איוב 14
| אדם ילוד אשה קצר ימים ושבע רגז׃ | 1 |
Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
| כציץ יצא וימל ויברח כצל ולא יעמוד׃ | 2 |
He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
| אף על זה פקחת עינך ואתי תביא במשפט עמך׃ | 3 |
And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
| מי יתן טהור מטמא לא אחד׃ | 4 |
Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
| אם חרוצים ימיו מספר חדשיו אתך חקו עשית ולא יעבור׃ | 5 |
The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
| שעה מעליו ויחדל עד ירצה כשכיר יומו׃ | 6 |
Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
| כי יש לעץ תקוה אם יכרת ועוד יחליף וינקתו לא תחדל׃ | 7 |
A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
| אם יזקין בארץ שרשו ובעפר ימות גזעו׃ | 8 |
If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
| מריח מים יפרח ועשה קציר כמו נטע׃ | 9 |
at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
| וגבר ימות ויחלש ויגוע אדם ואיו׃ | 10 |
Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
| אזלו מים מני ים ונהר יחרב ויבש׃ | 11 |
It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
| ואיש שכב ולא יקום עד בלתי שמים לא יקיצו ולא יערו משנתם׃ | 12 |
just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
| מי יתן בשאול תצפנני תסתירני עד שוב אפך תשית לי חק ותזכרני׃ (Sheol h7585) | 13 |
Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me? (Sheol h7585)
| אם ימות גבר היחיה כל ימי צבאי איחל עד בוא חליפתי׃ | 14 |
Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
| תקרא ואנכי אענך למעשה ידיך תכסף׃ | 15 |
You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
| כי עתה צעדי תספור לא תשמור על חטאתי׃ | 16 |
Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
| חתם בצרור פשעי ותטפל על עוני׃ | 17 |
You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
| ואולם הר נופל יבול וצור יעתק ממקמו׃ | 18 |
A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
| אבנים שחקו מים תשטף ספיחיה עפר ארץ ותקות אנוש האבדת׃ | 19 |
Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
| תתקפהו לנצח ויהלך משנה פניו ותשלחהו׃ | 20 |
You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
| יכבדו בניו ולא ידע ויצערו ולא יבין למו׃ | 21 |
Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
| אך בשרו עליו יכאב ונפשו עליו תאבל׃ | 22 |
And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.
