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never continueth in the same state.
As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
3 And dost thou think it meet to open thy eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with thee?
Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art?
Who gives a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with thee: thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed.
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 Depart a little from him, that he may rest, until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling.
Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker his day.
7 A tree hath hope: if it be cut, it groweth green again, and the boughs thereof sprout.
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 root be old in the earth, and its stock be dead in the dust:
If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
9 At the scent of water, it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted.
From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
10 But man when he shall be dead, and stripped and consumed, I pray you where is he?
And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
11 As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and an emptied river should be dried up:
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
12 So man when he is fallen asleep shall not rise again; till the heavens be broken, he shall not awake, nor rise up out of his 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 Who will grant me this, that thou mayst protect me in hell, and hide me till thy wrath pass, and appoint me a. time when thou wilt 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 Shall man that is dead, thinkest thou, live again? all the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come.
If a man dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
15 Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach out thy right hand.
You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
16 Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins.
But now, You number my steps, You do not watch over my sin.
17 Thou hast sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured my iniquity.
My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity.
18 A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place.
And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its place.
19 Waters wear away the stones, and with inundation the ground by little and little is washed away: so in like manner thou shalt destroy man.
Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed the hope of man.
20 Thou hast strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away for ever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him away.
You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
21 Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand.
His sons are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
22 But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him.
Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
