איוב 14
| אדם ילוד אשה קצר ימים ושבע רגז׃ | 1 |
“Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.
| כציץ יצא וימל ויברח כצל ולא יעמוד׃ | 2 |
He grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.
| אף על זה פקחת עינך ואתי תביא במשפט עמך׃ | 3 |
Do you open your eyes on such a one, and bring me into judgement with you?
| מי יתן טהור מטמא לא אחד׃ | 4 |
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
| אם חרוצים ימיו מספר חדשיו אתך חקו עשית ולא יעבור׃ | 5 |
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass.
| שעה מעליו ויחדל עד ירצה כשכיר יומו׃ | 6 |
Look away from him, that he may rest, until he accomplishes, as a hireling, his day.
| כי יש לעץ תקוה אם יכרת ועוד יחליף וינקתו לא תחדל׃ | 7 |
“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.
| אם יזקין בארץ שרשו ובעפר ימות גזעו׃ | 8 |
Though its root grows old in the earth, and its stock dies in the ground,
| מריח מים יפרח ועשה קציר כמו נטע׃ | 9 |
yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant.
| וגבר ימות ויחלש ויגוע אדם ואיו׃ | 10 |
But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?
| אזלו מים מני ים ונהר יחרב ויבש׃ | 11 |
As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes and dries up,
| ואיש שכב ולא יקום עד בלתי שמים לא יקיצו ולא יערו משנתם׃ | 12 |
so man lies down and doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they will not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
| מי יתן בשאול תצפנני תסתירני עד שוב אפך תשית לי חק ותזכרני׃ (Sheol h7585) | 13 |
“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! (Sheol h7585)
| אם ימות גבר היחיה כל ימי צבאי איחל עד בוא חליפתי׃ | 14 |
If a man dies, will he live again? I would wait all the days of my warfare, until my release should come.
| תקרא ואנכי אענך למעשה ידיך תכסף׃ | 15 |
You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire for the work of your hands.
| כי עתה צעדי תספור לא תשמור על חטאתי׃ | 16 |
But now you count my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?
| חתם בצרור פשעי ותטפל על עוני׃ | 17 |
My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
| ואולם הר נופל יבול וצור יעתק ממקמו׃ | 18 |
“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. The rock is removed out of its place.
| אבנים שחקו מים תשטף ספיחיה עפר ארץ ותקות אנוש האבדת׃ | 19 |
The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth. So you destroy the hope of man.
| תתקפהו לנצח ויהלך משנה פניו ותשלחהו׃ | 20 |
You forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, and send him away.
| יכבדו בניו ולא ידע ויצערו ולא יבין למו׃ | 21 |
His sons come to honour, and he doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.
| אך בשרו עליו יכאב ונפשו עליו תאבל׃ | 22 |
But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”
