Job 14
New Life Version
Job Keeps On Talking—Death Is Sure
14 “Man who is born of woman lives only a short time and is full of trouble. 2 He grows up and dries like a flower. He leaves like a shadow and does not stay. 3 You open Your eyes on him and decide about him. 4 Who can make clean what is unclean? No one! 5 A man’s days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set. 6 So now look away from him that he may rest, until he has lived the time set for him like a man paid to work.
7 “For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will grow again, and that its branches will not stop growing. 8 Its roots grow old in the ground, and the base of the tree dies in the dry ground. 9 But with water it will grow. Branches will grow from it like a plant. 10 But man dies and is laid low. Man dies, and where is he? 11 As water goes into the air from the sea, and the river wastes away and dries up, 12 so man lies down and does not get up again. Until the heavens are no more, he will not wake up or come out of his sleep.
13 “If only You would hide me in the place of the dead! If only You would hide me until Your anger is past, and set a time for me and remember me! 14 If a man dies, will he live again? I will wait all the days of my trouble until a change comes. 15 You will call and I will answer You. You will wait for the work of Your hands. 16 For now You number my steps. You do not write down my sin. 17 My sin is locked up in a bag. You cover my wrong-doing.
18 “But the mountain falls and breaks apart to nothing. The rock moves from its place. 19 Water wears away the stones. Its floods wash away the dust of the earth. So You destroy man’s hope. 20 You have power over him forever, and he leaves. You change what he looks like and send him away. 21 His sons receive honor, but he does not know it. Or they lose honor, but he does not see it. 22 His body gives him pain, and he has sorrow only for himself.”
Job 14
Amplified Bible
Job Speaks of the Finality of Death
14 “Man, who is born of a woman,
Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
2
“Like a flower he comes forth and withers;
He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.
3
“You also open Your eyes upon him
And bring him into judgment with Yourself.
4
“Who can make a clean thing out of the unclean?
No one!(A)
5
“Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You [in Your control],
And You have made his limits so he cannot pass [his allotted time].
6
“[O God] turn your gaze from him so that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day [on earth] like a hired man.
7
“For there is hope for a tree,
If it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that the shoots of it will not cease nor fail, [but there is no such hope for man].
8
“Though its roots grow old in the earth
And its stump dies in the dry soil,
9
Yet at the scent of water [the stump of the tree] will flourish
And bring forth sprigs and shoots like a seedling.
10
“But [the brave, strong] man must die and lie face down;
Man breathes his last, and where is he?
11
“As water evaporates from the sea,
And a river drains and dries up,
12
So man lies down and does not rise [again].
Until the heavens are no longer,
The dead will not awake nor be raised from their sleep.
13
“Oh, that You would hide me in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead),
That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past,
That You would set a definite time and then remember me [and in Your lovingkindness imprint me on your heart]!
14
“If a man dies, will he live again?
I will wait all the days of my struggle
Until my change and release will come.(B)
15
“[Then] You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for [me] the work of Your hands.
16
“But now You number [each of] my steps;
You do not observe nor take note of my sin.
17
“My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
And You cover my wickedness [from Your view].
18
“But as a mountain, if it falls, crumbles into nothing,
And as the rock is moved from its place,
19
Water wears away the stones,
Its floods and torrents wash away the soil of the earth,
So You [O Lord] destroy the hope of man.
20
“You prevail forever against him and overpower him, and he passes on;
You change his appearance and send him away [from the presence of the living].
21
“His sons achieve honor, and he does not know it;
They become insignificant, and he is not aware of it.
22
“But his body [lamenting its decay] grieves in pain over it,
And his soul mourns over [the loss of] himself.”
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
