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 judgement 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 away;
you change his appearance and send him away.
²¹ If his sons receive honour, 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.