1: "Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
2: He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.
3: Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
4: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
5: Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can't pass;
6: Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7: "For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
8: Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
9: yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.
10: But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
11: As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,
12: so man lies down and doesn't rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
13: "Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14: If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.
15: You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.
16: But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin?
17: My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
18: "But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;
19: The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
20: You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.
21: His sons come to honor, and he doesn't know it. They are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it of them.
22: But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns."