1 Man, born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

1 אָ֭דָם יְל֣וּד אִשָּׁ֑ה קְצַ֥ר יָ֝מִ֗ים וּֽשְׂבַֽע־רֹֽגֶז׃

2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; and he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not.

2 כְּצִ֣יץ יָ֭צָא וַיִּמָּ֑ל וַיִּבְרַ֥ח כַּ֝צֵּ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹֽוד׃

3 Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

3 אַף־עַל־זֶ֭ה פָּקַ֣חְתָּ עֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאֹ֘תִ֤י תָבִ֖יא בְמִשְׁפָּ֣ט עִמָּֽךְ׃

4 Who can bring a clean [man] out of the unclean? Not one!

4 מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן טָ֭הֹור מִטָּמֵ֗א לֹ֣א אֶחָֽד׃

5 If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, [and] thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

5 אִ֥ם חֲרוּצִ֨ים׀ יָמָ֗יו מִֽסְפַּר־חֳדָשָׁ֥יו אִתָּ֑ךְ חֻקֹּו חֻקָּ֥יו עָ֝שִׂ֗יתָ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲבֹֽור׃

6 Look away from him; and let him rest, till he accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

6 שְׁעֵ֣ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וְיֶחְדָּ֑ל עַד־יִ֝רְצֶ֗ה כְּשָׂכִ֥יר יֹומֹֽו׃

7 For there is hope for a tree: if it be cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease;

7 כִּ֤י יֵ֥שׁ לָעֵ֗ץ תִּ֫קְוָ֥ה אִֽם־יִ֭כָּרֵת וְעֹ֣וד יַחֲלִ֑יף וְ֝יֹֽנַקְתֹּ֗ו לֹ֣א תֶחְדָּֽל׃

8 Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground,

8 אִם־יַזְקִ֣ין בָּאָ֣רֶץ שָׁרְשֹׁ֑ו וּ֝בֶעָפָ֗ר יָמ֥וּת גִּזְעֹֽו׃

9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a young plant.

9 מֵרֵ֣יחַ מַ֣יִם יַפְרִ֑חַ וְעָשָׂ֖ה קָצִ֣יר כְּמֹו־נָֽטַע׃

10 But a man dieth, and is prostrate; yea, man expireth, and where is he?

10 וְגֶ֣בֶר יָ֭מוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ וַיִּגְוַ֖ע אָדָ֣ם וְאַיֹּֽו׃

11 The waters recede from the lake, and the river wasteth and drieth up:

11 אָֽזְלוּ־מַ֭יִם מִנִּי־יָ֑ם וְ֝נָהָ֗ר יֶחֱרַ֥ב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

12 So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep.

12 וְאִ֥ישׁ שָׁכַ֗ב וְֽלֹא־יָ֫ק֥וּם עַד־בִּלְתִּ֣י מַיִם לֹ֣א יָקִ֑יצוּ וְלֹֽא־יֵ֝עֹ֗רוּ מִשְּׁנָתָֽם׃

13 Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, --

13 מִ֤י יִתֵּ֨ן׀ בִּשְׁאֹ֬ול תַּצְפִּנֵ֗נִי תַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִי עַד־שׁ֣וּב אַפֶּ֑ךָ תָּ֤שִׁ֥ית³ לִ֖י חֹ֣ק וְתִזְכְּרֵֽנִי׃

14 (If a man die, shall he live [again]?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:

14 אִם־יָמ֥וּת גֶּ֗בֶר הֲיִ֫חְיֶ֥ה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י צְבָאִ֣י אֲיַחֵ֑ל עַד־בֹּ֝֗וא חֲלִיפָתִֽי׃

15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.

15 תִּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ךָּ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ תִכְסֹֽף׃

16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

16 כִּֽי־עַ֭תָּה צְעָדַ֣י תִּסְפֹּ֑ור לֹֽא־תִ֝שְׁמֹ֗ור עַל־חַטָּאתִֽי׃

17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.

17 חָתֻ֣ם בִּצְרֹ֣ור פִּשְׁעִ֑י וַ֝תִּטְפֹּ֗ל עַל־עֲוֹנִֽי׃

18 And indeed a mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of its place;

18 וְ֭אוּלָם הַר־נֹופֵ֣ל יִבֹּ֑ול וְ֝צ֗וּר יֶעְתַּ֥ק מִמְּקֹמֹֽו׃

19 The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

19 אֲבָנִ֤ים׀ שָׁ֥חֲקוּ מַ֗יִם תִּשְׁטֹֽף־סְפִיחֶ֥יהָ עֲפַר־אָ֑רֶץ וְתִקְוַ֖ת אֱנֹ֣ושׁ הֶאֱבַֽדְתָּ׃

20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.

20 תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ לָ֭נֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה פָ֝נָ֗יו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃

21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, and he perceiveth it not.

21 יִכְבְּד֣וּ בָ֭נָיו וְלֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וְ֝יִצְעֲר֗וּ וְֽלֹא־יָבִ֥ין לָֽמֹו׃

22 But his flesh hath pain for himself alone, and his soul mourneth for himself.

22 אַךְ־בְּ֭שָׂרֹו עָלָ֣יו יִכְאָ֑ב וְ֝נַפְשֹׁ֗ו עָלָ֥יו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