¹⁴Like water^o spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die.^p But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person^q does not remain banished from him.

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Cross references

o Job 14:11; Ps 58:7; Isa 19:5
p Job 10:8; 17:13; 30:23; Ps 22:15; Heb 9:27
q Nu 35:15, 25–28

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

We will certainly die and be like water poured out on the ground, which can’t be recovered. But God would not take away a life; he would devise plans so that the one banished from him does not remain banished.

NLTNew Living Translation

All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For we must certainly die, and we are as the waters spilled to the ground which cannot be gathered. God will not take a life but devises plans for a banished person not to be cast out from him.

KJV 1900King James Version

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

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