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 a 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 a 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 sent 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.