Job 14
Man's life is short and filled with miseries, and he cannot escape the limitations set by God. A tree has the ability to renew itself, but when a man dies, he does not rise again until the heavens pass away. Job asks God to protect him in the underworld and to remember him after his transformation. God has numbered Job's steps and sealed up his offenses, but will ultimately destroy man, and though he may have a brief time of strength, he will eventually cross over into eternity.
1Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries2He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state3And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you4Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can5The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed6Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand7A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth8If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust9at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted10Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he11It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up12just 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 sleep13Who 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 me14Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs15You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand16Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins17You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity18A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place19Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man20You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth21Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand22And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself
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