Job Laments the Finality of Death 1 DRA Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries. BSB BSB: “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
2 DRA Who cometh forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never continueth in the same state. BSB BSB: Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
3 DRA And dost thou think it meet to open thy eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with thee? BSB BSB: Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
4 DRA Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not thou who only art? BSB BSB: Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
5 DRA The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with thee: thou hast appointed his bounds which cannot be passed. BSB BSB: Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
6 DRA Depart a little from him, that he may rest, until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling. BSB BSB: look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
7 DRA A tree hath hope: if it be cut, it groweth green again, and the boughs thereof sprout. BSB BSB: For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
8 DRA If its root be old in the earth, and its stock be dead in the dust: BSB BSB: If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
9 DRA At the scent of water, it shall spring, and bring forth leaves, as when it was first planted. BSB BSB: at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
10 DRA But man when he shall be dead, and stripped and consumed, I pray you where is he? BSB BSB: But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
11 DRA As if the waters should depart out of the sea, and an emptied river should be dried up: BSB BSB: As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 DRA 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. BSB BSB: so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
13 DRA 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? BSB BSB: If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!
14 DRA 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. BSB BSB: When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
15 DRA Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee: to the work of thy hands thou shalt reach out thy right hand. BSB BSB: You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
16 DRA Thou indeed hast numbered my steps, but spare my sins. BSB BSB: For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
17 DRA Thou hast sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but hast cured my iniquity. BSB BSB: My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 DRA A mountain falling cometh to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place. BSB BSB: But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 DRA 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. BSB BSB: as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
20 DRA Thou hast strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away for ever: thou shalt change his face, and shalt send him away. BSB BSB: You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
21 DRA Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand. BSB BSB: If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
22 DRA But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him. BSB BSB: He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”
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