Job 14:1-17 ▼

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 |Surely now you count my steps; then you would not mark my sin.

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