1 “ Man who is born of woman lives only a short time and is full of trouble.

Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

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

He comes forth like a flower and withers; he flees also like a shadow and continues not.

3 Y ou open Your eyes on him and decide about him.

And do You open Your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with You?

4 W ho can make clean what is unclean? No one!

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!

5 A man’s days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set.

Since a man’s days are already determined, and the number of his months is wholly in Your control, and he cannot pass the bounds of his allotted time—

6 S o now look away from him that he may rest, until he has lived the time set for him like a man paid to work.

turn from him; let him rest until he has accomplished as does a hireling the appointed time for his day.

7 “ 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.

For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that the tender shoots of it will not cease.

8 I ts roots grow old in the ground, and the base of the tree dies in the dry ground.

Though its roots grow old in the earth and its stock dies in the ground,

9 B ut with water it will grow. Branches will grow from it like a plant.

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

10 B ut man dies and is laid low. Man dies, and where is he?

But man must die and lie prostrate; yes, man breathes his last, and where is he?

11 A s water goes into the air from the sea, and the river wastes away and dries up,

As waters evaporate from the lake, and the river drains and dries up,

12 s o 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.

So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, men will not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 “ 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!

Oh, that You would hide me in Sheol (the unseen state), that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would set a definite time and then remember me earnestly!

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

If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare and service I will wait, till my change and release shall come.

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

You would call and I would answer You; You would yearn for the work of Your hands.

16 F or now You number my steps. You do not write down my sin.

But now You number each of my steps and take note of my every sin.

17 M y sin is locked up in a bag. You cover my wrong-doing.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You glue up my iniquity.

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

But as a mountain, if it falls, crumbles to nothing, and as the rock is removed out of its place,

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

As waters wear away the stones and as floods wash away the soil of the earth, so You destroy the hope of man.

20 Y ou have power over him forever, and he leaves. You change what he looks like and send him away.

You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his appearance and send him away.

21 H is sons receive honor, but he does not know it. Or they lose honor, but he does not see it.

His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.

22 H is body gives him pain, and he has sorrow only for himself.”

But his body shall grieve over him, and his soul shall mourn.