[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 the root of it grows old in the earth, And
the stock of it 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 passes; 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; His
soul within him mourns."
