^{1 Ref} As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.

^{2 Ref} He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.

^{3 Ref} Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?

^{4 Ref} If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.

^{5 Ref} If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;

^{6 Ref} Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.

^{7 Ref} For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.

^{8 Ref} Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;

^{9 Ref} Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.

^{10 Ref} But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?

^{11 Ref} The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;

^{12 Ref} So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their sleep.

^{13 Ref} If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again!

^{14 Ref} If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.

^{15 Ref} At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.

^{16 Ref} For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.

^{17 Ref} My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.

^{18 Ref} But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;

^{19 Ref} The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.

^{20 Ref} You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.

^{21 Ref} His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.

^{22 Ref} Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.