איוב 14

1 אָדָם יְלוּד אִשָּׁה קְצַר יָמִים וּֽשְׂבַֽע־רֹֽגֶז׃

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

2 כְּצִיץ יָצָא וַיִּמָּל וַיִּבְרַח כַּצֵּל וְלֹא יַעֲמֽוֹד׃

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

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

And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one? And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?

4 מִֽי־יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא לֹא אֶחָֽד׃

Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? Not one.

5 אִם חֲרוּצִים ׀ יָמָיו מִֽסְפַּר־חֳדָשָׁיו אִתָּךְ חקו חֻקָּיו עָשִׂיתָ וְלֹא יַעֲבֽוֹר׃

Seeing that his days are determined, And the number of his months, with thee, And that thou hast appointed him bounds which he cannot pass,

6 שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו וְיֶחְדָּל עַד־יִרְצֶה כְּשָׂכִיר יוֹמֽוֹ׃

O turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest, That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!

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

For there is hope for a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender branches will not fail;

8 אִם־יַזְקִין בָּאָרֶץ שָׁרְשׁוֹ וּבֶעָפָר יָמוּת גִּזְעֽוֹ׃

Though its root may have grown old in the earth, And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,

9 מֵרֵיחַ מַיִם יַפְרִחַ וְעָשָׂה קָצִיר כְּמוֹ־נָֽטַע׃

Through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs, like a young plant.

10 וְגֶבֶר יָמוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָשׁ וַיִּגְוַע אָדָם וְאַיּֽוֹ׃

But man dieth, and he is gone! Man expireth, and where is he?

11 אָֽזְלוּ־מַיִם מִנִּי־יָם וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

The waters fail from the lake; And the stream wasteth and drieth up;

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

So man lieth down, and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake, Nor be roused from his sleep.

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

O that thou wouldst hide me in the under-world! That thou wouldst conceal me till thy wrath be past! That thou wouldst appoint me a time, and then remember me! (Sheol h7585)

14 אִם־יָמוּת גֶּבֶר הֲיִחְיֶה כָּל־יְמֵי צְבָאִי אֲיַחֵל עַד־בּוֹא חֲלִיפָתִֽי׃

If a man die, can he live again? All the days of my war-service would I wait, Till my change should come.

15 תִּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶֽעֱנֶךָּ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ תִכְסֹֽף׃

Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee; Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!

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

But now thou numberest my steps; Thou watchest over my sins.

17 חָתֻם בִּצְרוֹר פִּשְׁעִי וַתִּטְפֹּל עַל־עֲוֺנִֽי׃

My transgression is sealed up in a bag; Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.

18 וְאוּלָם הַר־נוֹפֵל יִבּוֹל וְצוּר יֶעְתַּק מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃

As the mountain falling cometh to nought, And the rock is removed from its place;

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

As the waters wear away the stones, And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, So thou destroyest the hope of man.

20 תִּתְקְפֵהוּ לָנֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹךְ מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃

Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

21 יִכְבְּדוּ בָנָיו וְלֹא יֵדָע וְיִצְעֲרוּ וְֽלֹא־יָבִין לָֽמוֹ׃

His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not; Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.

22 אַךְ־בְּשָׂרוֹ עָלָיו יִכְאָב וְנַפְשׁוֹ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃

But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone; For itself alone shall his soul mourn.