Job 14
1 Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 As a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Also — on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.
Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!
5 If determined are his days, The number of his months [are] with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;
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 Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.
Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.
For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;
8 If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,
Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,
9 From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.
10 And a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where [is] he?
But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?
11 Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.
The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:
12 And man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep.
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 O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me. (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 If a man dieth — doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.
(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 Thou dost call, and I — I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.
Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.
16 But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17 Sealed up in a bag [is] my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.
18 And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.
And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;
19 Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.
The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Thou prevailest [over] him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.
Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.
21 Honoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them.
His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.
22 Only — his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'
But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.
