Chapter 14
1 Man born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 Who comes forth like a flower, and is destroyed, and flees as a shadow, and never continues in the same state.
3 And do you think it meet to open your eyes upon such an one, and to bring him into judgment with you?
4 Who can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed? is it not you who only art?
5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you: you have appointed his bounds which cannot be passed.
6 Depart a little from him, that he may rest, until his wished for day come, as that of the hireling.
7 A tree has hope: if it be cut, it grows green again, and the boughs thereof sprout.
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.
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 an emptied river should be dried up:
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 you may protect me in hell, and hide me till your wrath pass, and appoint me a. time when you will remember me?
14 Shall man that is dead, think you, live again? all the days in which I am now in warfare, I expect until my change come.
15 You shall call me, and I will answer you: to the work of your hands you shall reach out your right hand.
16 You indeed have numbered my steps, but spare my sins.
17 You have sealed up my offences as it were in a bag, but have cured my iniquity.
18 A mountain falling comes to nought, and a rock is removed out of its place.
19 Waters wear away the stones, and with inundation the ground by little and little is washed away: so in like manner you shall destroy man.
20 You have strengthened him for a little while, that he may pass away for ever: you shall change his face, and shall send him away.
21 Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand.
22 But yet his flesh, while he shall live, shall have pain, and his soul shall mourn over him.