King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
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.
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He comes forth like a flower, and withers; he flees like a shadow, and continues not.
3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
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And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one and bring him into judgment with thee?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
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Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is 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;
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Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with thee, and 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.
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look away from him, and desist, that he may enjoy, like 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.
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"For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
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Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the ground,
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
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yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth branches like a young plant.
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
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But man dies, and is laid low; man breathes his last, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
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As waters fail from a lake, and a river wastes away and dries 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.
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so man lies down and rises not again; till the heavens are no more he will not awake, or be roused out of his 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!
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Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest conceal me 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.
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If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait, till my release should come.
15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
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Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest long for the work of thy hands.
16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
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For then thou wouldest number my steps, thou wouldest not keep watch over my sin;
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
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my transgression would be sealed up in a bag, and thou wouldest cover over my iniquity.
18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
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"But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its 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.
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the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
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Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passes; 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.
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His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.
22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.
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He feels only the pain of his own body, and he mourns only for himself."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.