Chapter 14

Job Speaks of the Finality of Death

1 “aMan, who is born of woman,

Is 1short-lived and bfull of turmoil.

2 “aLike a flower he comes forth and withers.

He also flees like ba shadow and does not remain.

3 “You also aopen Your eyes on him

And bbring 1him into judgment with Yourself.

4 “aWho can make the clean out of the unclean?

No one!

5 “Since his days are determined,

The anumber of his months is with You;

And his limits You have 1set so that he cannot pass.

6 “aTurn Your gaze from him that he may 1rest,

Until he 2fulfills his day like a hired man.

7 “For there is hope for a tree,

When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,

And its shoots will not 1fail.

8 “Though its roots grow old in the ground

And its stump dies in the dry soil,

9 At the scent of water it will flourish

And put forth sprigs like a plant.

10 “But aman dies and lies prostrate.

Man bexpires, and where is he?

11 “As awater 1evaporates from the sea,

And a river becomes parched and dried up,

12 So aman lies down and does not rise.

Until the heavens are no longer,

1He will not awake nor be aroused out of 2his sleep.

13 “Oh that You would hide me in 1Sheol,

That You would conceal me auntil Your wrath returns to You,

That You would set a limit for me and remember me!

14 “If a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my struggle I will wait

Until my change comes.

15 “You will call, and I will answer You;

You will long for athe work of Your hands.

16 “For now You anumber my steps,

You do not bobserve my sin.

17 “My transgression is asealed up in a bag,

And You 1wrap up my iniquity.

18 “But the falling mountain 1crumbles away,

And the rock moves from its place;

19 Water wears away stones,

Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;

So You adestroy man’s hope.

20 “You forever overpower him and he adeparts;

You change his appearance and send him away.

21 “His sons achieve honor, but ahe does not know it;

Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it.

22 “But his 1body pains him,

And he mourns only for himself.”