The Darby Translation DBY
New International Version NIV
1 Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
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“Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.
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They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not endure.
3 Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
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Do you fix your eye on them? Will you bring them before you for judgment?
4 Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!
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Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one!
5 If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, [and] thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,
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A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.
6 Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
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So look away from him and let him alone, till he has put in his time like a hired laborer.
7 For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;
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“At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.
8 Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,
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Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil,
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.
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yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.
10 But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?
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But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last and is no more.
11 The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:
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As the water of a lake dries up or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.
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so he lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, people will not awake or be roused from their sleep.
13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, --
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“If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me!
14 (If a man die, shall he live [again]?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:
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If someone dies, will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.
15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.
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You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made.
16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
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Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.
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My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin.
18 And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;
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“But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and as a rock is moved from its place,
19 The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
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as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy a person’s hope.
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.
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You overpower them once for all, and they are gone; you change their countenance and send them away.
21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.
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If their children are honored, they do not know it; if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it.
22 But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.
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They feel but the pain of their own bodies and mourn only for themselves.”
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.