Job 14
Holman Christian Standard Bible
14 Man 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 man’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 hand.(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 smell of water makes it thrive
and produce twigs like a sapling.(F)
10 But a man dies and fades away;
he breathes his last—where is he?
11 As water disappears from the sea
and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 so man lies 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 man 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
Common English Bible
14 All of us[a] are born of women,
have few days, and are full of turmoil.
2 Like a flower, we[b] bloom, then wither,
flee like a shadow, and don’t last.
(3 Yes, you open your eyes on this one;
you bring me into trial against you.)
4 Who can make pure from impure?
Nobody.
5 If our days are fixed, the number of our months with you,
you set a statute and we can’t exceed it.
6 Look away from us that we may rest,
until we are satisfied like a worker at day’s end.
Trees versus humans
7 Indeed there is hope for a tree.
If it’s cut down and still sprouting
and its shoots don’t fail,
8 if its roots age in the ground
and its stump dies in the dust,
9 at the scent of water, it will bud
and produce sprouts like a plant.
10 But a human dies and lies there;
a person expires, and where is he?
11 Water vanishes from the sea;
a river dries up completely.
12 But a human lies down and doesn’t rise
until the heavens cease;
they don’t get up and awaken from sleep.
Momentary hope
13 I wish you would hide me in the underworld,[c]
conceal me until your anger passes,
set a time for me, and remember me.
14 If people die, will they live again?
All the days of my service I would wait
until my restoration took place.
15 You would call, and I would answer you;
you would long for your handiwork.
16 Though you now number my steps,
you would not keep a record of my sin.
17 My rebellion is sealed in a bag;
you would cover my sin.
God crushes hope
18 But an eroding mountain breaks up,
and rock is displaced.
19 Water wears away boulders;
floods carry away soil;
you destroy a people’s hope.
20 You overpower them relentlessly, and they die;
you change their appearance and send them away.
21 Their children achieve honor, and they don’t know it;
their children become insignificant, and they don’t see it.
22 They only feel the pain of their body,
and they mourn for themselves.
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible