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

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

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

“ Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.

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

“You also open Your eyes on him And bring him into judgment with Yourself.

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

“ Who can make the clean out of the 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 his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.

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 Your gaze from him that he may rest, Until he fulfills his day like a hired man.

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, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail.

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 ground And its stump dies in the dry soil,

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

At the scent of water it will flourish And put forth sprigs like a plant.

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

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

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

“ As water evaporates from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dried 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. Until the heavens are no longer, He will not awake nor be aroused out of his 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, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me!

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, will he live again ? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my change comes.

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

“You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands.

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

“For now You number my steps, You do not observe my 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 wrap up my iniquity.

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

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

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

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

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

“You forever overpower him and he departs; 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 achieve honor, but he does not know it; Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it.

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

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