1 Man born of woman [is] of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He comes forth like a flower, and withers; he also flees as a shadow, and does not stand.
3 And You open Your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with You.
4 Who can bring a clean [thing] out of an unclean? No one!
5 For his days [are] fixed, the number of his months [is] with You, and You have set his bounds so that he cannot pass;
6 look away from him, so that he may rest until he shall finish his day, as a hireling.
7 For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease.
8 Though its root becomes old in the earth, and its stump dies in the dust,
9 [yet] at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.
10 But man dies and is cut off; and man expires, and where [is] he?
11 [As] the waters fail from the sea, and a river falls away and dries up,
12 so man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens [are] no more, they shall not awake, nor be awakened out of their sleep.
13 Who will grant [that] You would hide me in the grave, that You would keep me secret, until Your wrath is past, that You would set me a fixed time and remember me?
14 If a man die, shall he revive? All the days of my warfare I will wait, until my change comes.
15 You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall have a desire to the work of Your hands.
16 For now You number my steps; do You not watch over my sin?
17 My transgression [is] sealed up in a bag, and You cover over my iniquity.
18 And surely a falling mountain crumbles away, and the rock moves out of its place.
19 The waters wear away the stones; the outpouring of it washes the dust of the earth; and You cause the hope of man to perish.
20 You overpower him forever, and he passes; You change his face, and send him away.
21 His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; they fall, but he does not mark [it].
22 But his flesh is pained within him; and his soul mourns over him.