Chapter 14
Job Laments the Finality of Death
1
[“]Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤋𐤅𐤃 𐤀𐤔𐤄 𐤒𐤑𐤓 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤏 𐤓𐤂𐤆
אָ֭דָם יְל֣וּד אִשָּׁ֑ה קְצַ֥ר יָ֝מִ֗ים וּֽשְׂבַֽע־ רֹֽגֶז׃ ’ā·ḏām yə·lūḏ ’iš·šāh qə·ṣar yā·mîm ū·śə·ḇa‘- rō·ḡez — WLC · 1
2
Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow…, he does not endure.
𐤊𐤑𐤉𐤑 𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤅𐤉𐤌𐤋 𐤊𐤑𐤋 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤓𐤇 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤌𐤅𐤃
כְּצִ֣יץ יָ֭צָא וַיִּמָּ֑ל כַּ֝צֵּ֗ל וַיִּבְרַ֥ח וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֽוֹד׃ kə·ṣîṣ yā·ṣā way·yim·māl kaṣ·ṣêl way·yiḇ·raḥ wə·lō ya·‘ă·mō·wḏ — WLC · 2
3
Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
𐤐𐤒𐤇𐤕 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤊 𐤅𐤀𐤕𐤉 𐤆𐤄 𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤁𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤀𐤐 𐤏𐤌𐤊 𐤏𐤋
פָּקַ֣חְתָּ עֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאֹ֘תִ֤י זֶ֭ה תָבִ֖יא בְמִשְׁפָּ֣ט אַף־ עִמָּֽךְ׃ עַל־ pā·qaḥ·tā ‘ê·ne·ḵā wə·’ō·ṯî zeh ṯā·ḇî ḇə·miš·pāṭ ’ap̄- ‘im·māḵ ‘al- — WLC · 3
4
Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤈𐤄𐤅𐤓 𐤌𐤈𐤌𐤀 𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤇𐤃
מִֽי־ יִתֵּ֣ן טָ֭הוֹר מִטָּמֵ֗א לֹ֣א אֶחָֽד׃ mî- yit·tên ṭā·hō·wr miṭ·ṭā·mê lō ’e·ḥāḏ — WLC · 4
5
Since his days [are] determined and the number of his months [is] with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤅 𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤇𐤃𐤔𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤕𐤊 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤇𐤒𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤅𐤓
אִ֥ם יָמָ֗יו חֲרוּצִ֨ים׀ מִֽסְפַּר־ חֳדָשָׁ֥יו אִתָּ֑ךְ עָ֝שִׂ֗יתָ חֻקּוֹ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲבֽוֹר׃ ’im yā·māw ḥă·rū·ṣîm mis·par- ḥo·ḏā·šāw ’it·tāḵ ‘ā·śî·ṯā ḥuq·qō wə·lō ya·‘ă·ḇō·wr — WLC · 5
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look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
𐤔𐤏𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤇𐤃𐤋 𐤏𐤃 𐤉𐤓𐤑𐤄 𐤉𐤅𐤌𐤅 𐤊𐤔𐤊𐤉𐤓
שְׁעֵ֣ה מֵעָלָ֣יו וְיֶחְדָּ֑ל עַד־ יִ֝רְצֶ֗ה יוֹמֽוֹ׃ כְּשָׂכִ֥יר šə·‘êh mê·‘ā·lāw wə·yeḥ·dāl ‘aḏ- yir·ṣeh yō·w·mōw kə·śā·ḵîr — WLC · 6
7
For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤔 𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤑 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤊𐤓𐤕 𐤉𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤐 𐤅𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤍𐤒𐤕𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤇𐤃𐤋
כִּ֤י יֵ֥שׁ תִּ֫קְוָ֥ה לָעֵ֗ץ אִֽם־ יִ֭כָּרֵת יַחֲלִ֑יף וְע֣וֹד וְ֝יֹֽנַקְתּ֗וֹ לֹ֣א תֶחְדָּֽל׃ kî yêš tiq·wāh lā·‘êṣ ’im- yik·kā·rêṯ ya·ḥă·lîp̄ wə·‘ō·wḏ wə·yō·naq·tōw lō ṯeḥ·dāl — WLC · 7
8
If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
𐤀𐤌 𐤔𐤓𐤔𐤅 𐤉𐤆𐤒𐤉𐤍 𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤂𐤆𐤏𐤅 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤁𐤏𐤐𐤓
אִם־ שָׁרְשׁ֑וֹ יַזְקִ֣ין בָּאָ֣רֶץ גִּזְעֽוֹ׃ יָמ֥וּת וּ֝בֶעָפָ֗ר ’im- šā·rə·šōw yaz·qîn bā·’ā·reṣ giz·‘ōw yā·mūṯ ū·ḇe·‘ā·p̄ār — WLC · 8
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at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤇 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤇 𐤅𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤒𐤑𐤉𐤓 𐤊𐤌𐤅 𐤍𐤈𐤏
מֵרֵ֣יחַ מַ֣יִם יַפְרִ֑חַ וְעָשָׂ֖ה קָצִ֣יר כְּמוֹ־ נָֽטַע׃ mê·rê·aḥ ma·yim yap̄·ri·aḥ wə·‘ā·śāh qā·ṣîr kə·mōw- nā·ṭa‘ — WLC · 9
10
But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where [is] he?
