Job 14
1 “We humans are very frail. We live only a short time, and we experience a lot of trouble.
Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 We disappear quickly, like flowers that grow from the ground quickly and then wither and die [SIM]. We are like shadows that disappear [when the sun stops shining].
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 [Yahweh, ] why do you keep watching me [to see if I am doing something that is wrong] [RHQ]? Are you wanting to take me to court to judge me?
Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 People are sinners from the time when they are born; who can cause them to be sinless? No one [RHQ]!
Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!
5 You have decided how long our lives will be. You have decided how many months we will live, and we cannot live more months than the (limit/number of months) that you have decided.
If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, [and] thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,
6 So please stop examining us, and allow us to be alone, until/while we finish our time [here on earth], like a man finishes his work [at the end of the day].
Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 If someone cuts a tree down, we hope that it will sprout again and grow new branches.
For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;
8 Its roots in the ground may be very old, and its stump may decay,
Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,
9 but if some water falls on it, it may bud/sprout and send up shoots like a young plant.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.
10 But when we people lose all our strength and die, we stop breathing and then we are gone [forever].
But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?
11 Just like water evaporates from the ocean, or like a riverbed dries up,
The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:
12 people [lie down and die and] do not get up again. Until the heavens disappear, people who die [EUP] do not wake up, and no one can wake them up.
So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.
13 [“Yahweh, ] I wish that you would put me safely in the place of the dead and forget about me until you are no longer angry with me. I wish that you would decide how much time I would spend there, and then remember [that] I [am there]. (Sheol h7585)
Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, — (Sheol h7585)
14 When we humans die, we will certainly not live again [RHQ]. If [I knew that] we would live again, I would wait patiently, and I would wait for you to release me [from my sufferings].
(If a man die, shall he live [again]?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:
15 You would call me, and I would answer. You would be eager to see me, one of the creatures that you had made.
Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.
16 You would take care of [MET] me, instead of watching me to see if I would sin.
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 [It is as though the record of] my sins would be sealed in a small bag, and you would cover them up.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.
18 “But, just like mountains crumble and rocks fall down from a cliff,
And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;
19 and just like water slowly wears away the stones, and just like floods wash away soil, [you eventually destroy us]; you do not allow us to continue to (hope/confidently expect) [that we will keep on living].
The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 You always defeat us, and then we die [EUP]. You cause our faces to look ugly after we die, and you send us away.
Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.
21 [When we die] we do not know if our sons will grow up and [do things that will cause them to] be honored. And if they become disgraced, we do not see that, [either].
His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.
22 We will feel our own pains; we will not feel anything else; we will be sorry for ourselves, not for anyone else.”
But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.
