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

2 H e comes forth like an open flower and is cut down; he flees as a shadow and does not remain.

3 A nd dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one and bring me into judgment with thee?

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

5 S eeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

6 I f thou should leave him, he will cease to exist; until then, he shall desire, as a hireling, his day.

7 ¶ For there is yet hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that its tender branch will not cease.

8 T hough its root waxes old in the earth and its trunk is dead in the ground,

9 a t the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a new plant.

10 B ut when man shall die and be cut off, and the man shall perish, where shall he be?

11 T he waters from the sea went, and the river ran out, it dried up.

12 S o man lies down and does not rise; until there is no heaven, they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 O that thou would hide me in Sheol, that thou would keep me covered until thy wrath is past, that thou would appoint me a set time and remember me!

14 I f a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time I will wait until my transformation comes.

15 T hen thou shalt call, and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire towards the work of thine hands.

16 ¶ For now thou dost number my steps; thou dost not open up my sin.

17 M y transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou dost sew up my iniquity.

18 A nd certainly the mountain that falls is undone, and the rocks are removed out of their place.

19 T he impetuous waters break the stones and wash away the dust of the earth; in like manner thou dost cause man to lose hope.

20 T hou shalt be stronger than him for ever, and he passes; thou dost change his countenance and send him away.

21 H is sons shall be honoured and he shall not know of it; or they shall be afflicted, but he shall not perceive of them.

22 B ut while his flesh is upon him, he shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.