1Man born of a woman is short of days, and sated with harrowing trouble.
2Like a flower he cometh forth, and is cut down: and he fleeth like a shadow, and remaineth not.
3And yet on such a one dost thou open thy eyes, and me thou bringest into judgment with thee?
4Who can make a clean thing out of an unclean? not one [thing].
5Seeing that his days are determined, the number of his months are [fixed] with thee, that thou hast set his bounds which he cannot pass:
6Turn thyself from him that he may recover from his pain, and be able to enjoy like a hired laborer his day.
7For there is hope for the tree: if it be cut down, it may still sprout again, while its young shoot will not cease.
8If even its root become old in the earth, and its stock die in the dust:
9Yet through the scent of water will it flourish [again], and produce boughs as though It were newly planted.
10But man dieth, and lieth powerless: yea, the son of earth departeth—and where is he?
11The waters run off from the sea, and the river faileth and drieth up:
12So doth man lie down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they will not awake, and will not be roused out of their sleep.
13Oh who would grant that thou mightest hide me in the nether world, that thou mightest conceal me, until thy wrath be appeased, that thou mightest set for me a fixed time, and remember me then!
14Or, when a man dieth, will he live again? all the days of my time of service would I then wait, till [the hour of] my release were come.
15Do thou call, and I will truly answer thee: have a desire for the work of thy hands.
16Yet now thou numberest my steps: and thou waitest not with [the punishment of] my sin.
17Sealed up in a bag is my transgression, and thou yet addest to my iniquity.
18But truly a falling mountain will crumble, and [even] a rock is moved out of its place.
19The water weareth out stones; thou sweepest away their fragments [like] the dust of the earth: and so thou destroyest the hope of man.
20Thou assailest him with might without ceasing, till he passeth away: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him off.
21His children acquire honor, but he knoweth it not: and they are esteemed little, but he perceiveth nothing of them.
22But his body. on him, feeleth pain, and his soul will mourn for him.