Job 14  Holman Christian Standard Bible

14 Man born of woman
is short of days and full of trouble.^(A)
2 He blossoms like a flower, then withers;^(B)
he flees like a shadow and does not last.
³ Do You really take notice of one like this?
Will You bring me into judgment against You?^[a](C)
4 Who can produce something pure from what is impure?
No one!
⁵ Since man’s days are determined
and the number of his months depends on You,
and since You have set^[b] limits he cannot pass,^(D)
6 look away from him and let him rest
so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand.^(E)

⁷ There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.
⁸ If its roots grow old in the ground
and its stump starts to die in the soil,
⁹ the smell of water makes it thrive
and produce twigs like a sapling.^(F)
10 But a man dies and fades away;
he breathes his last—where is he?
¹¹ As water disappears from the sea
and a river becomes parched and dry,
¹² so man lies down never to rise again.
They will not wake up until the heavens are no more;^(G)
they will not stir from their sleep.

¹³ If only You would hide me in Sheol^(H)
and conceal me until Your anger^(I) passes.
If only You would appoint a time for me
and then remember me.
¹⁴ When a man dies, will he come back to life?
If so, I would wait^(J) all the days of my struggle^(K)
until my relief comes.
¹⁵ You would call, and I would answer You.
You would long for the work of Your hands.^(L)
16 For then You would count my steps^(M)
but would not take note^(N) of my sin.
¹⁷ My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag,
and You would cover over my iniquity.

¹⁸ But as a mountain collapses and crumbles
and a rock is dislodged from its place,
¹⁹ as water wears away stones
and torrents wash away the soil from the land,
so You destroy a man’s hope.^(O)
20 You completely overpower him, and he passes on;
You change his appearance and send him away.
²¹ If his sons receive honor, he does not know it;
if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it.^(P)
22 He feels only the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself.