1 M an that 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 cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

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

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

You open Your eyes on him and decide about him.

4 W ho can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Who can make clean what is 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;

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, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, 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 of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof 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 the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die 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 it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

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

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

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

11 A s the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

As water goes into the air from the sea, and the river wastes away and dries up,

12 S o man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall 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 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!

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

If a man dies, will he live again? I will wait all the days of my trouble until a change comes.

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

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

16 F or now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my 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 thou sewest up mine iniquity.

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

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

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

19 T he 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.

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

20 T hou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest 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 honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

His sons receive honor, but he does not know it. Or they lose honor, but he does not see it.

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

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