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Death and Resurrection

14 “A mortal born of woman,
    is of few days and full of turmoil.
Like a flower he comes up and withers;
    like a shadow he flees and does not stay.
Do You fix Your eyes on such a one,
    and bring me for judgment with You?
Who can make something pure out of the impure?
    No one!
Since his days are determined,
    the number of his months is with You,
You have set his limits,
    which he cannot exceed.
Look away from him and let him alone,
    until he fulfills his time like a hired laborer.

“At least there is hope for a tree—
    if it is cut down it will sprout again,
    and its shoots will not cease.
Though its roots grow old in the earth
    and its stump dies in the dry ground,
at the scent of water it will bud
    and sprout sprigs like a new plant.
10 But man dies and is powerless.
    Man expires—and where is he?
11 As water evaporates from the sea
    and a river drains away and dries up,
12 so a person lies down and does not rise;
    until the heavens are no more,
people will not awake,
    or be roused from their sleep.
13 “Oh that You would hide me in Sheol,
    and conceal me until Your wrath has passed!
Oh that You would set a time for me
    and then remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
    All the days of my hard labor
    I will wait until my relief comes.
15 You will call and I—I will answer You;
    You will long for the work of Your hands.
16 For then You will number my steps;
    You will not keep track of my sin;
17 my transgression will be sealed in a bundle
    and cover over my iniquity.

18 “Yet as a mountain falls away and crumbles
    and a rock is moved from its place,
19 as water wears away stones
    and torrents wash away the soil,
    so You destroy a person’s hope.
20 You overpower him—once for all, and he perishes;
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 If his sons achieve honor,
    he does not know it;
if they are brought low,
    he does not perceive it.
22 He only feels pain for his own flesh,
    and mourns for his own soul.”

14 “Mortals, born of woman,(A)
    are of few days(B) and full of trouble.(C)
They spring up like flowers(D) and wither away;(E)
    like fleeting shadows,(F) they do not endure.(G)
Do you fix your eye on them?(H)
    Will you bring them[a] before you for judgment?(I)
Who can bring what is pure(J) from the impure?(K)
    No one!(L)
A person’s days are determined;(M)
    you have decreed the number of his months(N)
    and have set limits he cannot exceed.(O)
So look away from him and let him alone,(P)
    till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.(Q)

“At least there is hope for a tree:(R)
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots(S) will not fail.(T)
Its roots may grow old in the ground
    and its stump(U) die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water(V) it will bud
    and put forth shoots like a plant.(W)
10 But a man dies and is laid low;(X)
    he breathes his last and is no more.(Y)
11 As the water of a lake dries up
    or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,(Z)
12 so he lies down and does not rise;(AA)
    till the heavens are no more,(AB) people will not awake
    or be roused from their sleep.(AC)

13 “If only you would hide me in the grave(AD)
    and conceal me till your anger has passed!(AE)
If only you would set me a time
    and then remember(AF) me!(AG)
14 If someone dies, will they live again?
    All the days of my hard service(AH)
    I will wait for my renewal[b](AI) to come.
15 You will call and I will answer you;(AJ)
    you will long for the creature your hands have made.(AK)
16 Surely then you will count my steps(AL)
    but not keep track of my sin.(AM)
17 My offenses will be sealed(AN) up in a bag;(AO)
    you will cover over my sin.(AP)

18 “But as a mountain erodes and crumbles(AQ)
    and as a rock is moved from its place,(AR)
19 as water wears away stones
    and torrents(AS) wash away the soil,(AT)
    so you destroy a person’s hope.(AU)
20 You overpower them once for all, and they are gone;(AV)
    you change their countenance and send them away.(AW)
21 If their children are honored, they do not know it;
    if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.(AX)
22 They feel but the pain of their own bodies(AY)
    and mourn only for themselves.(AZ)

Footnotes

  1. Job 14:3 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew me
  2. Job 14:14 Or release