1 MAN that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

2 He comes forth like a flower, and withers and fades away; he flees like a shadow, and continues not.

3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bring him into judgment with thee?

4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one.

5 Seeing his days are determined and the number of his months are decreed, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot trespass them;

6 Turn thy face away from him, and his days will be spent like a hireling.

7 For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again and its tender shoots will not cease.

8 Though its root wax old in the earth and its stock die in the ground,

9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud and bring forth leaves like a plant;

10 But man dies, and fades away; yea, man perishes, and he is no more.

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and a river becomes desolate and dries up;

12 So man who lies down does not rise again; until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

13 O that thou wouldst hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldst keep me in a secret place until thy wrath is spent, that thou wouldst appoint me a set time and remember me!

14 If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of his youth he waits till old age comes.

15 If thou wouldst call me, I would answer thee; thou wilt think of the work of thy hands.

16 For now thou numberest not my steps: and thou keepest not watch over my sins.

17 My transgressions are sealed up in a bag, and thou removest from me my sins.

18 Truly a great mountain falls, and a rock moves out of its place.

19 The waters wear away the stones and wash away the soil of the earth; so thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passes; thou castest him away with shame on his face.

21 If his sons multiply, he does not know it; if they decrease, he perceives it not of them.

22 But his flesh upon him shall have pal,, and his soul within him shall mourn.