Job 14
1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
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.
A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! (Sheol h7585)
Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will 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.
Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.
