< Job 14 >

1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees also as a shadow, and continues not.
As a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not.
3 And does you open your eyes on such an one, and bring me into judgment with you?
Also — on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
If determined are his days, The number of his months [are] with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.
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.
For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.
10 But man dies, and wastes away: yes, man gives up the ghost, and where is he?
And a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where [is] he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decays and dries up:
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.
12 So man lies down, and rises not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
And man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep.
13 O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! (Sheol h7585)
O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me. (Sheol h7585)
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
If a man dieth — doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.
15 You shall call, and I will answer you: you will have a desire to the work of your hands.
Thou dost call, and I — I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.
16 For now you number my steps: do you not watch over my sin?
But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you sew up my iniquity.
Sealed up in a bag [is] my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18 And surely the mountains falling comes to nothing, and the rock is removed out of his place.
And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.
19 The waters wear the stones: you wash away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and you destroy the hope of man.
Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.
20 You prevail for ever against him, and he passes: you change his countenance, and send him away.
Thou prevailest [over] him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; and they are brought low, but he perceives it not of them.
Honoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them.
22 But his flesh on him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
Only — his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'

< Job 14 >