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14 “Mortals, born of woman,(A)
    are of few days(B) and full of trouble.(C)
They spring up like flowers(D) and wither away;(E)
    like fleeting shadows,(F) they do not endure.(G)
Do you fix your eye on them?(H)
    Will you bring them[a] before you for judgment?(I)
Who can bring what is pure(J) from the impure?(K)
    No one!(L)
A person’s days are determined;(M)
    you have decreed the number of his months(N)
    and have set limits he cannot exceed.(O)
So look away from him and let him alone,(P)
    till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.(Q)

“At least there is hope for a tree:(R)
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots(S) will not fail.(T)
Its roots may grow old in the ground
    and its stump(U) die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water(V) it will bud
    and put forth shoots like a plant.(W)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;(X)
    he breathes his last and is no more.(Y)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
    or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,(Z)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;(AA)
    till the heavens are no more,(AB) people will not awake
    or be roused from their sleep.(AC)

13 “If only you would hide me in the grave(AD)
    and conceal me till your anger has passed!(AE)
If only you would set me a time
    and then remember(AF) me!(AG)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
    All the days of my hard service(AH)
    I will wait for my renewal[b](AI) to come.
15 You will call and I will answer you;(AJ)
    you will long for the creature your hands have made.(AK)
16 Surely then you will count my steps(AL)
    but not keep track of my sin.(AM)
17 My offenses will be sealed(AN) up in a bag;(AO)
    you will cover over my sin.(AP)

18 “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles(AQ)
    and as a rock is moved from its place,(AR)
19 as water wears away stones
    and torrents(AS) wash away the soil,(AT)
    so you destroy a person’s hope.(AU)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;(AV)
    you change their countenance and send them away.(AW)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
    if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.(AX)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies(AY)
    and mourn only for themselves.(AZ)

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:3 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew me
  2. Job 14:14 Or release

14 “Man that is born of a woman
    is of few days, and full of trouble.
He comes forth like a flower, and withers;
    he flees like a shadow, and continues not.
And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one
    and bring him[a] into judgment with thee?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
    There is not one.
Since his days are determined,
    and the number of his months is with thee,
    and thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass,
look away from him, and desist,[b]
    that he may enjoy, like a hireling, his day.

“For there is hope for a tree,
    if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
    and that its shoots will not cease.
Though its root grow old in the earth,
    and its stump die in the ground,
yet at the scent of water it will bud
    and put forth branches like a young plant.
10 But man dies, and is laid low;
    man breathes his last, and where is he?
11 As waters fail from a lake,
    and a river wastes away and dries up,
12 so man lies down and rises not again;
    till the heavens are no more he will not awake,
    or be roused out of his sleep.
13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol,
    that thou wouldest conceal me until thy wrath be past,
    that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again?
    All the days of my service I would wait,
    till my release should come.
15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee;
    thou wouldest long for the work of thy hands.
16 For then thou wouldest number my steps,
    thou wouldest not keep watch over my sin;
17 my transgression would be sealed up in a bag,
    and thou wouldest cover over my iniquity.

18 “But the mountain falls and crumbles away,
    and the rock is removed from its place;
19 the waters wear away the stones;
    the torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
    so thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passes;
    thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;
    they are brought low, and he perceives it not.
22 He feels only the pain of his own body,
    and he mourns only for himself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:3 Gk Syr Vg: Heb me
  2. Job 14:6 Cn: Heb that he may desist

Job Speaks of the Finality of Death

14 (A)Man, who is born of woman,
Is [a]short-lived and (B)full of turmoil.
(C)Like a flower he comes out and withers.
He also flees like (D)a shadow and does not remain.
You also (E)open Your eyes on him
And (F)bring [b]him into judgment with Yourself.
(G)Who can make the clean out of the unclean?
No one!
Since his days are determined,
The (H)number of his months is with You;
And You have [c]set his limits so that he cannot pass.
(I)Look away from him so that he may [d]rest,
Until he [e]fulfills his day like a hired worker.

“For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not [f]fail.
Though its roots grow old in the ground,
And its stump dies in the dry soil,
At the scent of water it will flourish
And produce sprigs like a plant.
10 But (J)a man dies and lies prostrate.
A person (K)passes away, and where is he?
11 As (L)water [g]evaporates from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dried up,
12 So (M)a man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens no longer exist,
[h]He will not awake nor be woken from [i]his sleep.

