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v1
“A human being born of a woman is short of days and full of troubles. ^[Literally “trouble”]
v2
Like a flower he comes up, and he withers away; and he flees like a ^[Or “the”] shadow, but ^[Hebrew “and”] he does not last.
v3
Even on such a one you fix your eyes, and you bring me into judgment with you.
v4
“Who can bring a clean thing from an unclean thing? No one! ^[Or “Not one”]
v5
If his days are determined, the number of his months is with you; you have appointed his boundaries, and he cannot cross them.
v6
Look away from him, and let him desist until he enjoys his days like a laborer.
v7
“Indeed, there is hope for a tree: if it is cut down, then ^[Hebrew “and”] it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not cease;
v8
though its root grows old in the earth, and its stump dies in the dust,
v9
at ^[Hebrew “from”] the scent of water it will bud, and it will put forth branches like a young plant.
v10
“But ^[Hebrew “And”] a man dies, and he dwindles away; thus ^[Hebrew “And”] a human being passes away, and where is he? ^[Or “where is he then?“]
v11
As water disappears from a lake, and a river withers away and dries up, ^[Or “it dries up”]
v12
so ^[Literally “and”] a man lies down, and he does not arise. Until the heavens are no more, ^[Literally “Until not heavens”] they will not awaken, and they will not be roused out of their sleep.
v13
“O that ^[Literally “Who shall give”] you would conceal me in Sheol, that you would hide me until your wrath is past, ^[Literally “until the return of your nose”] that you would appoint a set time for me and remember me.
v14
If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my compulsory service I will wait, until the coming of my relief.
v15
You would call, and I myself ^[Emphatic personal pronoun] would answer you; you would long for the work of your hand.
v16
For then ^[Hebrew “now”] you would count my steps, but you would not keep watch over my sin.
v17
My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and you would cover over my guilt.
v18
“But ^[Or “And but”] a mountain falls; it crumbles away, and a rock moves away from its place.
v19
Water wears away stones; its torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so ^[Hebrew “and”] you destroy the hope of human beings.
v20
You overpower him forever, and he passes away; you change his countenance, ^[Literally “his faces”] then ^[Hebrew “and”] you send him away.
v21
His children may come to honor, but ^[Hebrew “and”] he does not know it; or ^[Hebrew “and”] they may become lowly, but ^[Hebrew “and”] he does not realize it. ^[Or “them”]
v22
He feels only the pain of his own body, ^[Hebrew “his body on him”] and his inner self ^[Or “soul”] mourns for him.” ^[Or “for himself”]