Job 14 — NETB

14Verse 1“Man, born of woman,
lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.
^{Verse 2}He grows up like a flower and then withers away;
he flees like a shadow, and does not remain.
^{Verse 3}Do you fix your eye on such a one?
And do you bring me before you for judgment?
^{Verse 4}Who can make a clean thing come from an unclean?
No one!
^{Verse 5}Since man’s days are determined,
the number of his months is under your control;
you have set his limit and he cannot pass it.
^{Verse 6}Look away from him and let him desist,
until he fulfills his time like a hired man.

The Inevitability of Death

^{Verse 7}“But there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not fail.
^{Verse 8}Although its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump begins to die in the soil,
^{Verse 9}at the scent of water it will flourish
and put forth shoots like a new plant.
^{Verse 10}But man dies and is powerless;
he expires – and where is he?
^{Verse 11}As water disappears from the sea,
or a river drains away and dries up,
^{Verse 12}so man lies down and does not rise;
until the heavens are no more,
they will not awake
nor arise from their sleep.

The Possibility of Another Life

^{Verse 13}“O that you would hide me in Sheol,
and conceal me till your anger has passed!
O that you would set me a time
and then remember me!
^{Verse 14}If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my hard service I will wait
until my release comes.
^{Verse 15}You will call and I – I will answer you;
you will long for the creature you have made.

The Present Condition

^{Verse 16}“Surely now you count my steps;
then you would not mark my sin.
^{Verse 17}My offenses would be sealed up in a bag;
you would cover over my sin.
^{Verse 18}But as a mountain falls away and crumbles,
and as a rock will be removed from its place,
^{Verse 19}as water wears away stones,
and torrents wash away the soil,
so you destroy man’s hope.
^{Verse 20}You overpower him once for all,
and he departs;
you change his appearance
and send him away.
^{Verse 21}If his sons are honored,
he does not know it;
if they are brought low,
he does not see it.
^{Verse 22}Only his flesh has pain for himself,
and he mourns for himself.”