Job 14:9-19

9 ad odorem aquae germinabit et faciet comam quasi cum primum plantatum est
10 homo vero cum mortuus fuerit et nudatus atque consumptus ubi quaeso est
11 quomodo si recedant aquae de mari et fluvius vacuefactus arescat
12 sic homo cum dormierit non resurget donec adteratur caelum non evigilabit nec consurget de somno suo
13 quis mihi hoc tribuat ut in inferno protegas me ut abscondas me donec pertranseat furor tuus et constituas mihi tempus in quo recorderis mei
14 putasne mortuus homo rursum vivet cunctis diebus quibus nunc milito expecto donec veniat inmutatio mea
15 vocabis et ego respondebo tibi operi manuum tuarum porriges dexteram
16 tu quidem gressus meos dinumerasti sed parces peccatis meis
17 signasti quasi in sacculo delicta mea sed curasti iniquitatem meam
18 mons cadens defluet et saxum transfertur de loco suo
19 lapides excavant aquae et adluvione paulatim terra consumitur et homines ergo similiter perdes

Job 14:9-19 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.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.