13 “Oh that You would hide me in [j]Sheol,
That You would conceal me (N)until Your wrath returns to You,
That You would set a limit for me and remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my struggle I will wait
Until my relief comes.
15 You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for (O)the work of Your hands.
16 For now You (P)number my steps,
You do not (Q)observe my sin.
17 My wrongdoing is (R)sealed up in a bag,
And You cover over my [k]guilt.

18 “But the falling mountain [l]crumbles away,
And the rock moves from its place;
19 Water wears away stones,
Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;
So You (S)destroy a man’s hope.
20 You forever overpower him and he (T)departs;
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 His sons achieve honor, but (U)he does not know it;
Or they become insignificant, and he does not perceive it.
22 However, his [m]body pains him,
And his soul mourns for himself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:1 Lit short of days
  2. Job 14:3 As in some ancient versions; MT me
  3. Job 14:5 Lit made
  4. Job 14:6 Lit cease
  5. Job 14:6 Lit makes acceptable
  6. Job 14:7 Or cease
  7. Job 14:11 Lit disappears
  8. Job 14:12 Lit They
  9. Job 14:12 Lit their
  10. Job 14:13 I.e., the netherworld
  11. Job 14:17 Or unjust deed
  12. Job 14:18 Lit withers
  13. Job 14:22 Lit flesh

14 “Human beings have only a few days to live.
    Their lives are full of trouble.
They grow like flowers, and then they dry up.
    They are like shadows that quickly disappear.

“God, do you even notice them?
    Will you let them appear in your court?
Who can bring what is pure from something that isn’t pure?
    No one!
You decide how long anyone will live.
    You have established the number of his months.
    You have set a limit to the number of his days.
So look away from him. Leave him alone.
    Let him put in his time like a hired worker.

“At least there is hope for a tree.
    If it’s cut down, it will begin to grow again.
    New branches will appear on it.
Its roots may grow old in the ground.
    Its stump may die in the soil.
But when it smells water, it will begin to grow.
    It will send out new growth like a plant.
10 No man is like that. When he dies, he is buried in a grave.
    He takes his last breath. Then he is gone.
11 Water dries up from lakes.
    Riverbeds become empty and dry.
12 In the same way, people lie down and never get up.
    People won’t wake or rise from their sleep
    until the heavens are gone.

13 “I wish you would hide me in a grave!
    I wish you would cover me up until your anger passes by!
I wish you would set the time for me to spend in the grave
    and then bring me back up!
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
    All the days of my hard work
    I will wait for the time when you give me new life.
15 You will call out to me, and I will answer you.
    You will long for the person your hands have made.
16 Then you will count every step I take.
    But you won’t keep track of my sin.
17 The wrong things I’ve done will be sealed up in a bag.
    You will wipe out my sins by forgiving them.

18 “A mountain wears away and crumbles.
    A rock is moved from its place.
19 Water wears away stones.
    Storms wash away soil.
    In the same way, you destroy a person’s hope.
20 You overpower them completely, and then they’re gone.
    You change the way they look and send them to their graves.
21 If their children are honored, they don’t even know it.
    If their children are dishonored, they don’t even see it.
22 All they feel is the pain of their own bodies.
    They are full of sadness only for themselves.”

Job Speaks of Life’s Woes

14 “Man who is born of woman
Is of few days and (A)full of [a]trouble.
(B)He comes forth like a flower and fades away;
He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
And (C)do You open Your eyes on such a one,
And (D)bring [b]me to judgment with Yourself?
Who (E)can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one!
(F)Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
(G)Look away from him that he may [c]rest,
Till (H)like a hired man he finishes his day.

“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender shoots will not cease.
Though its root may grow old in the earth,
And its stump may die in the ground,
Yet at the scent of water it will bud
And bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and [d]is laid away;
Indeed he [e]breathes his last
And where is (I)he?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dries up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise.
(J)Till the heavens are no more,
They will not awake
Nor be roused from their sleep.

13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again?
All the days of my hard service (K)I will wait,
Till my change comes.
15 (L)You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands.
16 For now (M)You number my steps,
But do not watch over my sin.
17 (N)My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You [f]cover my iniquity.

18 “But as a mountain falls and crumbles away,
And as a rock is moved from its place;
19 As water wears away stones,
And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
So You destroy the hope of man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and (O)he does not know it;
They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.
22 But his flesh will be in pain over it,
And his soul will mourn over it.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:1 turmoil
  2. Job 14:3 LXX, Syr., Vg. him
  3. Job 14:6 Lit. cease
  4. Job 14:10 lies prostrate
  5. Job 14:10 expires
  6. Job 14:17 Lit. plaster over