Job 14
1 “We humans are very frail. We live only a short time, and we experience a lot of trouble.
Man, that is 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 as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also 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?
And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring 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 produce a clean thing from 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.
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 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].
O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, 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, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;
8 Its roots in the ground may be very old, and its stump may decay,
Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 but if some water falls on it, it may bud/sprout and send up shoots like a young plant.
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 man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
11 Just like water evaporates from the ocean, or like a riverbed dries up,
The waters fail from the lake; And the stream 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; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his 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 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 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, can he live again? All the days of my war-service 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 wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 You would take care of [MET] me, instead of watching me to see if I would sin.
But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
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; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18 “But, just like mountains crumble and rocks fall down from a cliff,
As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the 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].
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 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 against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest 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 come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but 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 shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
