Shir ha-Shirim (שיר השירים ) - Cantico dei Cantici 14

MODERN HEBREW BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 אדם ילוד אשה קצר ימים ושבע רגז	1 Man, born of woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries.
2 כציץ יצא וימל ויברח כצל ולא יעמוד	2 He comes forth like a flower, and is crushed, and he flees, as if a shadow, and never remains in the same state.
3 אף על זה פקחת עינך ואתי תביא במשפט עמך	3 And do you consider it fitting to look down with your eyes on someone in this way and to lead him into judgment with you?
4 מי יתן טהור מטמא לא אחד	4 Who can make him clean who is conceived of unclean seed? Are you not the only one who can?
5 אם חרוצים ימיו מספר חדשיו אתך חקו עשית ולא יעבור	5 The days of man are short, and the number of his months is with you; you have determined his limits, which cannot be surpassed.
6 שעה מעליו ויחדל עד ירצה כשכיר יומו	6 Withdraw a little from him, so that he may rest, until his awaited day arrives, like that of the hired hand.
7 כי יש לעץ תקוה אם יכרת ועוד יחליף וינקתו לא תחדל	7 A tree has hope: if it has been cut, it turns green again, and its branches spring forth.
8 אם יזקין בארץ שרשו ובעפר ימות גזעו	8 If its roots grow old in the earth, and its trunk passes into dust,
9 מריח מים יפרח ועשה קציר כמו נטע	9 at the scent of water, it will sprout and bring forth leaves, as when it had first been planted.
10 וגבר ימות ויחלש ויגוע אדם ואיו	10 Truly, when a man dies, and has been left unprotected, and has decayed, I ask you where is he?
11 אזלו מים מני ים ונהר יחרב ויבש	11 It is as if the waters had receded from the sea and an emptied river had dried up;
12 ואיש שכב ולא יקום עד בלתי שמים לא יקיצו ולא יערו משנתם	12 just so, when a man is fallen asleep, he will not rise again, until the heavens are worn away; he will not awaken, nor rise from his sleep.
13 מי יתן בשאול תצפנני תסתירני עד שוב אפך תשית לי חק ותזכרני	13 Who will grant this to me, that you will protect me in the underworld, and hide me until your fury passes by, and establish a time for me, in which you will remember me?
14 אם ימות גבר היחיה כל ימי צבאי איחל עד בוא חליפתי	14 Do you suppose that a dead man will live again? On each of the days in which I now battle, I wait until my transformation occurs.
15 תקרא ואנכי אענך למעשה ידיך תכסף	15 You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands, you will extend your right hand.
16 כי עתה צעדי תספור לא תשמור על חטאתי	16 Indeed, you have numbered my steps, but you have been lenient with my sins.
17 חתם בצרור פשעי ותטפל על עוני	17 You have sealed up my offenses, as if in a purse, but you have cured my iniquity.
18 ואולם הר נופל יבול וצור יעתק ממקמו	18 A falling mountain flows away, and a stone is transferred from its place.
19 אבנים שחקו מים תשטף ספיחיה עפר ארץ ותקות אנוש האבדת	19 Waters wear away stones, and with a flood the land is reduced little by little; and similarly, you will destroy man.
20 תתקפהו לנצח ויהלך משנה פניו ותשלחהו	20 You have strengthened him for a little while, so that he may cross over into eternity. You will change his face and send him forth.
21 יכבדו בניו ולא ידע ויצערו ולא יבין למו	21 Whether his sons have been noble or ignoble, he will not understand.
22 אך בשרו עליו יכאב ונפשו עליו תאבל	22 And in this way his body, while he yet lives, will have grief, and his soul will mourn over himself.