Job 14
1 Man, that is born of woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.
“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
3 And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
4 Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
5 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,
Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
6 O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!
look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
7 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;
For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
8 Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
9 Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
10 But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
11 The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth up;
As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his sleep.
so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
13 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)
If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me! (Sheol h7585)
14 If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.
When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
15 Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
16 But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;
But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.
as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
20 Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
22 But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”
