Job 14
Christian Standard Bible
14 Anyone born of woman
is short of days and full of trouble.(A)
2 He blossoms like a flower, then withers;(B)
he flees like a shadow and does not last.
3 Do you really take notice of one like this?
Will you bring me into judgment against you?[a](C)
4 Who can produce something pure from what is impure?
No one!
5 Since a person’s days are determined
and the number of his months depends on you,
and since you have set[b] limits he cannot pass,(D)
6 look away from him and let him rest
so that he can enjoy his day like a hired worker.(E)
7 There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.
8 If its roots grow old in the ground
and its stump starts to die in the soil,
9 the scent of water makes it thrive
and produce twigs like a sapling.(F)
10 But a person dies and fades away;
he breathes his last—where is he?
11 As water disappears from a lake
and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 so people lie down never to rise again.
They will not wake up until the heavens are no more;(G)
they will not stir from their sleep.
13 If only you would hide me in Sheol(H)
and conceal me until your anger(I) passes.
If only you would appoint a time for me
and then remember me.
14 When a person dies, will he come back to life?
If so, I would wait(J) all the days of my struggle(K)
until my relief comes.
15 You would call, and I would answer you.
You would long for the work of your hands.(L)
16 For then you would count my steps(M)
but would not take note(N) of my sin.
17 My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag,
and you would cover over my iniquity.
18 But as a mountain collapses and crumbles
and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 as water wears away stones
and torrents wash away the soil from the land,
so you destroy a man’s hope.(O)
20 You completely overpower him, and he passes on;
you change his appearance and send him away.
21 If his sons receive honor, he does not know it;
if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it.(P)
22 He feels only the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself.
Job 14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
14 “A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble,(A)
2 comes up like a flower and withers,
flees like a shadow and does not last.(B)
3 Do you fix your eyes on such a one?
Do you bring me into judgment with you?(C)
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
No one can.(D)
5 Since their days are determined,
and the number of their months is known to you,
and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass,(E)
6 look away from them and desist,[a]
that they may enjoy, like laborers, their days.(F)
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
if it is cut down, that it will sprout again
and that its shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root grows old in the earth
and its stump dies in the ground,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth branches like a young plant.(G)
10 But mortals die and are laid low;
humans expire, and where are they?(H)
11 As waters fail from a lake
and a river wastes away and dries up,(I)
12 so mortals lie down and do not rise again;
until the heavens are no more, they will not awake
or be roused out of their sleep.(J)
13 O that you would hide me in Sheol,
that you would conceal me until your wrath is past,
that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!(K)
14 If mortals die, will they live again?
All the days of my service I would wait
until my release should come.(L)
15 You would call, and I would answer you;
you would long for the work of your hands.
16 For then you would not[b] number my steps;
you would not keep watch over my sin;(M)
17 my transgression would be sealed up in a bag,
and you would cover over my iniquity.(N)
18 “But the mountain falls and crumbles away,
and the rock is removed from its place;(O)
19 the waters wear away the stones;
the torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
so you destroy the hope of mortals.
20 You prevail forever against them, and they pass away;
you change their countenance and send them away.(P)
21 Their children come to honor, and they do not know it;
they are brought low, and it goes unnoticed.(Q)
22 They feel only the pain of their own bodies
and mourn only for themselves.”
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.