Job Acknowledges the Finality of Death
1Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
7For 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.
8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
19The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
20Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
22But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Job Laments the Finality of Death
1 “Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
3 Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass;
6 Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 “For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
8 Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
9 yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,
12 so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
13 “Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.
15 You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.
16 But now you number my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
17 My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
18 “But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;
19 The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
20 You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
22 But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”
Job Laments the Finality of Death
1 “Man, who is born of woman,
is short of days and full of trouble.
2 Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away;
like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
3 Do You open Your eyes to one like this?
Will You bring him into judgment before You?
4 Who can bring out clean from unclean?
No one!
5 Since his days are determined
and the number of his months is with You,
and since You have set limits
that he cannot exceed,
6 look away from him and let him rest,
so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
7 For there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its tender shoots will not fail.
8 If its roots grow old in the ground
and its stump dies in the soil,
9 at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth twigs like a sapling.
10 But a man dies and is laid low;
he breathes his last, and where is he?
11 As water disappears from the sea
and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 so a man lies down
and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no more,
he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
13 If only You would hide me in Sheol
and conceal me until Your anger has passed!
If only You would appoint a time for me
and then remember me!
14 When a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait,
until my renewal a comes.
15 You will call, and I will answer;
You will desire the work of Your hands.
16 For then You would count my steps,
but would not keep track of my sin.
17 My transgression would be sealed in a bag,
and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 But as a mountain erodes and crumbles
and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 as water wears away the stones
and torrents wash away the soil,
so You destroy a man’s hope.
20 You forever overpower him, and he passes on;
You change his countenance and send him away.
21 If his sons receive honor, he does not know it;
if they are brought low, he is unaware.
22 He feels only the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself.”
Footnotes:
14 a Or my change or my relief
Job Acknowledges the Finality of Death
1Man, born of woman! Of few days, and full of trouble!
2As a flower he hath gone forth, and is cut off, And he fleeth as a shadow and standeth not.
3Also -- on this Thou hast opened Thine eyes, And dost bring me into judgment with Thee.
4Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5If determined are his days, The number of his months are with Thee, His limit Thou hast made, And he passeth not over;
6Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.
7For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.
8If its root becometh old in the earth, And its stem doth die in the dust,
9From the fragrance of water it doth flourish, And hath made a crop as a plant.
10And a man dieth, and becometh weak, And man expireth, and where is he?
11Waters have gone away from a sea, And a river becometh waste and dry.
12And man hath lain down, and riseth not, Till the wearing out of the heavens they awake not, Nor are roused from their sleep.
13O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me.
14If a man dieth -- doth he revive? All days of my warfare I wait, till my change come.
15Thou dost call, and I -- I answer Thee; To the work of Thy hands Thou hast desire.
16But now, my steps Thou numberest, Thou dost not watch over my sin.
17Sealed up in a bag is my transgression, And Thou sewest up mine iniquity.
18And yet, a falling mountain wasteth away, And a rock is removed from its place.
19Stones have waters worn away, Their outpourings wash away the dust of earth, And the hope of man Thou hast destroyed.
20Thou prevailest over him for ever, and he goeth, He is changing his countenance, And Thou sendest him away.
21Honoured are his sons, and he knoweth not; And they are little, and he attendeth not to them.
22Only -- his flesh for him is pained, And his soul for him doth mourn.'
