1 “ Man who is born of 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 fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.

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 on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself?

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 his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so 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 L ook away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes 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 “ For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots 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 root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may 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 at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.

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

10 B ut man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he?

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

11 A s water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched 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, They will not awake Nor be roused from 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 “ Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would 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 dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.

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

15 Y ou shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.

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

16 F or now You number my steps, But do 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 You cover my iniquity.

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

18 “ But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place;

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

19 A s water wears away stones, And as torrents 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 countenance 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 does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it.

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 will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it.”

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