1 الانسان مولود المرأة قليل الايام وشبعان تعبا. | 1 Man born of woman is short-lived and full of trouble, |
2 يخرج كالزهر ثم ينحسم ويبرح كالظل ولا يقف. | 2 Like a flower that springs up and fades, swift as a shadow that does not abide. |
3 فعلى مثل هذا حدقت عينيك واياي احضرت الى المحاكمة معك. | 3 Upon such a one will you cast your eyes so as to bring him into judgment before you, |
4 من يخرج الطاهر من النجس. لا احد. | 4 Can a man be found who is clean of defilement? There is none, |
5 ان كانت ايامه محدودة وعدد اشهره عندك وقد عينت اجله فلا يتجاوزه | 5 however short his days. You know the number of his months; you have fixed the limit which he cannot pass. |
6 فاقصر عنه ليسترح الى ان يسرّ كالاجير بانتهاء يومه | 6 Look away from him and let him be, while, like a hireling, he completes his day. |
7 لان للشجرة رجاء. ان قطعت تخلف ايضا ولا تعدم خراعيبها. | 7 For a tree there is hope, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again and that its tender shoots will not cease. |
8 ولو قدم في الارض اصلها ومات في التراب جذعها | 8 Even though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the dust, |
9 فمن رائحة الماء تفرخ وتنبت فروعا كالغرس. | 9 Yet at the first whiff of water it may flourish again and put forth branches like a young plant. |
10 اما الرجل فيموت ويبلى. الانسان يسلم الروح فاين هو. | 10 But when a man dies, all vigor leaves him; when man expires, where then is he? |
11 قد تنفد المياه من البحرة والنهر ينشف ويجف | 11 As when the waters of a lake fail, or a stream grows dry and parches, |
12 والانسان يضطجع ولا يقوم. لا يستيقظون حتى لا تبقى السموات ولا ينتبهون من نومهم | 12 So men lie down and rise not again. Till the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep. |
13 ليتك تواريني في الهاوية وتخفيني الى ان ينصرف غضبك وتعيّن لي اجلا فتذكرني. | 13 Oh, that you would hide me in the nether world and keep me sheltered till your wrath is past; would fix a time for me, and then remember me! |
14 ان مات رجل أفيحيا. كل ايام جهادي اصبر الى ان يأتي بدلي. | 14 When a man has died, were he to live again, all the days of my drudgery I would wait, until my relief should come. |
15 تدعو فانا اجيبك. تشتاق الى عمل يدك. | 15 You would call, and I would answer you; you would esteem the work of your hands. |
16 اما الآن فتحصي خطواتي. ألا تحافظ على خطيتي. | 16 Surely then you would count my steps, and not keep watch for sin in me. |
17 معصيتي مختوم عليها في صرّة وتلفّق عليّ فوق اثمي | 17 My misdeeds would be sealed up in a pouch, and you would cover over my guilt. |
18 ان الجبل الساقط ينتثر والصخر يزحزح من مكانه. | 18 But as a mountain falls at last and its rock is moved from its place, |
19 الحجارة تبليها المياه وتجرف سيولها تراب الارض. وكذلك انت تبيد رجاء الانسان. | 19 As waters wear away the stones and floods wash away the soil of the land, so you destroy the hope of man. |
20 تتجبر عليه ابدا فيذهب. تغير وجهه وتطرده. | 20 You prevail once for all against him and he passes on; with changed appearance you send him away. |
21 يكرم بنوه ولا يعلم او يصغرون ولا يفهم بهم. | 21 If his sons are honored, he is not aware of it; if they are in disgrace, he does not know about them. |
22 انما على ذاته يتوجع لحمه وعلى ذاتها تنوح نفسه | 22 Only his own flesh pains him, and his soul grieves for him. |