< Job 14 >

1 Man born of a woman is short of days, and sated with harrowing trouble.
Man, that is born of 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 cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 And yet on such a one dost thou open thy eyes, and me thou bringest into judgment with thee?
And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
4 Who can make a clean thing out of an unclean? not one [thing].
Who can produce a clean thing from 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 that his days are determined, And the number of his months, with thee, And that thou hast appointed him bounds which 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.
O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a 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 for a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;
8 If even its root become old in the earth, and its stock die in the dust:
Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 Yet through the scent of water will it flourish [again], and produce boughs as though It were newly planted.
Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
10 But man dieth, and lieth powerless: yea, the son of earth departeth—and where is he?
But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
11 The waters run off from the sea, and the river faileth and drieth up:
The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth 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 lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his 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 thou wouldst hide me in the under-world! That thou wouldst conceal me till thy wrath be past! That thou wouldst appoint me a time, and then 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 die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.
15 Do thou call, and I will truly answer thee: have a desire for the work of thy hands.
Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 Yet now thou numberest my steps: and thou waitest not with [the punishment of] my sin.
But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
17 Sealed up in a bag is my transgression, and thou yet addest to my iniquity.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18 But truly a falling mountain will crumble, and [even] a rock is moved out of its place.
As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the 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.
As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Thou assailest him with might without ceasing, till he passeth away: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him off.
Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest 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, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
22 But his body. on him, feeleth pain, and his soul will mourn for him.
But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.

< Job 14 >