Job 14

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Man born of woman is short-lived and full of trouble,	1 Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 Like a flower that springs up and fades, swift as a shadow that does not abide.	2 He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
3 Upon such a one will you cast your eyes so as to bring him into judgment before you,	3 And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
4 Can a man be found who is clean of defilement? There is none,	4 Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
5 however short his days. You know the number of his months; you have fixed the limit which he cannot pass.	5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
6 Look away from him and let him be, while, like a hireling, he completes his day.	6 Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
7 For a tree there is hope, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again and that its tender shoots will not cease.	7 A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
8 Even though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the dust,	8 If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
9 Yet at the first whiff of water it may flourish again and put forth branches like a young plant.	9 at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
10 But when a man dies, all vigor leaves him; when man expires, where then is he?	10 Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
11 As when the waters of a lake fail, or a stream grows dry and parches,	11 It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
12 So men lie down and rise not again. Till the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.	12 just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
13 Oh, that you would hide me in the nether world and keep me sheltered till your wrath is past; would fix a time for me, and then remember me!	13 Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me?
14 When a man has died, were he to live again, all the days of my drudgery I would wait, until my relief should come.	14 Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
15 You would call, and I would answer you; you would esteem the work of your hands.	15 You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
16 Surely then you would count my steps, and not keep watch for sin in me.	16 Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
17 My misdeeds would be sealed up in a pouch, and you would cover over my guilt.	17 You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
18 But as a mountain falls at last and its rock is moved from its place,	18 A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
19 As waters wear away the stones and floods wash away the soil of the land, so you destroy the hope of man.	19 Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
20 You prevail once for all against him and he passes on; with changed appearance you send him away.	20 You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
21 If his sons are honored, he is not aware of it; if they are in disgrace, he does not know about them.	21 Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
22 Only his own flesh pains him, and his soul grieves for him.	22 And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.