| א אָדָם, יְלוּד אִשָּׁה-- קְצַר יָמִים, וּשְׂבַע-רֹגֶז. |
1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. |
| ב כְּצִיץ יָצָא, וַיִּמָּל; וַיִּבְרַח כַּצֵּל, וְלֹא יַעֲמוֹד. |
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. |
| ג אַף-עַל-זֶה, פָּקַחְתָּ עֵינֶךָ; וְאֹתִי תָבִיא בְמִשְׁפָּט עִמָּךְ. |
3 And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with Thee? |
| ד מִי-יִתֵּן טָהוֹר, מִטָּמֵא-- לֹא אֶחָד. |
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. |
| ה אִם חֲרוּצִים, יָמָיו--מִסְפַּר-חֳדָשָׁיו אִתָּךְ: חֻקָּו עָשִׂיתָ, וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר. |
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; |
| ו שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו וְיֶחְדָּל-- עַד-יִרְצֶה, כְּשָׂכִיר יוֹמוֹ. |
6 Look away from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day. |
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ז כִּי יֵשׁ לָעֵץ, תִּקְוָה: אִם-יִכָּרֵת, וְעוֹד יַחֲלִיף; וְיֹנַקְתּוֹ, לֹא תֶחְדָּל. |
7 For there is hope of a tree, {N} if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. |
| ח אִם-יַזְקִין בָּאָרֶץ שָׁרְשׁוֹ; וּבֶעָפָר, יָמוּת גִּזְעוֹ. |
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; |
| ט מֵרֵיחַ מַיִם יַפְרִחַ; וְעָשָׂה קָצִיר כְּמוֹ-נָטַע. |
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and put forth boughs like a plant. |
| י וְגֶבֶר יָמוּת, וַיֶּחֱלָשׁ; וַיִּגְוַע אָדָם וְאַיּוֹ. |
10 But man dieth, and lieth low; yea, man perisheth, and where is he? |
| יא אָזְלוּ-מַיִם, מִנִּי-יָם; וְנָהָר, יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ. |
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry; |
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יב וְאִישׁ שָׁכַב, וְלֹא-יָקוּם: עַד-בִּלְתִּי שָׁמַיִם, לֹא יָקִיצוּ; וְלֹא-יֵעֹרוּ, מִשְּׁנָתָם. |
12 So man lieth down and riseth not; {N} till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep. |
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יג מִי יִתֵּן, בִּשְׁאוֹל תַּצְפִּנֵנִי-- תַּסְתִּירֵנִי, עַד-שׁוּב אַפֶּךָ; תָּשִׁית לִי חֹק וְתִזְכְּרֵנִי. |
13 Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, that Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, {N} that Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!-- |
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יד אִם-יָמוּת גֶּבֶר, הֲיִחְיֶה: כָּל-יְמֵי צְבָאִי אֲיַחֵל-- עַד-בּוֹא, חֲלִיפָתִי. |
14 If a man die, may he live again? {N} All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come-- |
| טו תִּקְרָא, וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶךָּ; לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ תִכְסֹף. |
15 Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of Thy hands. |
| טז כִּי-עַתָּה, צְעָדַי תִּסְפּוֹר; לֹא-תִשְׁמֹר, עַל-חַטָּאתִי. |
16 But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin; |
| יז חָתֻם בִּצְרוֹר פִּשְׁעִי; וַתִּטְפֹּל, עַל-עֲוֺנִי. |
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and Thou heapest up mine iniquity. |
| יח וְאוּלָם, הַר-נוֹפֵל יִבּוֹל; וְצוּר, יֶעְתַּק מִמְּקֹמוֹ. |
18 And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, and the rock is removed out of its place; |
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יט אֲבָנִים, שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם-- תִּשְׁטֹף-סְפִיחֶיהָ עֲפַר-אָרֶץ; וְתִקְוַת אֱנוֹשׁ הֶאֱבַדְתָּ. |
19 The waters wear the stones; the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; {N} so Thou destroyest the hope of man. |
| כ תִּתְקְפֵהוּ לָנֶצַח, וַיַּהֲלֹךְ; מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו, וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ. |
20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. |
| כא יִכְבְּדוּ בָנָיו, וְלֹא יֵדָע; וְיִצְעֲרוּ, וְלֹא-יָבִין לָמוֹ. |
21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he regardeth them not. |
| כב אַךְ-בְּשָׂרוֹ, עָלָיו יִכְאָב; וְנַפְשׁוֹ, עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָל. | 22 But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him. |