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

Man, born of 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.

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

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

Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a 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 out of the unclean? Not 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.

If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

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

Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, 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.

For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;

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

Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,

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

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

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

But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?

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

The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth 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.

So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are 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!

Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger 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 appointed time I will wait until my transformation comes.

(If a man die, shall he live ?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:

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

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.

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

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

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

And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its 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.

The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

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

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

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.

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

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

But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.