14:1

אָדָם יְלוּד אִשָּׁה קְצַר יָמִים וּשְׂבַע־רֹגֶז׃

Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble.

14:2

כְּצִיץ יָצָא וַיִּמָּל וַיִּבְרַח כַּצֵּל וְלֹא יַעֲמוֹד׃

He cometh forth like a flower, and withereth; He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

14:3

אַף־עַל־זֶה פָּקַחְתָּ עֵינֶךָ וְאֹתִי תָבִיא בְמִשְׁפָּט עִמָּךְ׃

And dost Thou open Thine eyes upon such a one, And bringest me into judgment with Thee?

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14:4

מִי־יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא לֹא אֶחָד׃

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

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14:5

אִם חֲרוּצִים יָמָיו מִסְפַּר־חֳדָשָׁיו אִתָּךְ חקו [חֻקָּיו] עָשִׂיתָ וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר׃

Seeing his days are determined, The number of his months is with Thee, And Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

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14:6

שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו וְיֶחְדָּל עַד־יִרְצֶה כְּשָׂכִיר יוֹמוֹ׃

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

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14:7

כִּי יֵשׁ לָעֵץ תִּקְוָה אִם־יִכָּרֵת וְעוֹד יַחֲלִיף וְיֹנַקְתּוֹ לֹא תֶחְדָּל׃

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.

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14:8

אִם־יַזְקִין בָּאָרֶץ שָׁרְשׁוֹ וּבֶעָפָר יָמוּת גִּזְעוֹ׃

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

14:9

מֵרֵיחַ מַיִם יַפְרִחַ וְעָשָׂה קָצִיר כְּמוֹ־נָטַע׃

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

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14:10

וְגֶבֶר יָמוּת וַיֶּחֱלָשׁ וַיִּגְוַע אָדָם וְאַיּוֹ׃

But man dieth, and lieth low; Yea, man perisheth, and where is he?

14:11

אָזְלוּ־מַיִם מִנִּי־יָם וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ׃

As the waters fail from the sea, And the river is drained dry;

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14:12

וְאִישׁ שָׁכַב וְלֹא־יָקוּם עַד־בִּלְתִּי שָׁמַיִם לֹא יָקִיצוּ וְלֹא־יֵעֹרוּ מִשְּׁנָתָם׃

So man lieth down and riseth not; Till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, Nor be roused out of their sleep.

14:13

מִי יִתֵּן בִּשְׁאוֹל תַּצְפִּנֵנִי תַּסְתִּירֵנִי עַד־שׁוּב אַפֶּךָ תָּשִׁית לִי חֹק וְתִזְכְּרֵנִי׃

Oh that Thou wouldest hide me in the nether-world, That Thou wouldest keep me secret, until Thy wrath be past, That Thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!—

14:14

אִם־יָמוּת גֶּבֶר הֲיִחְיֶה כָּל־יְמֵי צְבָאִי אֲיַחֵל עַד־בּוֹא חֲלִיפָתִי׃

If a man die, may he live again? All the days of my service would I wait, till my relief should come—

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14:15

תִּקְרָא וְאָנֹכִי אֶעֱנֶךָּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ תִכְסֹף׃

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldest have a desire to the work of Thy hands.

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14:16

כִּי־עַתָּה צְעָדַי תִּסְפּוֹר לֹא־תִשְׁמוֹר עַל־חַטָּאתִי׃

But now Thou numberest my steps, Thou dost not even wait for my sin;

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14:17

חָתֻם בִּצְרוֹר פִּשְׁעִי וַתִּטְפֹּל עַל־עֲוֺנִי׃

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And Thou heapest up mine iniquity.

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14:18

וְאוּלָם הַר־נוֹפֵל יִבּוֹל וְצוּר יֶעְתַּק מִמְּקֹמוֹ׃

And surely the mountain falling crumbleth away, And the rock is removed out of its place;

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14:19

אֲבָנִים שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם תִּשְׁטֹף־סְפִיחֶיהָ עֲפַר־אָרֶץ וְתִקְוַת אֱנוֹשׁ הֶאֱבַדְתָּ׃

The waters wear the stones; The overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; So Thou destroyest the hope of man.

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14:20

תִּתְקְפֵהוּ לָנֶצַח וַיַּהֲלֹךְ מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ׃

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

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14:21

יִכְבְּדוּ בָנָיו וְלֹא יֵדָע וְיִצְעֲרוּ וְלֹא־יָבִין לָמוֹ׃

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; And they are brought low, but he regardeth them not.

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14:22

אַךְ־בְּשָׂרוֹ עָלָיו יִכְאָב וְנַפְשׁוֹ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָל׃

But his flesh grieveth for him, And his soul mourneth over him.

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