[1] As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.
[2] He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a
shade, and is never seen again. [3] Is it on such a one as this that your
eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him? [4] If only a clean thing
might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible. [5] If his days are
ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given
him a fixed limit past which he may not go; [6] Let your eyes be turned
away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at
the end of his day, like a servant working for payment. [7] For there is
hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its
branches will not come to an end. [8] Though its root may be old in the
earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust; [9] Still, at the smell
of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant. [10]
But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where
is he? [11] The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;
[12] So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till
the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their
sleep. [13] If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in
a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might
come to your memory again! [14] If death takes a man, will he come to life
again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came
for me to be free. [15] At the sound of your voice I would give an answer,
and you would have a desire for the work of your hands. [16] For now my
steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked. [17] My wrongdoing
is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe. [18] But truly a
mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place; [19]
The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the
earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the
hope of man. [20] You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is
changed in death, and you send him away. [21] His sons come to honour, and
he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of
it. [22] Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.