Chapter 14

  Man, that is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.  

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  He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.  

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  And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?  

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  Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.  

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  Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with thee, And thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;  

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  Look away from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.  

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  For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.  

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  Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground;  

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  Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.  

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  But man dieth, and is laid low: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?  

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  [As] the waters fail from the sea, And the river wasteth and drieth up;  

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  So man lieth down and riseth not: Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep.  

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  Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!  

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  If a man die, shall he live [again]? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.  

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  Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee: Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of thy hands.  

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  But now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?  

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  My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity.  

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  But the mountain falling cometh to nought; And the rock is removed out of its place;  

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  The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth: So thou destroyest the hope of man.  

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  Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.  

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  His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.  

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  But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth.  

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