141Man born of woman has a few short days,
and they are full of anxiety.
2He blossoms like a flower, but soon withers.
He recedes like a shadow and does not remain.
3You keep your eye on such a man.
You bring me[] into judgment in your presence. 4Who can produce something pure from something that is impure?
No one!
5Certainly his days are determined.
The number of his months has been set by you.
A limit is set, which he cannot exceed.
6Turn your gaze away from him, and let him be,
until he finishes his day's work as a hired man.
7There is still hope for a tree if it is cut down.
It may grow up again and produce new shoots.
8Though its roots lie dormant in the earth,
and its stump is dying in the dust,
9with just a whiff of water, it shoots up again.
As a growing plant, it again sends out branches.
10But if a man dies, he shrivels away.
When a person breathes his last, where is he?
11Waters evaporate from the sea.
A river dries up and becomes dust.
12In the same way, a man lies down and does not rise again.
Until the heavens pass away, he does not awaken,
and he is not aroused from his sleep.
13Oh how I wish you would hide me in the grave,
that you would conceal me until your wrath has passed by,
that you would set an appointed time for me,
and then you would remember me.
14If a man dies, will he live again?
Through all the days of my warfare,[] I will wait, until change comes about for me.
15You will call, and I myself will answer.
Then you will long for the work of your hands.
16Now you count my steps,
but then you will no longer keep track of my sin.
17My rebellious deeds will be sealed up in a bag,
and you will plaster over my guilt.
18But as a mountain crumbles and falls,
and as a rock is moved from its place,
19as water wears away stones,
and floodwaters wash away soil from the land,
so you destroy a man's hope.
20You overpower him once and for all, and he passes away.
You change his appearance and send him away.
21His sons are honored, but he is not aware of it.
They are brought low, but he does not realize it.
22He feels the pain only of his own flesh,
and in his soul grieves only for himself.