1 M an, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!

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

2 A s a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not.

He comes forth like an open flower and is cut down; he flees as a shadow and does not remain.

3 A lso -- on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.

And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one and bring me into judgment with thee?

4 W ho giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

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

5 I f determined are his days, The number of his months with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

6 L ook away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.

If thou should leave him, he will cease to exist; until then, he shall desire, as a hireling, his day.

7 F or there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.

¶ For there is yet hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that its tender branch will not cease.

8 I f its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,

Though its root waxes old in the earth and its trunk is dead in the ground,

9 F rom the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.

at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a new plant.

10 A nd a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where he?

But when man shall die and be cut off, and the man shall perish, where shall he be?

11 W aters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.

The waters from the sea went, and the river ran out, it dried up.

12 A nd man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep.

So man lies down and does not rise; until there is no heaven, they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 O that in Sheol Thou wouldst conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me.

O that thou would hide me in Sheol, that thou would keep me covered until thy wrath is past, that thou would appoint me a set time and remember me!

14 I f a man dieth -- doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.

If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time I will wait until my transformation comes.

15 T hou dost call, and I -- I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.

Then thou shalt call, and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire towards the work of thine hands.

16 B ut now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.

¶ For now thou dost number my steps; thou dost not open up my sin.

17 S ealed up in a bag my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou dost sew up my iniquity.

18 A nd yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.

And certainly the mountain that falls is undone, and the rocks are removed out of their place.

19 S tones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.

The impetuous waters break the stones and wash away the dust of the earth; in like manner thou dost cause man to lose hope.

20 T hou prevailest him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.

Thou shalt be stronger than him for ever, and he passes; thou dost change his countenance and send him away.

21 H onoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them.

His sons shall be honoured and he shall not know of it; or they shall be afflicted, but he shall not perceive of them.

22 O nly -- his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'

But while his flesh is upon him, he shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.