| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. | 1Man born of woman is short of days and full of trouble. |
| 2He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not. | 2He blossoms like a flower, then withers; he flees like a shadow and does not last. |
| 3And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you? | 3Do You really take notice of one like this? Will You bring me into judgment against You? |
| 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. | 4Who can produce something pure from what is impure? No one! |
| 5Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, | 5Since man's days are determined and the number of his months depends on You, and since You have set limits he cannot pass, |
| 6look away from him and leave him alone, that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day. | 6look away from him and let him rest so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand. |
| 7“For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. | 7There is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its shoots will not die. |
| 8Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, | 8If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump starts to die in the soil, |
| 9yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant. | 9the smell of water makes it thrive and produce twigs like a sapling. |
| 10But a man dies and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he? | 10But a man dies and fades away; he breathes his last--where is he? |
| 11As waters fail from a lake and a river wastes away and dries up, | 11As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry, |
| 12so a man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake or be roused out of his sleep. | 12so man lies down never to rise again. They will not wake up until the heavens are no more; they will not stir from their sleep. |
| 13Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would conceal me until your wrath be past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! | 13If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger passes. If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me. |
| 14If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my renewal should come. | 14When a man dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes. |
| 15You would call, and I would answer you; you would long for the work of your hands. | 15You would call, and I would answer You. You would long for the work of Your hands. |
| 16For then you would number my steps; you would not keep watch over my sin; | 16For then You would count my steps but would not take note of my sin. |
| 17my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and you would cover over my iniquity. | 17My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity. |
| 18“But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; | 18But as a mountain collapses and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place, |
| 19the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man. | 19as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil from the land, so You destroy a man's hope. |
| 20You prevail forever against him, and he passes; you change his countenance, and send him away. | 20You completely overpower him, and he passes on; You change his appearance and send him away. |
| 21His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not. | 21If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it. |
| 22He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself.” | 22He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself. |
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