איוב 14

1 אָדָם יְלוּד אִשָּׁה קְצַר יָמִים וּֽשְׂבַֽע־רֹֽגֶז׃

Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

2 כְּצִיץ יָצָא וַיִּמָּל וַיִּבְרַח כַּצֵּל וְלֹא יַעֲמֽוֹד׃

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.

3 אַף־עַל־זֶה פָּקַחְתָּ עֵינֶךָ וְאֹתִי תָבִיא בְמִשְׁפָּט עִמָּֽךְ׃

Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

4 מִֽי־יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא לֹא אֶחָֽד׃

Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!

5 אִם חֲרוּצִים ׀ יָמָיו מִֽסְפַּר־חֳדָשָׁיו אִתָּךְ חֻקָּו עָשִׂיתָ וְלֹא יַעֲבֹֽר׃

If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, [and] thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

6 שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו וְיֶחְדָּל עַד־יִרְצֶה כְּשָׂכִיר יוֹמֽוֹ׃

Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

7 כִּי יֵשׁ לָעֵץ תִּקְוָה אִֽם־יִכָּרֵת וְעוֹד יַחֲלִיף וְיֹנַקְתּוֹ לֹא תֶחְדָּֽל׃

For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;

8 אִם־יַזְקִין בָּאָרֶץ שׇׁרְשׁוֹ וּבֶעָפָר יָמוּת גִּזְעֽוֹ׃

Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,

9 מֵרֵיחַ מַיִם יַפְרִחַ וְעָשָׂה קָצִיר כְּמוֹ־נָֽטַע׃

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.

10 וְגֶבֶר יָמוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָשׁ וַיִּגְוַע אָדָם וְאַיּֽוֹ׃

But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?

11 אָזְלוּ־מַיִם מִנִּי־יָם וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:

12 וְאִישׁ שָׁכַב וְֽלֹא־יָקוּם עַד־בִּלְתִּי שָׁמַיִם לֹא יָקִיצוּ וְלֹֽא־יֵעֹרוּ מִשְּׁנָתָֽם׃

So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.

13 מִי יִתֵּן ׀ בִּשְׁאוֹל תַּצְפִּנֵנִי תַּסְתִּירֵנִי עַד־שׁוּב אַפֶּךָ תָּשִֽׁית לִי חֹק וְתִזְכְּרֵֽנִי׃ (Sheol h7585)

Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, — (Sheol h7585)

14 אִם־יָמוּת גֶּבֶר הֲיִֽחְיֶה כׇּל־יְמֵי צְבָאִי אֲיַחֵל עַד־בּוֹא חֲלִיפָתִֽי׃

(If a man die, shall he live [again]?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:

15 תִּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶךָּ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ תִכְסֹֽף׃

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.

16 כִּֽי־עַתָּה צְעָדַי תִּסְפּוֹר לֹֽא־תִשְׁמֹר עַל־חַטָּאתִֽי׃

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

17 חָתֻם בִּצְרוֹר פִּשְׁעִי וַתִּטְפֹּל עַל־עֲוֺנִֽי׃

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.

18 וְאוּלָם הַר־נוֹפֵל יִבּוֹל וְצוּר יֶעְתַּק מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃

And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;

19 אֲבָנִים ׀ שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם תִּשְׁטֹֽף־סְפִיחֶיהָ עֲפַר־אָרֶץ וְתִקְוַת אֱנוֹשׁ הֶֽאֱבַֽדְתָּ׃

The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 תִּתְקְפֵהוּ לָנֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹךְ מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.

21 יִכְבְּדוּ בָנָיו וְלֹא יֵדָע וְיִצְעֲרוּ וְֽלֹא־יָבִין לָֽמוֹ׃

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.

22 אַךְ־בְּשָׂרוֹ עָלָיו יִכְאָב וְנַפְשׁוֹ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃

But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.