| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. | 1Man born of woman is short of days and full of trouble. |
| 2He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. | 2He blossoms like a flower, then withers; he flees like a shadow and does not last. |
| 3And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself? | 3Do You really take notice of one like this? Will You bring me into judgment against You? |
| 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one! | 4Who can produce something pure from what is impure? No one! |
| 5Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass. | 5Since man's days are determined and the number of his months depends on You, and since You have set limits he cannot pass, |
| 6Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day. | 6look away from him and let him rest so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand. |
| 7“For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. | 7There is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its shoots will not die. |
| 8Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, | 8If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump starts to die in the soil, |
| 9Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant. | 9the smell of water makes it thrive and produce twigs like a sapling. |
| 10But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? | 10But a man dies and fades away; he breathes his last--where is he? |
| 11As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up, | 11As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry, |
| 12So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep. | 12so man lies down never to rise again. They will not wake up until the heavens are no more; they will not stir from their sleep. |
| 13“Oh, 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! | 13If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger passes. If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me. |
| 14If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. | 14When a man dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes. |
| 15You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands. | 15You would call, and I would answer You. You would long for the work of Your hands. |
| 16For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin. | 16For then You would count my steps but would not take note of my sin. |
| 17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You cover my iniquity. | 17My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity. |
| 18“But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place; | 18But as a mountain collapses and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place, |
| 19As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man. | 19as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil from the land, so You destroy a man's hope. |
| 20You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away. | 20You completely overpower him, and he passes on; You change his appearance and send him away. |
| 21His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it. | 21If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it. |
| 22But his flesh will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it.” | 22He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself. |
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