Job 14:1-6

1 A man is born of a woman, and liveth (but a) short time, and he is full-filled with many wretchednesses (and he is filled full of many wretchednesses).

2 And he goeth out, and is defouled as a flower; and he fleeth away as a shadow, and dwelleth never perfectly in that same state. (And he goeth out, and withereth like a flower; and then he fleeth away like a shadow, and never again dwelleth in that same state.)

3 And guessest thou (it a) worthy thing to open thine eyes upon such a man; and to bring him into doom with thee? (And thinkest thou that it is worthwhile to look upon such a person; and to bring him into court, or unto judgement, with thee?)

4 Who may make a man clean (who is) conceived of unclean seed? Whether not thou, Lord, that art alone? (Who can make someone clean who is conceived of unclean seed? No one.)

5 The days of a man be short, and the number of his months be with thee; thou hast set, either ordained, his terms, which may not be (over)passed.

6 Therefore go thou away from him a little, that he have rest; till his meed coveted come, and his day is as the day of an hired man. (And so go thou away from him for a little while, so that he can have some rest; until his desired reward come, and his day is like the day of a hired man.)

Job 14:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 14

Job, having turned himself from his friends to God, continues his address to him in this chapter; wherein he discourses of the frailty of man, the shortness of his life, the troubles that are in it, the sinfulness of it, and its limited duration, beyond which it cannot continue; all which he makes use of with God, that he would not therefore deal rigorously with him, but have pity on him, and cease from severely afflicting him, till he came to the end of his days, which could not be long, Job 14:1-6; he observes of a tree, when it is cut down to the root, yea, when the root is become old, and the stock dies, it will, by means of being watered, bud and sprout again, and produce boughs and branches; but man, like the failing waters of the sea, and the decayed and dried up flood, when he dies, rises not, till the heavens be no more, Job 14:7-12; and then he wishes to be hid in the grave till that time, and expresses hope and belief of the resurrection of the dead, Job 14:13-15; and goes on to complain of the strict notice God took of his sins, of his severe dealings with men, destroying their hope in life, and removing them by death; so that they see and know not the case and circumstances of their children they leave behind, and while they live have continual pain and sorrow, Job 14:16-22.