Job 14

1 "Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.

2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.

He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.

3 Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?

Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?

4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.

5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can't pass;

If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;

6 Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.

7 "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.

For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.

8 Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,

Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;

9 yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.

Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.

10 But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?

But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,

The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;

12 so man lies down and doesn't rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their sleep.

13 "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)

If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again! (Sheol h7585)

14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.

If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.

15 You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.

At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.

16 But now you number my steps. Do you not watch over my sin?

For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.

17 My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.

My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.

18 "But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;

But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;

19 The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.

The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.

20 You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.

You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.

21 His sons come to honor, and he doesn't know it. They are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it of them.

His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.

22 But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns."

Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.