1 "Man, who is born of a woman, Is of few days, and full of trouble.

1 אָ֭דָם יְל֣וּד אִשָּׁ֑ה קְצַ֥ר יָ֝מִ֗ים וּֽשְׂבַֽע־רֹֽגֶז׃

2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.

2 כְּצִ֣יץ יָ֭צָא וַיִּמָּ֑ל וַיִּבְרַ֥ח כַּ֝צֵּ֗ל וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹֽוד׃

3 Do you open your eyes on such a one, And bring me into judgment with you?

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 is with you, And you have appointed his bounds that he can't pass;

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

6 Look away from him, that he may rest, Until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

6 שְׁעֵ֣ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וְיֶחְדָּ֑ל עַד־יִ֝רְצֶ֗ה כְּשָׂכִ֥יר יֹומֹֽו׃

7 "For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, That the tender branch of it will not cease.

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

8 Though the root of it grows old in the earth, And the stock of it dies 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 plant.

9 מֵרֵ֣יחַ מַ֣יִם יַפְרִ֑חַ וְעָשָׂ֖ה קָצִ֣יר כְּמֹו־נָֽטַע׃

10 But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?

10 וְגֶ֣בֶר יָ֭מוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ וַיִּגְוַ֖ע אָדָ֣ם וְאַיֹּֽו׃

11 As the waters fail from the sea, And the river wastes and dries up,

11 אָֽזְלוּ־מַ֭יִם מִנִּי־יָ֑ם וְ֝נָהָ֗ר יֶחֱרַ֥ב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃

12 So man lies down and doesn't rise; Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep.

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

13 "Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, That you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, That you would 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 dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Until my release should come.

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

15 You would call, and I would answer you. You would have a desire to the work of your hands.

15 תִּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ךָּ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ תִכְסֹֽף׃

16 But now you number my steps. Don't you watch over my sin?

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

17 My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.

17 חָתֻ֣ם בִּצְרֹ֣ור פִּשְׁעִ֑י וַ֝תִּטְפֹּ֗ל עַל־עֲוֹנִֽי׃

18 "But the mountain falling comes to nothing; The rock is removed out of its place;

18 וְ֭אוּלָם הַר־נֹופֵ֣ל יִבֹּ֑ול וְ֝צ֗וּר יֶעְתַּ֥ק מִמְּקֹמֹֽו׃

19 The waters wear the stones; The torrents of it wash away the dust of the earth: So you destroy the hope of man.

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

20 You forever prevail against him, and he passes; You change his face, and send him away.

20 תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ לָ֭נֶצַח וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה פָ֝נָ֗יו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃

21 His sons come to honor, and he doesn't know it; They are brought low, but he doesn't perceive it of them.

21 יִכְבְּד֣וּ בָ֭נָיו וְלֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וְ֝יִצְעֲר֗וּ וְֽלֹא־יָבִ֥ין לָֽמֹו׃

22 But his flesh on him has pain; His soul within him mourns."

22 אַךְ־בְּ֭שָׂרֹו עָלָ֣יו יִכְאָ֑ב וְ֝נַפְשֹׁ֗ו עָלָ֥יו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