NETfree - Job - 14

14:1  "Man, born of woman, lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.

14:2  He grows up like a flower and then withers away; he flees like a shadow, and does not remain.

14:3  Do you fix your eye on such a one? And do you bring me before you for judgment?

14:4  Who can make a clean thing come from an unclean? No one!

14:5  Since man's days are determined, the number of his months is under your control; you have set his limit and he cannot pass it.

14:6  Look away from him and let him desist, until he fulfills his time like a hired man.

14:7  "But there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.

14:8  Although its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump begins to die in the soil,

14:9  at the scent of water it will flourish and put forth shoots like a new plant.

14:10  But man dies and is powerless; he expires - and where is he?

14:11  As water disappears from the sea, or a river drains away and dries up,

14:12  so man lies down and does not rise; until the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor arise from their sleep.

14:13  "O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed! O that you would set me a time and then remember me!

14:14  If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait until my release comes.

14:15  You will call and I - I will answer you; you will long for the creature you have made.

14:16  "Surely now you count my steps; then you would not mark my sin.

14:17  My offenses would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover over my sin.

14:18  But as a mountain falls away and crumbles, and as a rock will be removed from its place,

14:19  as water wears away stones, and torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy man's hope.

14:20  You overpower him once for all, and he departs; you change his appearance and send him away.

14:21  If his sons are honored, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he does not see it.

14:22  Only his flesh has pain for himself, and he mourns for himself."