< Job 14 >
1 Homo natus de muliere, brevi vivens tempore, repletur multis miseriis.
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 Qui quasi flos egreditur et conteritur, et fugit velut umbra, et numquam in eodem statu permanet.
He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 Et dignum ducis super huiuscemodi aperire oculos tuos, et adducere eum tecum in iudicium?
And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with Thee?
4 Quis potest facere mundum de immundo conceptum semine? nonne tu qui solus es?
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Breves dies hominis sunt: numerus mensium eius apud te est: constituisti terminos eius, qui præteriri non poterunt.
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Recede paululum ab eo, ut quiescat, donec optata veniat, sicut mercenarii, dies eius.
Look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.
7 Lignum habet spem: si præcisum fuerit, rursum virescit, et rami eius pullulant.
For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Si senuerit in terra radix eius, et in pulvere emortuus fuerit truncus illius,
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Ad odorem aquæ germinabit, et faciet comam quasi cum primum plantatum est:
Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant.
10 Homo vero cum mortuus fuerit, et nudatus atque consumptus, ubi quæso est?
But man dieth, and lieth low; yea, man perisheth, and where is he?
11 Quomodo si recedant aquæ de mari, et fluvius vacuefactus arescat:
As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry;
12 Sic homo cum dormierit, non resurget, donec atteratur cælum, non evigilabit, nec consurget de somno suo.
So man lieth down and riseth not; till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.
13 Quis mihi hoc tribuat, ut in inferno protegas me, et abscondas me, donec pertranseat furor tuus, et constituas mihi tempus, in quo recorderis mei? (Sheol )
Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! — (Sheol )
14 Putasne mortuus homo rursum vivat? cunctis diebus, quibus nunc milito, expecto donec veniat immutatio mea.
If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come —
15 Vocabis me, et ego respondebo tibi: operi manuum tuarum porriges dexteram.
Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of Thy hands.
16 Tu quidem gressus meos dinumerasti, sed parce peccatis meis.
But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin;
17 Signasti quasi in sacculo delicta mea, sed curasti iniquitatem meam.
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and Thou heapest up mine iniquity.
18 Mons cadens defluit, et saxum transfertur de loco suo.
And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, and the rock is removed out of its place;
19 Lapides excavant aquæ, et alluvione paulatim terra consumitur: et hominem ergo similiter perdes.
The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man.
20 Roborasti eum paululum ut in perpetuum transiret: immutabis faciem eius, et emittes eum.
Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 Sive nobiles fuerint filii eius, sive ignobiles, non intelliget.
His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he regardeth them not.
22 Attamen caro eius dum vivet dolebit, et anima illius super semetipso lugebit.
But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him.