Job 14
1 Man, who is born of woman, lives only a few days and is full of trouble.
“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
2 He sprouts from the ground like a flower and is cut down; he flees like a shadow and does not last.
Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
3 Do you look at any of these? Do you bring me into judgment with you?
Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
4 Who can bring something clean out of something unclean? No one.
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
5 Man's days are determined. The number of his months is with you; you have appointed his limits that 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 Look away from him that he may rest, so that he may enjoy his day like a hired man if he can do so.
look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
7 There can be hope for a tree; if it is cut down, it might sprout again, so that its tender stalk does not disappear.
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 grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground,
If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
9 yet even if it only smells water, it will bud and send out branches like a plant.
at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
10 But man dies; he becomes weak; indeed, man stops breathing, and then where is he?
But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
11 As water disappears from a lake, and as a river loses water and dries up,
As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 so people lie down and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused out of their 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 Oh, that you would hide me away in Sheol away from troubles, and that you would keep me in private until your wrath is over, that you would set me a fixed time to stay there and then call me to mind! (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 dies, will he live again? If so, I would wish to wait all my weary time there until my release 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 You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
16 You would number and care for my footsteps; you would not keep track of my sin.
For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
17 My transgression would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover up my iniquity.
My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 But even mountains fall and come to nothing; even rocks are moved out of their place;
But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 the waters wear down the stones; their flooding washes away the dust of the earth. Like this, you destroy the hope of man.
as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
20 You always defeat him, and he passes away; you change his face and send him away to die.
You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
21 If his sons are honored, he does not know it; and if they are brought low, he does not see it.
If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
22 He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns for himself.
He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”
