Jó 14
Mennesket, født af en Kvinde, hans Liv er stakket, han mættes af Uro;
han spirer som Blomsten og visner, flyr som Skyggen, står ikke fast.
Og på ham vil du rette dit Øje, ham vil du stævne for Retten!
Ja, kunde der komme en ren af en uren! Nej, end ikke een!
Når hans Dages Tal er fastsat, hans Måneder talt hos dig, og du har sat ham en uoverskridelig Grænse,
tag så dit Øje fra ham, lad ham i Fred, at han kan nyde sin Dag som en Daglejer!
Thi for et Træ er der Håb: Fældes det, skyder det atter, det fattes ej nye Skud;
ældes end Roden i Jorden, dør end Stubben i Mulde:
lugter det Vand, får det nye Skud, skyder Grene som nyplantet Træ;
men dør en Mand, er det ude med ham, udånder Mennesket, hvor er han da?
Som Vand løber ud af Søen og Floden svinder og tørres,
så lægger Manden sig, rejser sig ikke, vågner ikke, før Himlen forgår, aldrig vækkes han af sin Søvn.
Tag dog og gem mig i Dødens Rige, skjul mig, indtil din Vrede er ovre, sæt mig en Frist og kom mig i Hu!
Om Manden dog døde for atter at leve! Da vented jeg rolig al Stridens Tid, indtil min Afløsning kom;
du skulde kalde - og jeg skulde svare længes imod dine Hænders Værk!
Derimod tæller du nu mine Skridt, du tilgiver ikke min Synd,
forseglet ligger min Brøde i Posen, og over min Skyld har du lukket til.
Nej, ligesom Bjerget skrider og falder, som Klippen rokkes fra Grunden,
som Vandet udhuler Sten og Plaskregn bortskyller Jord, så har du udslukt Menneskets Håb.
For evigt slår du ham ned, han går bort, skamskænder hans Ansigt og lader ham fare.
Hans Sønner hædres, han ved det ikke, de synker i Ringhed, han mærker det ikke;
ikkun hans eget Kød volder Smerte, ikkun hans egen Sjæl volder Sorg.
Man {that is} born of a woman {is} of few days, and full of trouble. {few...: Heb. short of days}
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
Who can bring a clean {thing} out of an unclean? not one. {can...: Heb. will give}
Seeing his days {are} determined, the number of his months {are} with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. {rest: Heb. cease}
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.
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
{Yet} through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where {is} he? {wasteth...: Heb. is weakened, or, cut off}
{As} the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens {be} no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
If a man die, shall he live {again}? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?
My transgression {is} sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.
And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place. {cometh...: Heb. fadeth}
The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow {out} of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man. {washest...: Heb. overflowest}
Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
His sons come to honour, and he knoweth {it} not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth {it} not of them.
But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.