The Brevity of Life

1“Man, born of woman,

lives but a few days, and they are full of trouble.

2He grows up like a flower and then withers away;

he flees like a shadow, and does not remain.

3Do you fix your eye on such a one?

And do you bring me before you for judgment?

4Who can make a clean thing come from an unclean?

No one!

5Since man’s days are determined,

the number of his months is under your control;

you have set his limit and he cannot pass it.

6Look away from him and let him desist,

until he fulfills his time like a hired man.

The Inevitability of Death

7“But there is hope for a tree:

If it is cut down, it will sprout again,

and its new shoots will not fail.

8Although its roots may grow old in the ground

and its stump begins to die in the soil,

9at the scent of water it will flourish

and put forth shoots like a new plant.

10But man dies and is powerless;

he expires – and where is he?

11As water disappears from the sea,

or a river drains away and dries up,

12so 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

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!

14If a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my hard service I will wait

until my release comes.

15You will call and I – I will answer you;

you will long for the creature you have made.

The Present Condition

16“Surely now you count my steps;

then you would not mark my sin.

17My offenses would be sealed up in a bag;

you would cover over my sin.

18But as a mountain falls away and crumbles,

and as a rock will be removed from its place,

19as water wears away stones,

and torrents wash away the soil,

so you destroy man’s hope.

20You overpower him once for all,

and he departs;

you change his appearance

and send him away.

21If his sons are honored,

he does not know it;

if they are brought low,

he does not see it.

22Only his flesh has pain for himself,

and he mourns for himself.”