Job 14

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

Man, who is born of woman, lives only a few days and is full of trouble.

2 He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down; he flees like a shadow and does not last.

3 And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with Thee?

Do you look at any of these? Do you bring me into judgment with you?

4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Who can bring something clean out of something unclean? No one.

5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Man's days are determined. The number of his months is with you; you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.

6 Look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

Look away from him that he may rest, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.

7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

There can be hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it might sprout again, so that its tender stalk does not disappear.

8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,

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

yet even if it only smells water, it will bud and send out branches like a plant.

10 But man dieth, and lieth low; yea, man perisheth, and where is he?

But man dies; he becomes weak; indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry;

As water disappears from a lake, and as a river loses water and dries up,

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

so people lie down and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused out of their sleep.

13 Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! — (Sheol h7585)

Oh, that you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles, and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over, that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind! (Sheol h7585)

14 If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come —

If a man dies, will he live again? If so, I would wish to wait all my weary time there until my release should come.

15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of Thy hands.

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

16 But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin;

You would number and care for my footsteps; you would not keep track of my sin.

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

My transgression would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover up my iniquity.

18 And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, and the rock is removed out of its place;

But even mountains fall and come to nothing; even rocks are moved out of their place;

19 The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man.

the waters wear down the stones; their flooding washes away the dust of the earth. Like this, you destroy the hope of man.

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

You always defeat him, and he passes away; you change his face and send him away to die.

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

If his sons are honored, he does not know it; and if they are brought low, he does not see it.

22 But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him.

He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns for himself.