| New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1“How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble! | 1"Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. |
| 2We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear. | 2"Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain. |
| 3Must you keep an eye on such a frail creature and demand an accounting from me? | 3"You also open Your eyes on him And bring him into judgment with Yourself. |
| 4Who can bring purity out of an impure person? No one! | 4"Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one! |
| 5You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. | 5"Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass. |
| 6So leave us alone and let us rest! We are like hired hands, so let us finish our work in peace. | 6"Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest, Until he fulfills his day like a hired man. |
| 7“Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. | 7"For there is hope for a tree, When it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And its shoots will not fail. |
| 8Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, | 8"Though its roots grow old in the ground And its stump dies in the dry soil, |
| 9at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling. | 9At the scent of water it will flourish And put forth sprigs like a plant. |
| 10“But when people die, their strength is gone. They breathe their last, and then where are they? | 10"But man dies and lies prostrate. Man expires, and where is he? |
| 11As water evaporates from a lake and a river disappears in drought, | 11"As water evaporates from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dried up, |
| 12people are laid to rest and do not rise again. Until the heavens are no more, they will not wake up nor be roused from their sleep. | 12So man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no longer, He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep. |
| 13“I wish you would hide me in the grave and forget me there until your anger has passed. But mark your calendar to think of me again! | 13"Oh that You would hide me in Sheol, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me! |
| 14Can the dead live again? If so, this would give me hope through all my years of struggle, and I would eagerly await the release of death. | 14"If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my change comes. |
| 15You would call and I would answer, and you would yearn for me, your handiwork. | 15"You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands. |
| 16For then you would guard my steps, instead of watching for my sins. | 16"For now You number my steps, You do not observe my sin. |
| 17My sins would be sealed in a pouch, and you would cover my guilt. | 17"My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You wrap up my iniquity. |
| 18“But instead, as mountains fall and crumble and as rocks fall from a cliff, | 18"But the falling mountain crumbles away, And the rock moves from its place; |
| 19as water wears away the stones and floods wash away the soil, so you destroy people’s hope. | 19Water wears away stones, Its torrents wash away the dust of the earth; So You destroy man's hope. |
| 20You always overpower them, and they pass from the scene. You disfigure them in death and send them away. | 20"You forever overpower him and he departs; You change his appearance and send him away. |
| 21They never know if their children grow up in honor or sink to insignificance. | 21"His sons achieve honor, but he does not know it; Or they become insignificant, but he does not perceive it. |
| 22They suffer painfully; their life is full of trouble.” | 22"But his body pains him, And he mourns only for himself." |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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