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! 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].
As a flower he has gone forth, and is cut off, And he flees as a shadow and does not stand.
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?
Also—on this You have opened Your eyes, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 People are sinners from the time when they are born; who can cause them to be sinless? No one [RHQ]!
Who gives a clean thing out of an 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, The number of his months [are] with You, You have made his limit, And he does not pass over;
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 off him that he may cease, Until he enjoy as a hired worker 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 is cut down, That it changes again, That its tender branch does not cease.
8 Its roots in the ground may be very old, and its stump may decay,
If its root becomes old in the earth, And its stem dies in the dust,
9 but if some water falls on it, it may bud/sprout and send up shoots like a young plant.
From the fragrance of water it flourishes, And has made a crop as a plant.
10 But when we people lose all our strength and die, we stop breathing and then we are gone [forever].
And a man dies, and becomes weak, And man expires, and where [is] he?
11 Just like water evaporates from the ocean, or like a riverbed dries up,
Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becomes waste and dry.
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.
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.
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)
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)
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 dies—does he revive? All [the] days of my warfare I wait, until my change comes.
15 You would call me, and I would answer. You would be eager to see me, one of the creatures that you had made.
You call, and I answer You; To the work of Your hands You have desire.
16 You would take care of [MET] me, instead of watching me to see if I would sin.
But now, You number my steps, You do 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 You sew up my iniquity.
18 “But, just like mountains crumble and rocks fall down from a cliff,
And yet, a falling mountain wastes away, and a rock is removed from 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].
Waters have worn away stones, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And You have destroyed 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.
You prevail [over] him forever, and he goes, He is changing his countenance, And You send him away.
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 are honored, and he does not know; And they are little, and he does not attend to them.
22 We will feel our own pains; we will not feel anything else; we will be sorry for ourselves, not for anyone else.”
Only—his flesh is pained for him, And his soul mourns for him.”
