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.(A)
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.(B)
22 He feels only the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself.

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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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