Job
Chapter
Job, first of the poetical books, deals with the problem of suffering. God allows Satan to afflict Job, a prosperous and pious Jew, with many hardships in order to test his faith. Job loses his children and his worldly goods, and is afflicted by a terrible disease. Finally when God questions Job, he is forced to admit to the limits of human wisdom, and bows humbly before the will of God. With this new humility his faith is strengthened and Job finds peace.
Job 14
14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
14:2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
14:3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
14:5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
14:6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
14:7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
14:8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
14:9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
14:15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
14:16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
14:17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
14:18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.
14:19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
14:20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
14:21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
14:22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.