אִיּוֹב 14

1 אָ֭דָם יְל֣וּד אִשָּׁ֑ה קְצַ֥ר יָ֝מִ֗ים וּֽשְׂבַֽע־רֹֽגֶז׃

Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.

2 כְּצִ֣יץ יָ֭צָא וַיִּמָּ֑ל וַיִּבְרַ֥ח כַּ֝צֵּ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹֽוד׃

He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.

3 אַף־עַל־זֶ֭ה פָּקַ֣חְתָּ עֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאֹ֘תִ֤י תָבִ֖יא בְמִשְׁפָּ֣ט עִמָּֽךְ׃

And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?

4 מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן טָ֭הֹור מִטָּמֵ֗א לֹ֣א אֶחָֽד׃

Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?

5 אִ֥ם חֲרוּצִ֨ים ׀ יָמָ֗יו מִֽסְפַּר־חֳדָשָׁ֥יו אִתָּ֑ךְ חֻקֹּו (חֻקָּ֥יו) עָ֝שִׂ֗יתָ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲבֹֽור׃

The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.

6 שְׁעֵ֣ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וְיֶחְדָּ֑ל עַד־יִ֝רְצֶ֗ה כְּשָׂכִ֥יר יֹומֹֽו׃

Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.

7 כִּ֤י יֵ֥שׁ לָעֵ֗ץ תִּ֫קְוָ֥ה אִֽם־יִ֭כָּרֵת וְעֹ֣וד יַחֲלִ֑יף וְ֝יֹֽנַקְתֹּ֗ו לֹ֣א תֶחְדָּֽל׃

A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.

8 אִם־יַזְקִ֣ין בָּאָ֣רֶץ שָׁרְשֹׁ֑ו וּ֝בֶעָפָ֗ר יָמ֥וּת גִּזְעֹֽו׃

If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,

9 מֵרֵ֣יחַ מַ֣יִם יַפְרִ֑חַ וְעָשָׂ֖ה קָצִ֣יר כְּמֹו־נָֽטַע׃

at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.

10 וְגֶ֣בֶר יָ֭מוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ וַיִּגְוַ֖ע אָדָ֣ם וְאַיֹּֽו׃

Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?

11 אָֽזְלוּ־מַ֭יִם מִנִּי־יָ֑ם וְ֝נָהָ֗ר יֶחֱרַ֥ב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;

12 וְאִ֥ישׁ שָׁכַ֗ב וְֽלֹא־יָ֫ק֥וּם עַד־בִּלְתִּ֣י שָׁ֭מַיִם לֹ֣א יָקִ֑יצוּ וְלֹֽא־יֵ֝עֹ֗רוּ מִשְּׁנָתָֽם׃

just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.

13 מִ֤י יִתֵּ֨ן ׀ בִּשְׁאֹ֬ול תַּצְפִּנֵ֗נִי תַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִי עַד־שׁ֣וּב אַפֶּ֑ךָ תָּ֤שִׁ֥ית לִ֖י חֹ֣ק וְתִזְכְּרֵֽנִי׃ (Sheol h7585)

Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me? (Sheol h7585)

14 אִם־יָמ֥וּת גֶּ֗בֶר הֲיִ֫חְיֶ֥ה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י צְבָאִ֣י אֲיַחֵ֑ל עַד־בֹּ֝֗וא חֲלִיפָתִֽי׃

Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.

15 תִּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ךָּ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ תִכְסֹֽף׃

You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.

16 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה צְעָדַ֣י תִּסְפֹּ֑ור לֹֽא־תִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ור עַל־חַטָּאתִֽי׃

Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.

17 חָתֻ֣ם בִּצְרֹ֣ור פִּשְׁעִ֑י וַ֝תִּטְפֹּ֗ל עַל־עֲוֹנִֽי׃

You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.

18 וְ֭אוּלָם הַר־נֹופֵ֣ל יִבֹּ֑ול וְ֝צ֗וּר יֶעְתַּ֥ק מִמְּקֹמֹֽו׃

A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.

19 אֲבָנִ֤ים ׀ שָׁ֥חֲקוּ מַ֗יִם תִּשְׁטֹֽף־סְפִיחֶ֥יהָ עֲפַר־אָ֑רֶץ וְתִקְוַ֖ת אֱנֹ֣ושׁ הֶאֱבַֽדְתָּ׃

Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.

20 תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ לָ֭נֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה פָ֝נָ֗יו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃

You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.

21 יִכְבְּד֣וּ בָ֭נָיו וְלֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וְ֝יִצְעֲר֗וּ וְֽלֹא־יָבִ֥ין לָֽמֹו׃

Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.

22 אַךְ־בְּ֭שָׂרֹו עָלָ֣יו יִכְאָ֑ב וְ֝נַפְשֹׁ֗ו עָלָ֥יו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃ פ

And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.