Job 14
1 Man born of a woman is short of days, and sated with harrowing trouble.
“Man, who 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 grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
3 And yet on such a one dost thou open thy eyes, and me thou bringest into judgment with thee?
Do you open your eyes on such a 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 is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass.
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 him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, 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 is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
8 If even its root become old in the earth, and its stock die in the dust:
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies 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 sprout 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 is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, 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 river wastes 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 doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused 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 h7585)
“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time 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, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.
15 Do thou call, and I will truly answer thee: have a desire for the work of thy hands.
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16 Yet now thou numberest my steps: and thou waitest not with [the punishment of] my sin.
But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
17 Sealed up in a bag is my transgression, and thou yet addest to my iniquity.
My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
18 But truly a falling mountain will crumble, and [even] a rock is moved out of its place.
“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of 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.
The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So 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 forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, 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 doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
22 But his body. on him, feeleth pain, and his soul will mourn for him.
But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”
