1“Human beings have only a few days to live.
Their lives are full of trouble.
2They grow like flowers, and then they dry up.
They are like shadows that quickly disappear.
3“God, do you even notice them?
Will you let them appear in your court?
4Who can bring what is pure from something that isn’t pure?
No one!
5You decide how long anyone will live.
You have established the number of his months.
You have set a limit to the number of his days.
6So look away from him. Leave him alone.
Let him put in his time like a hired worker.
7“At least there is hope for a tree.
If it’s cut down, it will begin to grow again.
New branches will appear on it.
8Its roots may grow old in the ground.
Its stump may die in the soil.
9But when it smells water, it will begin to grow.
It will send out new growth like a plant.
10No man is like that. When he dies, he is buried in a grave.
He takes his last breath. Then he is gone.
11Water dries up from lakes.
Riverbeds become empty and dry.
12In the same way, people lie down and never get up.
People won’t wake or rise from their sleep
until the heavens are gone.
13“I wish you would hide me in a grave!
I wish you would cover me up until your anger passes by!
I wish you would set the time for me to spend in the grave
and then bring me back up!
14If someone dies, will they live again?
All the days of my hard work
I will wait for the time when you give me new life.
15You will call out to me, and I will answer you.
You will long for the person your hands have made.
16Then you will count every step I take.
But you won’t keep track of my sin.
17The wrong things I’ve done will be sealed up in a bag.
You will wipe out my sins by forgiving them.
18“A mountain wears away and crumbles.
A rock is moved from its place.
19Water wears away stones.
Storms wash away soil.
In the same way, you destroy a person’s hope.
20You overpower them completely, and then they’re gone.
You change the way they look and send them to their graves.
21If their children are honored, they don’t even know it.
If their children are dishonored, they don’t even see it.
22All they feel is the pain of their own bodies.
They are full of sadness only for themselves.”
114:1 Mhu 2:23; Mwa 3:17; Ay 15:14; 10:20; Mt 11:11; Za 51:5“Mwanadamu aliyezaliwa na mwanamke
siku zake ni chache nazo zimejaa taabu.
214:2 Za 103:15; Yak 1:10; 1Pet 1:24; Isa 40:6-8; Mhu 6:12Huchanua kama ua kisha hunyauka;
huwa kama kivuli kipitacho upesi, wala hadumu.
314:3 Za 144:3; 8:4; 143:2; Ay 7:18Je, unamwekea jicho lako mtu kama huyo?
Je, utamleta mbele yako katika hukumu?
414:4 Mwa 5:3; Ay 4:17; Za 51:10; Rum 5:12; Efe 2:1-3; Yn 3:6Ni nani awezaye kutoa kitu safi kutoka kitu najisi?
Hakuna awezaye!
514:5 Ay 24:1; 21:21; Za 31:15; 139:16; 39:4; 90:12; Mdo 17:26Siku za mwanadamu zimewekewa mpaka;
umekwisha kutangaza idadi ya miezi yake
na kuweka mpaka ambao hawezi kuuvuka.
614:6 Ay 7:19; 7:1, 2; Za 39:13; Isa 16:14; 21:16Hivyo angalia mbali umwache,
hadi awe amekamilisha muda wake
kama mtu aliyeajiriwa.
714:7 Ay 19:10; 24:20; Za 52:5; Isa 11:1; 53:2; 60:21; 6:13“Kwa maana lipo tumaini kwa mti;
kama ukikatwa utachipuka tena,
nayo machipukizi yake mapya hayatakoma.
814:8 Isa 6:13; 11:1; 53:2Mizizi yake yaweza kuchakaa ardhini
na kisiki chake kufa udongoni,
914:9 Ay 29:9; Zek 10:1; Za 1:3; Yer 17:8; Eze 31:7; Law 26:4; Eze 34:27lakini kwa kupata dalili ya maji utachipua
na kutoa machipukizi kama mche.
1014:10 Ay 14:12; 10:21; 13:19Lakini mwanadamu hufa, na huo ndio mwisho wake;
hutoa pumzi ya mwisho, naye hayuko tena!
1114:11 2Sam 14:14; Isa 19:5Kama vile maji yatowekavyo katika bahari,
au mkondo wa mto ukaushwavyo na kuwa mkavu,
1214:12 Za 102:26; Ufu 21:1; Mdo 3:21; Ay 14:10; Ufu 20:11ndivyo mwanadamu alalavyo chini asiamke;
hadi mbingu zitakapokuwa hazipo tena,
wanadamu hawataamka au kuamshwa
kutoka kwenye usingizi wao.
1314:13 Za 30:5; Isa 54:7; Ay 6:8; 7:9; Isa 26:20; 54:7; Mwa 8:1“Laiti kama ungenificha kaburini,14:13 Kaburini hapa maana yake ni Kuzimu, kwa Kiebrania ni Sheol.
na kunisitiri hadi hasira yako ipite!
Laiti ungeniwekea wakati,
na kisha ukanikumbuka!
1414:14 Ay 7:1; 2Fal 6:33; Za 16:10; 1Kor 15:42-58; Flp 3:21Je, kama mtu akifa, aweza kuishi tena?
Siku zote za kazi zangu ngumu
nitangojea kufanywa upya kwangu.
1514:15 Ay 13:22; Yn 5:28; 1The 4:16; Za 50:4Utaniita nami nitakuitika;
utakionea shauku kiumbe ambacho mikono yako ilikiumba.
1614:16 Mit 5:21; Yer 16:17; 32:19; Hos 13:12; 1Kor 13:5Hakika ndipo utakapozihesabu hatua zangu,
lakini hutazifuatia dhambi zangu.
1714:17 Kum 32:34; Ay 13:23; 9:30; Yer 32:10Makosa yangu yatafungiwa kwa lakiri kwenye mfuko,
nawe utazifunika dhambi zangu.
1814:18 Eze 38:20; Ay 18:4“Lakini kama mlima umomonyokavyo na kufikichika
na kama vile mwamba uondolewavyo mahali pake,
1914:19 Eze 13:13; Mwa 7:23; Ay 7:8kama maji yamalizavyo mawe,
na mafuriko yachukuavyo udongo,
ndivyo unavyoharibu tegemeo la mwanadamu.
2014:20 Ay 4:20; 7:10; 8:18; 12:19; 27:19; Yak 1:10Humshinda mara moja kwa daima, naye hutoweka;
waibadilisha sura yake na kumwondoa.
2114:21 Mhu 9:5; Isa 63:16; 1Sam 4:20Kama wanawe wakipewa heshima, yeye hafahamu;
kama wakidharauliwa, yeye haoni.
2214:22 Za 38:7; Isa 21:3; Yer 4:19; Ay 21:21Yeye hasikii kingine isipokuwa maumivu ya mwili wake mwenyewe,
naye huomboleza kwa ajili yake mwenyewe.”
