Job 14
1 Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
Man, that is 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 as a flower, and is cut down; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Also — on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.
And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
4 Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Who can produce a clean thing from an 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;
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 Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.
O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, 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, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;
8 If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,
Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.
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 man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?
11 Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.
The waters fail from the lake; And the stream 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; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his 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)
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 If a man dieth — doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.
If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service 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 wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.
But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.
17 Sealed up in a bag [is] my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18 And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.
As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;
19 Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.
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 Thou prevailest [over] him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.
Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 Honoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them.
His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
22 Only — his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'
But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
