| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. | 1Man born of woman is short of days and full of trouble. |
| 2He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. | 2He blossoms like a flower, then withers; he flees like a shadow and does not last. |
| 3And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? | 3Do You really take notice of one like this? Will You bring me into judgment against You? |
| 4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. | 4Who can produce something pure from what is impure? No one! |
| 5Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; | 5Since man's days are determined and the number of his months depends on You, and since You have set limits he cannot pass, |
| 6Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. | 6look away from him and let him rest so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand. |
| 7For 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. | 7There is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its shoots will not die. |
| 8Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; | 8If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump starts to die in the soil, |
| 9Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. | 9the smell of water makes it thrive and produce twigs like a sapling. |
| 10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? | 10But a man dies and fades away; he breathes his last--where is he? |
| 11As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: | 11As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry, |
| 12So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. | 12so man lies down never to rise again. They will not wake up until the heavens are no more; they will not stir from their sleep. |
| 13O 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! | 13If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger passes. If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me. |
| 14If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. | 14When a man dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes. |
| 15Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. | 15You would call, and I would answer You. You would long for the work of Your hands. |
| 16For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? | 16For then You would count my steps but would not take note of my sin. |
| 17My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity. | 17My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity. |
| 18And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place. | 18But as a mountain collapses and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place, |
| 19The 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. | 19as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil from the land, so You destroy a man's hope. |
| 20Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. | 20You completely overpower him, and he passes on; You change his appearance and send him away. |
| 21His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. | 21If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it. |
| 22But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn. | 22He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself. |
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