[1] "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. [2]
He comes forth like a flower, and withers; he flees like a shadow, and
continues not. [3] And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one and bring
him into judgment with thee? [4] Who can bring a clean thing out of an
unclean? There is not one. [5] Since his days are determined, and the
number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds that
he cannot pass, [6] look away from him, and desist, that he may enjoy, like
a hireling, his day. [7] "For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down,
that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. [8] Though
its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the ground, [9] yet at
the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant.
[10] But man dies, and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he?
[11] As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries up, [12]
so man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will
not awake, or be roused out of his sleep. [13] Oh that thou wouldest hide
me in Sheol, that thou wouldest conceal me until thy wrath be past, that
thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! [14] If a man die,
shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my
release should come. [15] Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou
wouldest long for the work of thy hands. [16] For then thou wouldest number
my steps, thou wouldest not keep watch over my sin; [17] my transgression
would be sealed up in a bag, and thou wouldest cover over my iniquity. [18]
"But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its
place; [19] the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the
soil of the earth; so thou destroyest the hope of man. [20] Thou prevailest
for ever against him, and he passes; thou changest his countenance, and
sendest him away. [21] His sons come to honor, and he does not know it;
they are brought low, and he perceives it not. [22] He feels only the pain
of his own body, and he mourns only for himself."