Job 14

Mennesket, født af en Kvinde, hans Liv er stakket, han mættes af Uro;

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

han spirer som Blomsten og visner, flyr som Skyggen, står ikke fast.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

Og på ham vil du rette dit Øje, ham vil du stævne for Retten!

And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

Ja, kunde der komme en ren af en uren! Nej, end ikke een!

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Når hans Dages Tal er fastsat, hans Måneder talt hos dig, og du har sat ham en uoverskridelig Grænse,

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

tag så dit Øje fra ham, lad ham i Fred, at han kan nyde sin Dag som en Daglejer!

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

Thi for et Træ er der Håb: Fældes det, skyder det atter, det fattes ej nye Skud;

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.

ældes end Roden i Jorden, dør end Stubben i Mulde:

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

lugter det Vand, får det nye Skud, skyder Grene som nyplantet Træ;

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

men dør en Mand, er det ude med ham, udånder Mennesket, hvor er han da?

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

Som Vand løber ud af Søen og Floden svinder og tørres,

As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

så lægger Manden sig, rejser sig ikke, vågner ikke, før Himlen forgår, aldrig vækkes han af sin Søvn.

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Tag dog og gem mig i Dødens Rige, skjul mig, indtil din Vrede er ovre, sæt mig en Frist og kom mig i Hu!

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!

Om Manden dog døde for atter at leve! Da vented jeg rolig al Stridens Tid, indtil min Afløsning kom;

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

du skulde kalde - og jeg skulde svare længes imod dine Hænders Værk!

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

Derimod tæller du nu mine Skridt, du tilgiver ikke min Synd,

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

forseglet ligger min Brøde i Posen, og over min Skyld har du lukket til.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity.

Nej, ligesom Bjerget skrider og falder, som Klippen rokkes fra Grunden,

And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

som Vandet udhuler Sten og Plaskregn bortskyller Jord, så har du udslukt Menneskets Håb.

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.

For evigt slår du ham ned, han går bort, skamskænder hans Ansigt og lader ham fare.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

Hans Sønner hædres, han ved det ikke, de synker i Ringhed, han mærker det ikke;

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

ikkun hans eget Kød volder Smerte, ikkun hans egen Sjæl volder Sorg.

But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.