1 Man born of woman, living a short time, is replenished with many miseries.
1 Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 Who as a flower cometh forth and is destroyed, and flyeth as a shadow, and never abideth in the same state.
2 ¹Who cometh forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never continueth in the same state.
3 And doest thou count it a worthy thing to open thine eyes upon such an one, and to bring him with thee into judgment?
3 And dost thou think it meet to open thy eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with thee?
4 Who can make clean him that is conceived of unclean seed? Is it not thou which only art?
4 ²Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? Is it not thou who only art?
5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with thee, thou hast appointed his limits which cannot be passed.
5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with thee: thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed.
6 Depart a little from him, that he may rest, until his day wished for come, even as the hired man's.
6 Depart a little from him, that he may rest until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling.
7 Atree hath hope: if it be cut, it waxeth green again, and the boughs thereof spring.
7 A tree hath hope: if it be cut, it groweth green again, and the boughs thereof sprout.
8 If his root be old in the earth, and the trunk thereof be dead in the dust,
8 If its root be old in the earth, and its stock be dead in the dust:
9 At the scent of water it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted.
9 At the scent of water, it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted.
10 But when man shall be dead, and naked, and consumed, where is he I pray?
10 But man when he shall be dead, and stripped and consumed, I pray you where is he?
11 As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and a river made empty should be dried up.
11 As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and an emptied river should be dried up;
12 So man when he is asleep shall not rise again, till heaven perish, he shall not awake, nor rise up out of his sleep.
12 So man when he is fallen asleep shall not rise again; till the heavens be broken, he shall not awake, nor rise up out of his sleep.
13 Who will grant me this, that in hell thou protect me, and hide me till thy fury pass, and appoint me a time, wherein thou wilt remember me?
13 Who will grant me this, that thou mayst protect me in hell, and hide me till thy wrath pass, and appoint me a time when thou wilt remember me?
14 Shall man that is dead, thinkest thou, live again? All the days, in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change do come.
14 Shall man that is dead, thinkest thou, live again? All the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come.
15 Thou shalt call me, and I shall answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach thy right hand.
15 Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach out thy right hand.
16 Thou indeed hast numbered my steps: but thou wilt spare my sins.
16 ³Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins.
17 Thou hast sealed my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured mine iniquity.
17 Thou hast sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured my iniquity.
18 Amountain falling slideth down, and a rock is removed out of his place.
18 A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place.
19 Waters make stones hollow, and with inundation the earth by little and little is consumed: and men therefore thou shalt destroy in like manner.
19 Waters wear away the stones, and with inundation the ground by little and little is washed away: so in like manner thou shalt destroy man.
20 Thou hast strengthened him a little, that he might pass away for ever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him forth.
20 Thou hast strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away forever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him away.
21 Whether his children shall be noble, or unnoble, he shall not understand.
21 Whether his children come to honor or dishonor, he shall not understand.
22 But yet his flesh whilst he shall live shall have sorrow, and his soul shall mourn upon himself.
22 But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him.