Job 14
1 homo natus de muliere brevi vivens tempore repletus multis miseriis
“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
2 quasi flos egreditur et conteritur et fugit velut umbra et numquam in eodem statu permanet
Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
3 et dignum ducis super huiuscemodi aperire oculos tuos et adducere eum tecum in iudicium
Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
4 quis potest facere mundum de inmundo conceptum semine nonne tu qui solus es
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
5 breves dies hominis sunt numerus mensuum eius apud te est constituisti terminos eius qui praeterire non poterunt
Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
6 recede paululum ab eo ut quiescat donec optata veniat sicut mercennarii dies eius
look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
7 lignum habet spem si praecisum fuerit rursum virescit et rami eius pullulant
For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
8 si senuerit in terra radix eius et in pulvere emortuus fuerit truncus illius
If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
9 ad odorem aquae germinabit et faciet comam quasi cum primum plantatum est
at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
10 homo vero cum mortuus fuerit et nudatus atque consumptus ubi quaeso est
But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
11 quomodo si recedant aquae de mari et fluvius vacuefactus arescat
As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 sic homo cum dormierit non resurget donec adteratur caelum non evigilabit nec consurget de somno suo
so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
13 quis mihi hoc tribuat ut in inferno protegas me ut abscondas me donec pertranseat furor tuus et constituas mihi tempus in quo recorderis mei (Sheol h7585)
If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me! (Sheol h7585)
14 putasne mortuus homo rursum vivet cunctis diebus quibus nunc milito expecto donec veniat inmutatio mea
When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
15 vocabis et ego respondebo tibi operi manuum tuarum porriges dexteram
You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
16 tu quidem gressus meos dinumerasti sed parces peccatis meis
For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
17 signasti quasi in sacculo delicta mea sed curasti iniquitatem meam
My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 mons cadens defluet et saxum transfertur de loco suo
But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 lapides excavant aquae et adluvione paulatim terra consumitur et homines ergo similiter perdes
as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
20 roborasti eum paululum ut in perpetuum pertransiret inmutabis faciem eius et emittes eum
You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
21 sive nobiles fuerint filii eius sive ignobiles non intelleget
If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
22 attamen caro eius dum vivet dolebit et anima illius super semet ipso lugebit
He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”
