1 “ Man, who 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 grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

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

3 D o you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?

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 is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t 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, until he shall accomplish, as a 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 “ For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it 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 grows old in the earth, and its stock dies 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 sprout boughs 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 low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, 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 river wastes 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 doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused 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 “ Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, 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 warfare would I wait, until my release should come.

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

15 Y ou would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.

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

16 B ut now you number my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?

For now You number my steps. You do not write down my sin.

17 M y disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.

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

18 “ But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;

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

19 T he waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust 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 forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, 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 doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it 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 on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”

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