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

“Man who is born of woman lives only a short time and is full of trouble.

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

He grows up and dries like a flower. He leaves like a shadow and does not stay.

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

You open Your eyes on him and decide about him.

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

Who can make clean what is unclean? No 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—

A man’s days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set.

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

So now look away from him that he may rest, until he has lived the time set for him like a man paid to work.

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 for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will grow again, and that its branches will not stop growing.

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

Its roots grow old in the ground, and the base of the tree dies in the dry ground.

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

But with water it will grow. Branches will grow from it like a plant.

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

But man dies and is laid low. Man dies, and where is he?

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

As water goes into the air from the sea, and the river wastes away and dries 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 lies down and does not get up again. Until the heavens are no more, he will not wake up or come out of his 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!

“If only You would hide me in the place of the dead! If only You would hide me until Your anger is past, and set a time for me 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 dies, will he live again? I will wait all the days of my trouble until a change comes.

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

You will call and I will answer You. You will wait for the work of Your hands.

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

For now You number my steps. You do not write down my sin.

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

My sin is locked up in a bag. You cover my wrong-doing.

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

“But the mountain falls and breaks apart to nothing. The rock moves from its 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.

Water wears away the stones. Its floods wash away the dust of the earth. So You destroy man’s hope.

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

You have power over him forever, and he leaves. You change what he looks like and send 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 receive honor, but he does not know it. Or they lose honor, but he does not see it.

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

His body gives him pain, and he has sorrow only for himself.”