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¹ "Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. ² He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. ³ And do You open Your eyes on such a one,And bring me [fn] to judgment with Yourself? ⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one! ⁵ Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass. ⁶ Look away from him that he may rest, Till like a hired man he finishes his day.

⁷ "For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. ⁸ Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, ⁹ Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant. ¹⁰ But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last And where is he? ¹¹ As water disappears from the sea, And a river becomes parched and dries up, ¹² So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep. ¹³ "Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! ¹⁴ If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. ¹⁵ You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands.

¹⁶ For now You number my steps, But do not watch over my sin. ¹⁷ My transgression is sealed up in a bag,And You cover [fn] my iniquity. ¹⁸ "But as a mountain falls and crumbles away, And as a rock is moved from its place; ¹⁹ As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So You destroy the hope of man. ²⁰ You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away. ²¹ His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; They are brought low, and he does not perceive it. ²² But his flesh will be in pain over it, And his soul will mourn over it."