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 a shadow, but he 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, then it 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 at the scent of water it will bud, and it will put forth branches like a young plant.
10 "But a man dies, and he dwindles away; thus a human being passes away, and where is he?
11 [As] water disappears from a lake, and a river withers away and dries up,
12 {so} a 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 that} you 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 myself would answer you; you would long for the work of your hand.
16 For then you 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 "But a 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; so you destroy the hope of human beings.
20 You overpower him forever, and he passes away; [you] change {his countenance}, {then} you send him away.
21 His children may [come to] honor, but he does not know [it]; or they may become lowly, but he does not realize it.
22 He feels only the pain of his own body, and his inner self mourns for him."