𐤅𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤉𐤇𐤋𐤔 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤅𐤏 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤅
וְגֶ֣בֶר יָ֭מוּת וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ אָדָ֣ם וַיִּגְוַ֖ע וְאַיּֽוֹ׃ wə·ḡe·ḇer yā·mūṯ way·ye·ḥĕ·lāš ’ā·ḏām way·yiḡ·wa‘ wə·’ay·yōw — WLC · 10
11
As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤆𐤋𐤅 𐤌𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤍𐤄𐤓 𐤉𐤇𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤔
מַ֭יִם אָֽזְלוּ־ מִנִּי־ יָ֑ם וְ֝נָהָ֗ר יֶחֱרַ֥ב וְיָבֵֽשׁ׃ ma·yim ’ā·zə·lū- min·nî- yām wə·nā·hār ye·ḥĕ·raḇ wə·yā·ḇêš — WLC · 11
12
so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened [or] roused from sleep.
𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤔𐤊𐤁 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤒𐤅𐤌 𐤏𐤃 𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤋𐤕𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤒𐤉𐤑𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤅 𐤌𐤔𐤍𐤕𐤌
וְאִ֥ישׁ שָׁכַ֗ב וְֽלֹא־ יָ֫ק֥וּם עַד־ שָׁ֭מַיִם בִּלְתִּ֣י לֹ֣א יָקִ֑יצוּ וְלֹֽא־ יֵ֝עֹ֗רוּ מִשְּׁנָתָֽם׃ wə·’îš šā·ḵaḇ wə·lō- yā·qūm ‘aḏ- šā·ma·yim bil·tî lō yā·qî·ṣū wə·lō- yê·‘ō·rū miš·šə·nā·ṯām — WLC · 12
13
If only… You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!
𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤕𐤑𐤐𐤍𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤋 𐤕𐤎𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤃 𐤀𐤐𐤊 𐤔𐤅𐤁 𐤕𐤔𐤉𐤕 𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤆𐤊𐤓𐤍𐤉
מִ֤י יִתֵּ֨ן׀ תַּצְפִּנֵ֗נִי בִּשְׁא֬וֹל תַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִי עַד־ אַפֶּ֑ךָ שׁ֣וּב תָּ֤שִׁ֥ית חֹ֣ק לִ֖י וְתִזְכְּרֵֽנִי׃ mî yit·tên taṣ·pi·nê·nî biš·’ō·wl tas·tî·rê·nî ‘aḏ- ’ap·pe·ḵā šūḇ tā·šîṯ ḥōq lî wə·ṯiz·kə·rê·nî — WLC · 13
14
When a man dies, will he live [again]? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
𐤀𐤌 𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤑𐤁𐤀𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤇𐤋 𐤏𐤃 𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤐𐤕𐤉 𐤁𐤅𐤀
אִם־ גֶּ֗בֶר יָמ֥וּת הֲיִ֫חְיֶ֥ה כָּל־ יְמֵ֣י צְבָאִ֣י אֲיַחֵ֑ל עַד־ חֲלִיפָתִֽי׃ בּ֝֗וֹא ’im- ge·ḇer yā·mūṯ hă·yiḥ·yeh kāl- yə·mê ṣə·ḇā·’î ’ă·ya·ḥêl ‘aḏ- ḥă·lî·p̄ā·ṯî bō·w — WLC · 14
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You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
𐤕𐤒𐤓𐤀 𐤅𐤀𐤍𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤏𐤍𐤊 𐤕𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤋𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤄 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤊
תִּ֭קְרָא וְאָנֹכִ֣י אֶֽעֱנֶ֑ךָּ תִכְסֹֽף׃ לְֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ tiq·rā wə·’ā·nō·ḵî ’e·‘ĕ·ne·kā ṯiḵ·sōp̄ lə·ma·‘ă·śêh yā·ḏe·ḵā — WLC · 15
