< Job 14 >
1 For a mortal born of a woman [is] short lived, and full of wrath.
Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
2 Or he falls like a flower that has bloomed; and he departs like a shadow, and can’t continue.
He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees also as a shadow, and continues not.
3 Hast you not taken account even of him, and caused him to enter into judgment before you?
And does you open your eyes upon such an one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4 For who shall be pure from uncleanness? not even one;
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 if even his life should be [but] one day upon the earth: and his months are numbered by him: you have appointed [him] for a time, and he shall by no means exceed [it].
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Depart from him, that he may be quiet, and take pleasure in his life, [though] as a hireling.
Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a worker, his day.
7 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.
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.
8 For though its root should grow old in the earth, and its stem die in the rock;
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 it will blossom from the scent of water, and will produce a crop, as one newly planted.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But a man that has died is utterly gone; and when a mortal has fallen, he is no more.
But man dies, and wastes away: yea, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
11 For the sea wastes in [length of] time, and a river fails and is dried up.
As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decays and dries up:
12 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.
So man lies down, and rises not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 For oh that you had kept me in the grave, and had hidden me until your wrath should cease, and you should set me a time in which you would remember me! (Sheol )
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 )
14 For if a man should die, shall he live [again], having accomplished the days of his life? I will wait till I exist again?
If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15 Then shall you call, and I will listen to you: but do not you reject the work of your hands.
You shall call, and I will answer you: you will have a desire to the work of your hands.
16 But you have numbered my devices: and not one of my sins shall escape you?
For now you number my steps: do you not watch over my sin?
17 An you have sealed up my transgressions in a bag, and marked if I have been guilty of any transgression unawares.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you sew up mine iniquity.
18 And verily a mountain falling will utterly be destroyed, and a rock shall be worn out of its place.
And surely the mountains falling comes to nothing, and the rock is removed out of his place.
19 The waters wear the stones, and waters falling headlong [overflow] a heap of the earth: and you destroy the hope of man.
The waters wear the stones: you wash away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and you destroys the hope of man.
20 You drive him to an end, and he is gone: you set your face against him, and send him away;
You prevail for ever against him, and he passes: you change his countenance, and send him away.
21 and though his children be multiplied, he knows [it] not; and if they be few, he is not aware.
His sons come to honour, and he knows it not; and they are brought low, but he perceives it not of them.
22 But his flesh is in pain, and his soul mourns.
But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.