איוב 14

1 אדם ילוד אשה קצר ימים ושבע רגז׃

As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.

2 כציץ יצא וימל ויברח כצל ולא יעמוד׃

He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.

3 אף על זה פקחת עינך ואתי תביא במשפט עמך׃

Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?

4 מי יתן טהור מטמא לא אחד׃

If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.

5 אם חרוצים ימיו מספר חדשיו אתך חקו עשית ולא יעבור׃

If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;

6 שעה מעליו ויחדל עד ירצה כשכיר יומו׃

Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.

7 כי יש לעץ תקוה אם יכרת ועוד יחליף וינקתו לא תחדל׃

For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.

8 אם יזקין בארץ שרשו ובעפר ימות גזעו׃

Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;

9 מריח מים יפרח ועשה קציר כמו נטע׃

Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.

10 וגבר ימות ויחלש ויגוע אדם ואיו׃

But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?

11 אזלו מים מני ים ונהר יחרב ויבש׃

The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;

12 ואיש שכב ולא יקום עד בלתי שמים לא יקיצו ולא יערו משנתם׃

So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their sleep.

13 מי יתן בשאול תצפנני תסתירני עד שוב אפך תשית לי חק ותזכרני׃ (Sheol h7585)

If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again! (Sheol h7585)

14 אם ימות גבר היחיה כל ימי צבאי איחל עד בוא חליפתי׃

If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.

15 תקרא ואנכי אענך למעשה ידיך תכסף׃

At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.

16 כי עתה צעדי תספור לא תשמור על חטאתי׃

For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.

17 חתם בצרור פשעי ותטפל על עוני׃

My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.

18 ואולם הר נופל יבול וצור יעתק ממקמו׃

But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;

19 אבנים שחקו מים תשטף ספיחיה עפר ארץ ותקות אנוש האבדת׃

The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.

20 תתקפהו לנצח ויהלך משנה פניו ותשלחהו׃

You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.

21 יכבדו בניו ולא ידע ויצערו ולא יבין למו׃

His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.

22 אך בשרו עליו יכאב ונפשו עליו תאבל׃

Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.