< Job 14 >
1 Man born of a woman is short of days, and sated with harrowing trouble.
Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
2 Like a flower he cometh forth, and is cut down: and he fleeth like a shadow, and remaineth not.
He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees also as a shadow, and continues not.
3 And yet on such a one dost thou open thy eyes, and me thou bringest into judgment with thee?
And does you open your eyes on such an one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4 Who can make a clean thing out of an unclean? not one [thing].
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing that his days are determined, the number of his months are [fixed] with thee, that thou hast set his bounds which he cannot pass:
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Turn thyself from him that he may recover from his pain, and be able to enjoy like a hired laborer his day.
Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope for the tree: if it be cut down, it may still sprout again, while its young shoot will not cease.
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 If even its root become old in the earth, and its stock die in the dust:
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water will it flourish [again], and produce boughs as though It were newly planted.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth, and lieth powerless: yea, the son of earth departeth—and where is he?
But man dies, and wastes away: yes, man gives up the ghost, and where is he?
11 The waters run off from the sea, and the river faileth and drieth up:
As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decays and dries up:
12 So doth man lie down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they will not awake, and will not be roused out of 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 Oh who would grant that thou mightest hide me in the nether world, that thou mightest conceal me, until thy wrath be appeased, that thou mightest set for me a fixed time, and remember me then! (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 Or, when a man dieth, will he live again? all the days of my time of service would I then wait, till [the hour of] my release were come.
If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15 Do thou call, and I will truly answer thee: have a desire for the work of thy hands.
You shall call, and I will answer you: you will have a desire to the work of your hands.
16 Yet now thou numberest my steps: and thou waitest not with [the punishment of] my sin.
For now you number my steps: do you not watch over my sin?
17 Sealed up in a bag is my transgression, and thou yet addest to my iniquity.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you sew up my iniquity.
18 But truly a falling mountain will crumble, and [even] a rock is moved out of its place.
And surely the mountains falling comes to nothing, and the rock is removed out of his place.
19 The water weareth out stones; thou sweepest away their fragments [like] the dust of the earth: and so thou destroyest 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 destroy the hope of man.
20 Thou assailest him with might without ceasing, till he passeth away: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him off.
You prevail for ever against him, and he passes: you change his countenance, and send him away.
21 His children acquire honor, but he knoweth it not: and they are esteemed little, but he perceiveth nothing of them.
His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; and they are brought low, but he perceives it not of them.
22 But his body. on him, feeleth pain, and his soul will mourn for him.
But his flesh on him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.