| 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.' |