1 Man that is born of a 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: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

2 כְּצִ֣יץ יָ֭צָא וַיִּמָּ֑ל וַיִּבְרַ֥ח כַּ֝צֵּ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹֽוד׃

3 And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

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

4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

4 מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן טָ֭הֹור מִטָּמֵ֗א לֹ֣א אֶחָֽד׃

5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

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

6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

6 שְׁעֵ֣ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וְיֶחְדָּ֑ל עַד־יִ֝רְצֶ֗ה כְּשָׂכִ֥יר יֹומֹֽו׃

7 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.

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

8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

8 אִם־יַזְקִ֣ין בָּאָ֣רֶץ שָׁרְשֹׁ֑ו וּ֝בֶעָפָ֗ר יָמ֥וּת גִּזְעֹֽו׃

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

9 מֵרֵ֣יחַ מַ֣יִם יַפְרִ֑חַ וְעָשָׂ֖ה קָצִ֣יר כְּמֹו־נָֽטַע׃

10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

10 וְגֶ֣בֶר יָ֭מוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ וַיִּגְוַ֖ע אָדָ֣ם וְאַיֹּֽו׃

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

11 אָֽזְלוּ־מַ֭יִם מִנִּי־יָ֑ם וְ֝נָהָ֗ר יֶחֱרַ֥ב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

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

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

13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath 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 appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

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

15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine 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 sewest up mine iniquity.

17 חָתֻ֣ם בִּצְרֹ֣ור פִּשְׁעִ֑י וַ֝תִּטְפֹּ֗ל עַל־עֲוֹנִֽי׃

18 And surely the mountains falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

18 וְ֭אוּלָם הַר־נֹופֵ֣ל יִבֹּ֑ול וְ֝צ֗וּר יֶעְתַּ֥ק מִמְּקֹמֹֽו׃

19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of 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: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

20 תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ לָ֭נֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה פָ֝נָ֗יו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃

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

21 יִכְבְּד֣וּ בָ֭נָיו וְלֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וְ֝יִצְעֲר֗וּ וְֽלֹא־יָבִ֥ין לָֽמֹו׃

22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

22 אַךְ־בְּ֭שָׂרֹו עָלָ֣יו יִכְאָ֑ב וְ֝נַפְשֹׁ֗ו עָלָ֥יו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