1 Man that is borne of woman, is of short continuance, and full of trouble. 2 He shooteth foorth as a flowre, and is cut downe: he vanisheth also as a shadowe, and continueth not. 3 And yet thou openest thine eyes vpon such one, and causest me to enter into iudgement with thee. 4 Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse? there is not one. 5 Are not his dayes determined? the nober of his moneths are with thee: thou hast appointed his boundes, which he can not passe. 6 Turne from him that he may cease vntill his desired day, as an hyreling. 7 For there is hope of a tree, if it bee cut downe, that it will yet sproute, and the branches thereof will not cease. 8 Though the roote of it waxe olde in the earth, and the stocke thereof be dead in ye ground, 9 Yet by the sent of water it will bud, and bring foorth boughes like a plant. 10 But man is sicke, and dyeth, and man perisheth, and where is he? 11 As the waters passe from the sea, and as the flood decayeth and dryeth vp, 12 So man sleepeth and riseth not: for hee shall not wake againe, nor be raised from his sleepe till the heauen be no more. 13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the graue, and keepe me secret, vntill thy wrath were past, and wouldest giue me terme, and remember me. 14 If a man die, shall he liue againe? All the dayes of mine appointed time will I waite, till my changing shall come. 15 Thou shalt call me, and I shall answere thee: thou louest the worke of thine own hands. 16 But nowe thou nombrest my steppes, and doest not delay my sinnes. 17 Mine iniquitie is sealed vp, as in a bagge, and thou addest vnto my wickednesse. 18 And surely as the mountaine that falleth, commeth to nought, and the rocke that is remooued from his place: 19 As the water breaketh the stones, when thou ouerflowest the things which growe in the dust of ye earth: so thou destroyest ye hope of man. 20 Thou preuailest alway against him, so that he passeth away: he changeth his face when thou castest him away. 21 And he knoweth not if his sonnes shall be honourable, neither shall he vnderstand concerning them, whether they shalbe of lowe degree, 22 But while his flesh is vpon him, he shall be sorowfull, and while his soule is in him, it shall mourne.
1 We are all born weak and helpless.
All lead the same short, troubled life.
2 We grow and wither as quickly as flowers;
we disappear like shadows.
3 Will you even look at me, God,
or put me on trial and judge me?
4 Nothing clean can ever come
from anything as unclean as human beings.
5 The length of our lives is decided beforehand—
the number of months we will live.
You have settled it, and it can't be changed.
6 Look away from us and leave us alone;
let us enjoy our hard life—if we can.
7 There is hope for a tree that has been cut down;
it can come back to life and sprout.
8 Even though its roots grow old,
and its stump dies in the ground,
9 with water it will sprout like a young plant.
10 But we die, and that is the end of us;
we die, and where are we then?
11 Like rivers that stop running,
and lakes that go dry,
12 people die, never to rise.
They will never wake up while the sky endures;
they will never stir from their sleep.
13 I wish you would hide me in the world of the dead;
let me be hidden until your anger is over,
and then set a time to remember me.
14 If a man dies, can he come back to life?
But I will wait for better times,
wait till this time of trouble is ended.
15 Then you will call, and I will answer,
and you will be pleased with me, your creature.
16 Then you will watch every step I take,
but you will not keep track of my sins.
17 You will forgive them and put them away;
you will wipe out all the wrongs I have done.
18 There comes a time when mountains fall
and solid cliffs are moved away.
19 Water will wear down rocks,
and heavy rain will wash away the soil;
so you destroy our hope for life.
20 You overpower us and send us away forever;
our faces are twisted in death.
21 Our children win honor, but we never know it,
nor are we told when they are disgraced.
22 We feel only the pain of our own bodies
and the grief of our own minds.