Job Continues to Argue His Case with God

1 “A human being born of a woman

is short of days and full of troubles.

2 Like a flower he comes up, and he withers away;

and he flees like ashadow, buthe does not last.

3 Even on such a one you fix your eyes,

and you bring me into judgment with you.

4 “Who can bring a clean thing from an unclean thing?

No one!

5 If his days are determined, the number of his months is with you;

you have appointed his boundaries, and he cannot cross them.

6 Look away from him, and let him desist

until he enjoys his days like a laborer.

7 “Indeed, there is hope for a tree:

if it is cut down, thenit will sprout again,

and its new shoots will not cease;

8 though its root grows old in the earth,

and its stump dies in the dust,

9 atthe scent of water it will bud,

and it will put forth branches like a young plant.

10 “Buta man dies, and he dwindles away;

thusa human being passes away, and where is he?

11 As water disappears from a lake,

and a river withers away and dries up,

12 soa man lies down, and he does not arise.

Until the heavens are no more,they will not awaken,

and they will not be roused out of their sleep.

13 “O thatyou would conceal me in Sheol,

that you would hide me until your wrath is past,

that you would appoint a set time for me and remember me.

14 If a man dies, will he live again?

All the days of my compulsory service I will wait,

until the coming of my relief.

15 You would call, and I myselfwould answer you;

you would long for the work of your hand.

16 For thenyou would count my steps,

but you would not keep watch over my sin.

17 My transgression would be sealed in a bag,

and you would cover over my guilt.

18 “Buta mountain falls; it crumbles away,

and a rock moves away from its place.

19 Water wears away stones;

its torrents wash away the soil of the earth;

soyou destroy the hope of human beings.

20 You overpower him forever, and he passes away;

you change his countenance,thenyou send him away.

21 His children may come to honor, buthe does not know it;

orthey may become lowly, buthe does not realize it.

22 He feels only the pain of his own body,

and his inner selfmourns for him.”