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For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤕𐤎𐤐𐤅𐤓 𐤑𐤏𐤃𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤔𐤌𐤅𐤓 𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕𐤉
כִּֽי־ עַ֭תָּה תִּסְפּ֑וֹר צְעָדַ֣י לֹֽא־ תִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹר עַל־ חַטָּאתִֽי׃ kî- ‘at·tāh tis·pō·wr ṣə·‘ā·ḏay lō- ṯiš·mō·wr ‘al- ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯî — WLC · 16
17
My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
𐤐𐤔𐤏𐤉 𐤇𐤕𐤌 𐤁𐤑𐤓𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤕𐤈𐤐𐤋 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤉
פִּשְׁעִ֑י חָתֻ֣ם בִּצְר֣וֹר וַ֝תִּטְפֹּ֗ל עַל־ עֲוֺנִֽי׃ piš·‘î ḥā·ṯum biṣ·rō·wr wat·tiṭ·pōl ‘al- ‘ă·wō·nî — WLC · 17
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But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
𐤅𐤀𐤅𐤋𐤌 𐤄𐤓 𐤍𐤅𐤐𐤋 𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤋 𐤅𐤑𐤅𐤓 𐤉𐤏𐤕𐤒 𐤌𐤌𐤒𐤌𐤅
וְ֭אוּלָם הַר־ נוֹפֵ֣ל יִבּ֑וֹל וְ֝צ֗וּר יֶעְתַּ֥ק מִמְּקֹמֽוֹ׃ wə·’ū·lām har- nō·w·p̄êl yib·bō·wl wə·ṣūr ye‘·taq mim·mə·qō·mōw — WLC · 18
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as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil…, so You destroy a man’s hope.
𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤇𐤒𐤅 𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤎𐤐𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤕𐤔𐤈𐤐 𐤏𐤐𐤓 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤄𐤀𐤁𐤃𐤕 𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤅𐤕
מַ֗יִם שָׁ֥חֲקוּ אֲבָנִ֤ים׀ סְפִיחֶ֥יהָ תִּשְׁטֹֽף־ עֲפַר־ אָ֑רֶץ הֶאֱבַֽדְתָּ׃ אֱנ֣וֹשׁ וְתִקְוַ֖ת ma·yim šā·ḥă·qū ’ă·ḇā·nîm sə·p̄î·ḥe·hā tiš·ṭōp̄- ‘ă·p̄ar- ’ā·reṣ he·’ĕ·ḇaḏ·tā ’ĕ·nō·wōš wə·ṯiq·waṯ — WLC · 19
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You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
𐤋𐤍𐤑𐤇 𐤕𐤕𐤒𐤐𐤄𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤌𐤔𐤍𐤄 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤄𐤅
לָ֭נֶצַח תִּתְקְפֵ֣הוּ וַֽיַּהֲלֹ֑ךְ מְשַׁנֶּ֥ה פָ֝נָ֗יו וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃ lā·ne·ṣaḥ tiṯ·qə·p̄ê·hū way·ya·hă·lōḵ mə·šan·neh p̄ā·nāw wat·tə·šal·lə·ḥê·hū — WLC · 20
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If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware…
𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤉𐤊𐤁𐤃𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤏𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤌𐤅
בָ֭נָיו יִכְבְּד֣וּ וְלֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע וְ֝יִצְעֲר֗וּ וְֽלֹא־ יָבִ֥ין לָֽמוֹ׃ ḇā·nāw yiḵ·bə·ḏū wə·lō yê·ḏā‘ wə·yiṣ·‘ă·rū wə·lō- yā·ḇîn lā·mōw — WLC · 21
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He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself…”
𐤀𐤊 𐤉𐤊𐤀𐤁 𐤁𐤔𐤓𐤅 𐤕𐤀𐤁𐤋𐤐 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅
אַךְ־ יִכְאָ֑ב בְּ֭שָׂרוֹ תֶּאֱבָֽל׃פ עָלָ֣יו וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ עָלָ֥יו ’aḵ- yiḵ·’āḇ bə·śā·rōw te·’ĕ·ḇāl ‘ā·lāw wə·nap̄·šōw ‘ā·lāw — WLC · 22