Job 14

Job Speaks of the Finality of Death

1 “ ^aMan, who is born of woman,
Is ▼

▼Lit short of days

short-lived and ^cfull of turmoil.
2 “ ^dLike a flower he comes out and withers.
He also flees like ^ea shadow and does not remain.
3 “You also ^fopen Your eyes on him
And ^gbring ▼

▼As in some ancient versions; MT me

him into judgment with Yourself.
4 “ ⁱWho can make the clean out of the unclean?
No one!
5 “Since his days are determined,
The ^jnumber of his months is with You;
And You have ▼

▼Lit made

set his limits so that he cannot pass.
6 “ ^lLook away from him so that he may ▼

▼Lit cease

rest,
Until he ▼

▼Lit makes acceptable

fulfills his day like a hired worker.

7 “For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not ▼

▼Or cease

fail.
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 produce sprigs like a plant.
10 “But ^pa man dies and lies prostrate.
A person ^qpasses away, and where is he?
11 “As ^rwater ▼

▼Lit disappears

evaporates from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dried up,
12 So ^ta man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens no longer exist,
▼

▼Lit They

He will not awake nor be woken from ▼

▼Lit their

his sleep.

13 “Oh that You would hide me in ▼

▼I.e., the netherworld

Sheol,
That You would conceal me ^xuntil 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 relief comes.
15 “You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for ^ythe work of Your hands.
16 “For now You ^znumber my steps,
You do not ^aaobserve my sin.
17 “My wrongdoing is ^absealed up in a bag,
And You cover over my ▼

▼Or unjust deed

guilt.

18 “But the falling mountain ▼

▼Lit withers

crumbles away,
And the rock moves from its place;
19 Water wears away stones,
Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;
So You ^aedestroy a man’s hope.
20 “You forever overpower him and he ^afdeparts;
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 “His sons achieve honor, but ^aghe does not know it;
Or they become insignificant, and he does not perceive it.
22 “However, his ▼

▼Lit flesh

body pains him,
And his soul mourns for himself.”