1 | Man, that is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble. |
2 | He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. |
3 | And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee? |
4 | Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. |
5 | Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; |
6 | Look away from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day. |
7 | For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease. |
8 | Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground; |
9 | Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant. |
10 | But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? |
11 | [As] the waters fail from the sea, And the river wasteth and drieth up; |
12 | So man lieth down and riseth not: Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep. |
13 | Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, 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 warfare would I wait, Till my release should come. |
15 | Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thy hands. |
16 | But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin? |
17 | My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity. |
18 | But the mountain falling cometh to nought; And the rock is removed out of its place; |
19 | The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: So thou destroyest the hope of man. |
20 | Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. |
21 | His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. |
22 | But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth. |