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.”
Job 14
Revised Standard Version
14 “Man that is born of a woman
is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He comes forth like a flower, and withers;
he flees like a shadow, and continues not.
3 And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one
and bring him[a] into judgment with thee?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
There is not one.
5 Since his days are determined,
and the number of his months is with thee,
and thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass,
6 look away from him, and desist,[b]
that he may enjoy, like a hireling, his day.
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that its shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root grow old in the earth,
and its stump die in the ground,
9 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.”
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.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.