Job Speaks of the Finality of Death
14 “(A)Man, who is born of woman,
Is [a]short-lived and (B)full of turmoil.
2 (C)Like a flower he comes out and withers.
He also flees like (D)a shadow and does not remain.
3 You also (E)open Your eyes on him
And (F)bring [b]him into judgment with Yourself.
4 (G)Who can make the clean out of the unclean?
No one!
5 Since his days are determined,
The (H)number of his months is with You;
And You have [c]set his limits so that he cannot pass.
6 (I)Look away from him so that he may [d]rest,
Until he [e]fulfills his day like a hired worker.
7 “For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not [f]fail.
8 Though its roots grow old in the ground,
And its stump dies in the dry soil,
9 At the scent of water it will flourish
And produce sprigs like a plant.
10 But (J)a man dies and lies prostrate.
A person (K)passes away, and where is he?
11 As (L)water [g]evaporates from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dried up,
12 So (M)a man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens no longer exist,
[h]He will not awake nor be woken from [i]his sleep.
13 “Oh that You would hide me in [j]Sheol,
That You would conceal me (N)until Your wrath returns to You,
That You would set a limit for me and remember me!
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my struggle I will wait
Until my relief comes.
15 You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for (O)the work of Your hands.
16 For now You (P)number my steps,
You do not (Q)observe my sin.
17 My wrongdoing is (R)sealed up in a bag,
And You cover over my [k]guilt.
18 “But the falling mountain [l]crumbles away,
And the rock moves from its place;
19 Water wears away stones,
Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth;
So You (S)destroy a man’s hope.
20 You forever overpower him and he (T)departs;
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 His sons achieve honor, but (U)he does not know it;
Or they become insignificant, and he does not perceive it.
22 However, his [m]body pains him,
And his soul mourns for himself.”
Footnotes
- Job 14:1 Lit short of days
- Job 14:3 As in some ancient versions; MT me
- Job 14:5 Lit made
- Job 14:6 Lit cease
- Job 14:6 Lit makes acceptable
- Job 14:7 Or cease
- Job 14:11 Lit disappears
- Job 14:12 Lit They
- Job 14:12 Lit their
- Job 14:13 I.e., the netherworld
- Job 14:17 Or unjust deed
- Job 14:18 Lit withers
- Job 14:22 Lit flesh
Cross references
- Job 14:1 : Job 5:7
- Job 14:1 : Eccl 2:23
- Job 14:2 : Ps 90:5, 6; 103:15; Is 40:6, 7; James 1:10; 1 Pet 1:24
- Job 14:2 : Job 8:9
- Job 14:3 : Ps 8:4; 144:3
- Job 14:3 : Ps 143:2
- Job 14:4 : Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5
- Job 14:5 : Job 21:21
- Job 14:6 : Job 7:19; Ps 39:13
- Job 14:10 : Job 3:13; 14:10-15
- Job 14:10 : Job 13:9
- Job 14:11 : Is 19:5
- Job 14:12 : Job 3:13
- Job 14:13 : Is 26:20
- Job 14:15 : Job 10:3
- Job 14:16 : Job 31:4; 34:21; Ps 139:1-3; Prov 5:21
- Job 14:16 : Job 10:6
- Job 14:17 : Deut 32:32-34
- Job 14:19 : Job 7:6
- Job 14:20 : Job 4:20; 20:7
- Job 14:21 : Eccl 9:5