Add parallel Print Page Options

28 And he himself [a]wastes away like something rotten,
like a garment that the moth has eaten.

Job Continues to Argue His Case with God

14 “A human being born of a woman
is short of days and full of troubles.[b]
Like a flower he comes up, and he withers away;
and he flees like a[c] shadow, but[d] he does not last.
Even on such a one you fix your eyes,
and you bring me into judgment with you.
“Who can bring a clean thing from an unclean thing?
No one![e]
If his days are determined, the number of his months is with you;
you have appointed his boundaries, and he cannot cross them.
Look away from him, and let him desist
until he enjoys his days like a laborer.

Footnotes

  1. Job 13:28 Emphatic personal pronoun
  2. Job 14:1 Literally “trouble”
  3. Job 14:2 Or “the”
  4. Job 14:2 Hebrew “and”
  5. Job 14:4 Or “Not one”

28 So I’m a man who wears out like something rotten,
    like a garment that has become moth-eaten.”

Human Beings Live and Die

14 Human beings born by women
    are short-lived[a] and full of trouble.
He springs up[b] like a flower and then withers.[c]
    Like a shadow, he disappears[d] and doesn’t last.
Indeed, have you opened your eyes on one like this—
    to bring me into a legal fight with you?
Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean thing?
    No one!
Since his days have been determined,
    the number of his months is known to you.
You’ve set his limit
    and he cannot exceed it.
Look away from him and leave him alone,
    so he can enjoy his time, like a hired worker.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:1 Lit. is of short days
  2. Job 14:2 Lit. goes out
  3. Job 14:2 Lit. is cut off
  4. Job 14:2 Lit. flees

28 “So man wastes away like something rotten,
    like a garment(A) eaten by moths.(B)

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

Footnotes

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