1 M an who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

2 H e comes forth like a flower and withers; he flees also like a shadow and continues not.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

3 A nd do You open Your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with You?

And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

4 W ho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

5 S ince a man’s days are already determined, and the number of his months is wholly in Your control, and he cannot pass the bounds of his allotted time—

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

6 t urn from him; let him rest until he has accomplished as does a hireling the appointed time for his day.

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

7 F or there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that the tender shoots of it will not cease.

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 T hough its roots grow old in the earth and its stock dies in the ground,

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

9 Y et through the scent of water will bud and bring forth boughs like a young plant.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

10 B ut man must die and lie prostrate; yes, man breathes his last, and where is he?

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

11 A s waters evaporate from the lake, and the river drains and dries up,

As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

12 S o man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, men will not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 O h, that You would hide me in Sheol (the unseen state), that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would set a definite time and then remember me earnestly!

O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

14 I f a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare and service I will wait, till my change and release shall come.

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

15 Y ou would call and I would answer You; You would yearn for the work of Your hands.

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

16 B ut now You number each of my steps and take note of my every sin.

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

17 M y transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You glue up my iniquity.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

18 B ut as a mountain, if it falls, crumbles to nothing, and as the rock is removed out of its place,

And surely the mountains falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

19 A s waters wear away the stones and as floods wash away the soil of the earth, so You destroy the hope of man.

The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 Y ou prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his appearance and send him away.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

21 H is sons come to honor, and he knows it not; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

22 B ut his body shall grieve over him, and his soul shall mourn.

But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.