| 1 ¶ Man that is born of a woman is of few1 days, and full of trouble.
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| 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
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| 3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
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| 4 Who can2 bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
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| 5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
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| 6 Turn from him, that he may rest,3 till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
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| 7 ¶ For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
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| 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
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| 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
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| 10 But man dieth, and wasteth4 away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
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| 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
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| 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
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| 13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
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| 14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
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| 15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
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| 16 ¶ For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
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| 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
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| 18 And surely the mountain falling cometh5 to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
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| 19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest6 away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
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| 20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
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| 21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
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| 22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
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