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Human Beings Live and Die

14 Human beings born by women
    are short-lived[a] and full of trouble.
He springs up[b] like a flower and then withers.[c]
    Like a shadow, he disappears[d] and doesn’t last.
Indeed, have you opened your eyes on one like this—
    to bring me into a legal fight with you?
Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean thing?
    No one!
Since his days have been determined,
    the number of his months is known to you.
You’ve set his limit
    and he cannot exceed it.
Look away from him and leave him alone,
    so he can enjoy his time, like a hired worker.”

Death is Certain

“There is hope for the tree, if it is cut down,
    that it will sprout again,
        and that its shoots won’t stop growing.
Even if its roots have grown ancient in the earth,
    and its stump begins to rot[e] in the ground,
the presence[f] of water will make it to bud
    so that it sprouts new branches like a young plant.

10 “But when a person[g] dies and wastes away,
    when a person[h] breathes his last, where will he be?
11 As water disappears from the sea,
    or water evaporates from a river,
12 so also a person[i] lies down and does not get up;
    they won’t awaken until the heavens are no more,
        nor will they arise from their sleep.”

There is Life after Death

13 “Won’t you keep me safe in the afterlife?[j]
    Conceal me until your anger subsides.
Set an appointment for me,
    then remember me.
14 If a human being[k] dies, will he live again?
    I will endure the entire time of my assigned service,
        until I am changed.[l]
15 You’ll call and I’ll answer you;
    you’ll long for your creatures that your hands have made.[m]
16 Then you’ll certainly count every step I took,
    but you won’t keep an inventory of my sin.
17 My transgressions would be sealed up in a bag;
    you would cover over my sins.

18 “Mountains fall and crumble;
    rocks are dislodged from their places.
19 Water wears away stones;
    floods wash away topsoil from the land—
        but you destroy the hope of human beings just like that!
20 You overpower him once and for all, and then he departs;
    you change his appearance and then send him away.

21 “If his children are honored, he doesn’t know it;
    if they become insignificant, he never perceives it.
22 He feels only his own pain,[n]
    and grieves only for himself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:1 Lit. is of short days
  2. Job 14:2 Lit. goes out
  3. Job 14:2 Lit. is cut off
  4. Job 14:2 Lit. flees
  5. Job 14:8 Lit. die
  6. Job 14:9 Lit. scent
  7. Job 14:10 Lit. man
  8. Job 14:10 Lit. the valiant man
  9. Job 14:12 Lit. man
  10. Job 14:13 Lit. in Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead
  11. Job 14:14 Lit. strong man
  12. Job 14:14 Lit. until my change comes; i.e. change in bodily state at the resurrection; cf. 1 Cor 15:51
  13. Job 14:15 Lit. for the work of your hands
  14. Job 14:22 Lit. flesh

14 “Mortals, born of woman,(A)
    are of few days(B) and full of trouble.(C)
They spring up like flowers(D) and wither away;(E)
    like fleeting shadows,(F) they do not endure.(G)
Do you fix your eye on them?(H)
    Will you bring them[a] before you for judgment?(I)
Who can bring what is pure(J) from the impure?(K)
    No one!(L)
A person’s days are determined;(M)
    you have decreed the number of his months(N)
    and have set limits he cannot exceed.(O)
So look away from him and let him alone,(P)
    till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.(Q)

“At least there is hope for a tree:(R)
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots(S) will not fail.(T)
Its roots may grow old in the ground
    and its stump(U) die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water(V) it will bud
    and put forth shoots like a plant.(W)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;(X)
    he breathes his last and is no more.(Y)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
    or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,(Z)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;(AA)
    till the heavens are no more,(AB) people will not awake
    or be roused from their sleep.(AC)

13 “If only you would hide me in the grave(AD)
    and conceal me till your anger has passed!(AE)
If only you would set me a time
    and then remember(AF) me!(AG)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
    All the days of my hard service(AH)
    I will wait for my renewal[b](AI) to come.
15 You will call and I will answer you;(AJ)
    you will long for the creature your hands have made.(AK)
16 Surely then you will count my steps(AL)
    but not keep track of my sin.(AM)
17 My offenses will be sealed(AN) up in a bag;(AO)
    you will cover over my sin.(AP)

18 “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles(AQ)
    and as a rock is moved from its place,(AR)
19 as water wears away stones
    and torrents(AS) wash away the soil,(AT)
    so you destroy a person’s hope.(AU)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;(AV)
    you change their countenance and send them away.(AW)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
    if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.(AX)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies(AY)
    and mourn only for themselves.(AZ)

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:3 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew me
  2. Job 14:14 Or release