Job 14:11-21

11 Como las aguas se evaporan del mar, como un río se agota y se seca,

12 así el hombre yace y no se levanta; hasta que los cielos ya no sean no se despertará ni se levantará de su sueño.

13 ¡Oh, si me escondieras en el Seol, si me ocultaras hasta que tu ira se pasara, si me pusieras un plazo, y de mí te acordaras!

14 Si el hombre muere, ¿volverá a vivir? Todos los días de mi batallar esperaré hasta que llegue mi relevo.

15 Tú llamarás, y yo te responderé; añorarás la obra de tus manos.

16 Porque ahora cuentas mis pasos, no observas mi pecado.

17 Sellada está en un saco mi transgresión, y tienes cubierta mi iniquidad.

18 Pero el monte que cae se desmorona, y se cambia la roca de su lugar;

19 el agua desgasta las piedras, sus torrentes se llevan el polvo de la tierra; así destruyes tú la esperanza del hombre.

20 Prevaleces para siempre contra él, y se va; cambias su apariencia, y lo despides.

21 Alcanzan honra sus hijos, pero él no lo sabe; o son humillados, pero él no lo percibe.

Job 14:11-21 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.