Job 14
1 Man born of a woman is short of days, and sated with harrowing trouble.
“Man, born of woman! 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.
As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
3 And yet on such a one dost thou open thy eyes, and me thou bringest into judgment with thee?
Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 Who can make a clean thing out of an unclean? not one [thing].
Who gives 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:
If his days are determined, The number of his months [are] with You, You have made his limit, And he does not pass over;
6 Turn thyself from him that he may recover from his pain, and be able to enjoy like a hired laborer his day.
Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker 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 for a tree, if it is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does not cease.
8 If even its root become old in the earth, and its stock die in the dust:
If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
9 Yet through the scent of water will it flourish [again], and produce boughs as though It were newly planted.
From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
10 But man dieth, and lieth powerless: yea, the son of earth departeth—and where is he?
And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
11 The waters run off from the sea, and the river faileth and drieth up:
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
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.
And man has lain down, and does not rise, Until the wearing out of the heavens they do not awaken, Nor are roused from 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 h7585)
O that You would conceal me in Sheol, Hide me until the turning of Your anger, Set a limit for me, and remember me. (Sheol h7585)
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 dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
15 Do thou call, and I will truly answer thee: have a desire for the work of thy hands.
You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
16 Yet now thou numberest my steps: and thou waitest not with [the punishment of] my sin.
But now, You number my steps, You do 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 yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its 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.
Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed 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 [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You 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 are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
22 But his body. on him, feeleth pain, and his soul will mourn for him.
Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
