Job 14
1 “Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
Man, that is born of woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
4 Who gives a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.
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;
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 Look away from off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker 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 a tree, if it is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does 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 its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
10 And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
11 Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth 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.
So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused 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)
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 If a man dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.
15 You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 But now, You number my steps, You do not watch over my sin.
But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
17 My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and You sew up my iniquity.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18 And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from its place.
As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed 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.
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 You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 His sons are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
22 Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
