¹

For a mortal born of a woman is short-lived, and full of wrath.

¹

ΒΡΟΤΟΣ γὰρ γεννητὸς γυναικὸς ὀλιγόβιος καὶ πλήρης ὀργῆς

²

Or he falls like a flower that has bloomed; and he departs like a shadow, and cannot continue.

²

ἢ ὥσπερ ἄνθος ἀνθῆσαν ἐξέπεσεν, ἀπέδρα δὲ ὥσπερ σκιὰ καὶ οὐ μὴ στῇ.

³

Hast thou not taken account even of him, and caused him to enter into judgment before thee?

³

οὐχὶ καὶ τούτου λόγον ἐποιήσω καὶ τοῦτον ἐποίησας εἰσελθεῖν ἐν κρίματι ἐνώπιόν σου;

⁴

For who shall be pure from uncleanness? not even one;

⁴

τίς γὰρ καθαρὸς ἔσται ἀπὸ ρύπου; ἀλλ᾿ οὐθείς,

⁵

if even his life should be but one day upon the earth: and his months are numbered by him: thou hast appointed him for a time, and he shall by no means exceed it.

⁵

ἐὰν καὶ μία ἡμέρα ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἀριθμητοὶ δὲ μῆνες αὐτοῦ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ· εἰς χρόνον ἔθου, καὶ οὐ μὴ ὑπερβῇ.

⁶

Depart from him, that he may be quiet, and take pleasure in his life, though as a hireling.

⁶

ἀπόστα ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἡσυχάσῃ καὶ εὐδοκήσῃ τὸν βίον ὥσπερ ὁ μισθωτός.

⁷

For there is hope for a tree, even if it should be cut down, that it shall blossom again, and its branch shall not fail.

⁷

ἔστι γὰρ δένδρῳ ἐλπίς· ἐὰν γὰρ ἐκκοπῇ, ἔτι ἐπανθήσει, καὶ ὁ ράδαμνος αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ ἐκλίπῃ·

⁸

For though its root should grow old in the earth, and its stem die in the rock;

⁸

ἐὰν γὰρ γηράσῃ ἐν γῇ ἡ ρίζα αὐτοῦ, ἐν δὲ πέτρᾳ τελευτήσῃ τὸ στέλεχος αὐτοῦ,

⁹

it will blossom from the scent of water, and will produce a crop, as one newly planted.

⁹

ἀπὸ ὀσμῆς ὕδατος ἀνθήσει, ποιήσει δὲ θερισμὸν ὥσπερ νεόφυτον.

¹⁰

But a man that has died is utterly gone; and when a mortal has fallen, he is no more.

¹⁰

ἀνὴρ δὲ τελευτήσας ᾤχετο, πεσὼν δὲ βροτὸς οὐκέτι ἐστί·

¹¹

For the sea wastes in length of time, and a river fails and is dried up.

¹¹

χρόνῳ γὰρ σπανίζεται θάλασσα, ποταμὸς δὲ ἐρημωθεὶς ἐξηράνθη·

¹²

And man that has lain down in death shall certainly not rise again till the heaven be dissolved, and they shall not awake from their sleep.

¹²

ἄνθρωπος δὲ κοιμηθεὶς οὐ μὴ ἀναστῇ, ἕως ἂν ὁ οὐρανὸς οὐ μὴ συρραφῇ· καὶ οὐκ ἐξυπνισθήσονται ἐξ ὕπνου αὐτῶν.

¹³

For oh that thou hadst kept me in the grave, and hadst hidden me until thy wrath should cease, and thou shouldest set me a time in which thou wouldest remember me!

¹³

εἰ γὰρ ὄφελον ἐν ᾅδῃ με ἐφύλαξας, ἔκρυψας δέ με ἕως ἂν παύσηταί σου ἡ ὀργὴ καὶ τάξῃ μοι χρόνον, ἐν ᾧ μνείαν μου ποιήσῃ·

¹⁴

For if a man should die, shall he live again, having accomplished the days of his life? I will wait till I exist again?

¹⁴

ἐὰν γὰρ ἀποθάνῃ ἄνθρωπος, ζήσεται συντελέσας ἡμέρας τοῦ βίου αὐτοῦ· ὑπομενῶ ἕως ἂν πάλιν γένωμαι.

¹⁵

Then shalt thou call, and I will hearken to thee: but do not thou reject the work of thine hands.

¹⁵

εἶτα καλέσεις, ἐγὼ δέ σοι ὑπακούσομαι, τὰ δὲ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου μὴ ἀποποιοῦ.

¹⁶

But thou hast numbered my devices: and not one of my sins shall escape thee?

¹⁶

ἠρίθμησας δέ μου τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα, καὶ οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ σε οὐδὲν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου·

¹⁷

And thou hast sealed up my transgressions in a bag, and marked if I have been guilty of any transgression unawares.

¹⁷

ἐσφράγισας δέ μου τὰς ἀνομίας ἐν βαλλαντίῳ, ἐπεσημήνω δέ, εἴ τι ἄκρων παρέβην.

¹⁸

And verily a mountain falling will utterly be destroyed, and a rock shall be worn out of its place.

¹⁸

καὶ πλὴν ὄρος πῖπτον διαπεσεῖται, καὶ πέτρα παλαιωθήσεται ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς.

¹⁹

The waters wear the stones, and waters falling headlong overflow a heap of the earth: and thou destroyest the hope of man.

¹⁹

λίθους ἐλέαναν ὕδατα, καὶ κατέκλυσεν ὕδατα ὕπτια τοῦ χώματος τῆς γῆς· καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἀνθρώπου ἀπώλεσας.

²⁰

Thou drivest him to an end, and he is gone: thou settest thy face against him, and sendest him away;

²⁰

ὦσας αὐτὸν εἰς τέλος, καὶ ᾤχετο· ἐπέστησας αὐτῷ τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐξαπέστειλας·

²¹

and though his children be multiplied, he knows it not; and if they be few, he is not aware.

²¹

πολλῶν δὲ γενομένων τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, οὐκ οἶδεν, ἐὰν δὲ ὀλίγοι γένωνται, οὐκ ἐπίσταται·

²²

But his flesh is in pain, and his soul mourns.

²²

ἀλλ᾿ ἢ αἱ σάρκες αὐτοῦ ἤλγησαν, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπένθησεν.