1 Man that 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 continues not.
3 And do you open your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? no one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender shoots thereof will not cease.
8 Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the ground;
9 Yet at the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies, and wastes away: yea, man expires, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the river decays and dries up:
12 So man lies down, and rises not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would conceal me, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man dies, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes.
15 You shall call, and I will answer you: you will have a desire to the work of your hands.
16 For now you number my steps: do not watch over my sin.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and you sew up my iniquity.
18 And surely the mountain falling, comes to nothing, and the rock is removed out of its place.
19 The waters wear the stones: you wash away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and you destroy the hope of 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 knows it not; and they are brought low, but he perceives it not of them.
22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.