Job 14
1 “Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
3 Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
4 Who gives a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
5 If his days are determined, The number of his months [are] with You, You have made his limit, And he does not pass over;
The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
6 Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker his day.
Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
7 For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does not cease.
A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
8 If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
9 From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
10 And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
11 Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
12 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.
just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
13 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)
Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me? (Sheol h7585)
14 If a man dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
15 You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
16 But now, You number my steps, You do not watch over my sin.
Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
17 My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity.
You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
18 And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its place.
A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
19 Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed the hope of man.
Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
20 You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
21 His sons are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
22 Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.
