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.