1 “ Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.

Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

2 “ Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like 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 “ You also open Your eyes on him And bring him into judgment with Yourself.

Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

4 “ Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!

Who can bring a clean out of the unclean? Not one!

5 “ Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so 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 “ Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest, Until he fulfills his day like a hired man.

Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

7 “ For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail.

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

8 “ Though its roots grow old in the ground And its stump dies in the dry soil,

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

9 A t the scent of water it will flourish And put forth sprigs like a plant.

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

10 “ But man dies and lies prostrate. Man expires, and where is he?

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

11 “ As water evaporates from the sea, And a river becomes parched and 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 the heavens are no longer, He will not awake nor be aroused out of his 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 “ Oh that You would hide me in Sheol, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me 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 “ If a man dies, will he live again ? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my change 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 “ You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands.

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

16 “ For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin.

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

17 “ My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You wrap up my iniquity.

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

18 “ But the falling mountain crumbles away, And the rock moves from its place;

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

19 W ater wears away stones, Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth; So You destroy man’s hope.

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

20 “ You forever overpower him and he departs; You change his appearance and send him away.

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

21 “ His sons achieve honor, but he does not know it; Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it.

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

22 “ But his body pains him, And he mourns only for himself.”

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