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

² He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

³ And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, And bringest me into judgment with thee?

⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

⁵ Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

⁶ Turn from him, that he may rest, Till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

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.

⁸ Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, And the stock thereof die in the ground;

⁹ Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And bring forth boughs like a plant.

¹⁰ But man dieth, and wasteth away: Yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

¹¹ As the waters fail from the sea, And the flood decayeth and drieth up:

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.

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!

¹⁴ If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, Till my change come.

¹⁵ Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: Thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

¹⁶ For now thou numberest my steps: Dost thou not watch over my sin?

¹⁷ My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou sewest up mine iniquity.

¹⁸ And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed out of his place.

¹⁹ The waters wear the stones: Thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; And thou destroyest the hope of man.

²⁰ Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

²¹ His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

²² But his flesh upon him shall have pain, And his soul within him shall mourn.