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 flees also as a shadow, and does not continue.
3 And 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 will accomplish, as a hired worker, his day.
7 For there is hope of a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branch will not cease.
8 Though its root waxes old in the earth, And its stock dies in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.
10 But [noble] man dies, and is laid low: Yes, man gives up the ghost, 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 does not rise: Until the heavens are no more, they will 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 [noble] man die, will he live [again]? All the days of my warfare I would 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 transgression is sealed up in a bag, And you fasten up my iniquity.
18 But the mountain falling comes to nothing; And the rock is removed out of its place;
19 The waters wear the stones; The overflowings of it wash away the dust of the earth: So you destroy the hope of common man.
20 You prevail forever against him, and he passes; You change his countenance, and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; And they are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it of them.
22 But his flesh on him has pain, And his soul inside him mourns.