There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.
If its roots grow old in the ground
and its stump starts to die in the soil,
the smell of water makes it thrive
and produce twigs like a sapling.(A)
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;(B)
they will not stir from their sleep.

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Death is Certain

“There is hope for the tree, if it is cut down,
    that it will sprout again,
        and that its shoots won’t stop growing.
Even if its roots have grown ancient in the earth,
    and its stump begins to rot[a] in the ground,
the presence[b] of water will make it to bud
    so that it sprouts new branches like a young plant.

10 “But when a person[c] dies and wastes away,
    when a person[d] breathes his last, where will he be?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
    or water evaporates from a river,
12 so also a person[e] lies down and does not get up;
    they won’t awaken until the heavens are no more,
        nor will they arise from their sleep.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 14:8 Lit. die
  2. Job 14:9 Lit. scent
  3. Job 14:10 Lit. man
  4. Job 14:10 Lit. the valiant man
  5. Job 14:12 Lit. man