Chapter
14
"Woman, who is born of a man, is of few days, and full of trouble.
She comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. She also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.
Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgment with you?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
Seeing her days are determined, the number of her months is with you, and you have appointed her bounds that she can't pass;
Look away from her, that she may rest, until she shall accomplish, as a hireling, her day.
"For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, that the tender branch of it will not cease.
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.
But woman dies, and is laid low. Yes, woman gives up the spirit, and where is she?
As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,
so woman lies down and doesn't rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
"Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!
If a woman dies, shall she live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, until my release should come.
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.
But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin?
My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
"But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place;
The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of woman.
You forever prevail against her, and she departs. You change her face, and send her away.
Her daughters come to honor, and she doesn't know it. They are brought low, but she doesn't perceive it of them.
But her flesh on her has pain, and her soul within her mourns."