1‘Human beings have only a few days to live. Their lives are full of trouble.2They grow like flowers, and then they dry up. They are like shadows that quickly disappear.3‘God, do you even notice them? Will you let them appear in your court?4Who can bring what is pure from something that isn’t pure? No one!5You decide how long anyone will live. You have established the number of his months. You have set a limit to the number of his days.6So look away from him. Leave him alone. Let him put in his time like a hired worker.7‘At least there is hope for a tree. If it’s cut down, it will begin to grow again. New branches will appear on it.8Its roots may grow old in the ground. Its stump may die in the soil.9But when it smells water, it will begin to grow. It will send out new growth like a plant.10No man is like that. When he dies, he is buried in a grave. He takes his last breath. Then he is gone.11Water dries up from lakes. Riverbeds become empty and dry.12In the same way, people lie down and never get up. People won’t wake or rise from their sleep until the heavens are gone.13‘I wish you would hide me in a grave! I wish you would cover me up until your anger passes by! I wish you would set the time for me to spend in the grave and then bring me back up!14If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard work I will wait for the time when you give me new life.15You will call out to me, and I will answer you. You will long for the person your hands have made.16Then you will count every step I take. But you won’t keep track of my sin.17The wrong things I’ve done will be sealed up in a bag. You will wipe out my sins by forgiving them.18‘A mountain wears away and crumbles. A rock is moved from its place.19Water wears away stones. Storms wash away soil. In the same way, you destroy a person’s hope.20You overpower them completely, and then they’re gone. You change the way they look and send them to their graves.21If their children are honoured, they don’t even know it. If their children are dishonoured, they don’t even see it.22All they feel is the pain of their own bodies. They are full of sadness only for themselves.’
Job 14
English Standard Version
Job Continues: Death Comes Soon to All
1“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. (Ge 47:9; Job 5:7; Job 10:20; Job 15:14; Job 16:22; Job 25:4; Ps 39:5; Ps 89:47; Mt 11:11)2He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not. (Job 8:9; Job 17:7; Ps 37:2; Ps 90:6; Ps 103:15; Ps 109:23; Isa 40:6; Jas 1:10; 1Pe 1:24)3And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you? (Job 22:4; Ps 8:4; Ps 143:2; Ps 144:3)4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. (Job 15:14; Ps 51:5; Joh 3:6)5Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, (Job 7:1; Job 21:21; Ps 39:4)6look away from him and leave him alone,[1] that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day. (Job 7:1; Job 7:19)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.8Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, (Isa 11:1)9yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. (Job 29:19)10But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? (Job 29:7)11As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, (Isa 19:5)12so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep. (De 11:21; Ps 72:5; Ps 89:29; Mt 5:18; Joh 11:11)13Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! (Job 21:13; Ps 27:5; Ps 31:20; Isa 26:20)14If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal[2] should come. (Job 7:1; Job 13:15)15You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands. (Job 10:3; Job 13:22)16For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin; (Job 10:6; Job 31:4; Job 34:21)17my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity. (De 32:34; Ho 13:12)18“But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; (Job 18:4; Isa 34:4)19the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man.20You prevail forever against him, and he passes; you change his countenance, and send him away.21His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not. (Ec 9:5)22He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself.”