1 E l hombre, nacido de mujer, corto de días y lleno de turbaciones,

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

2 c omo una flor brota y se marchita, y como una sombra huye y no permanece.

He comes forth like a flower and withers; he flees also like a shadow and continues not.

3 S obre él ciertamente abres tus ojos, y lo traes a juicio contigo.

And do You open Your eyes upon such a one, and bring me into judgment with You?

4 ¿ Quién hará algo limpio de lo inmundo ? ¡Nadie!

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!

5 Y a que sus días están determinados, el número de sus meses te es conocido, y has fijado sus límites para que no pueda pasar los.

Since a man’s days are already determined, and the number of his months is wholly in Your control, and he cannot pass the bounds of his allotted time—

6 A parta de él tu mirada para que descanse, hasta que cumpla su día como jornalero.

turn from him; let him rest until he has accomplished as does a hireling the appointed time for his day.

7 P orque hay esperanza para un árbol cuando es cortado, que volverá a retoñar, y sus renuevos no le faltarán.

For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that the tender shoots of it will not cease.

8 A unque envejezcan sus raíces en la tierra, y muera su tronco en el polvo,

Though its roots grow old in the earth and its stock dies in the ground,

9 a l olor del agua reverdecerá y como una planta joven echará renuevos.

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

10 P ero el hombre muere y yace inerte. El hombre expira, ¿y dónde está?

But man must die and lie prostrate; yes, man breathes his last, and where is he?

11 C omo las aguas se evaporan del mar, como un río se agota y se seca,

As waters evaporate from the lake, and the river drains and dries up,

12 a sí el hombre yace y no se levanta; hasta que los cielos ya no existan no se despertará ni se levantará de su sueño.

So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, men will not awake nor be raised out of their sleep.

13 ¡ Oh, si me escondieras en el Seol, si me ocultaras hasta que tu ira se pasara, si me pusieras un plazo y de mí te acordaras!

Oh, that You would hide me in Sheol (the unseen state), that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would set a definite time and then remember me earnestly!

14 S i el hombre muere, ¿volverá a vivir? Todos los días de mi batallar esperaré hasta que llegue mi relevo.

If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare and service I will wait, till my change and release shall come.

15 T ú llamarás, y yo te responderé; anhelarás la obra de tus manos.

You would call and I would answer You; You would yearn for the work of Your hands.

16 P orque ahora cuentas mis pasos, no observas mi pecado.

But now You number each of my steps and take note of my every sin.

17 S ellada está en un saco mi transgresión, y tienes cubierta mi iniquidad.

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and You glue up my iniquity.

18 P ero el monte que cae se desmorona, y se cambia la roca de su lugar;

But as a mountain, if it falls, crumbles to nothing, and as the rock is removed out of its place,

19 e l agua desgasta las piedras, sus torrentes se llevan el polvo de la tierra; así destruyes tú la esperanza del hombre.

As waters wear away the stones and as floods wash away the soil of the earth, so You destroy the hope of man.

20 P revaleces para siempre contra él, y se va; cambias su apariencia, y lo despides.

You prevail forever against him, and he passes on; You change his appearance and send him away.

21 A lcanzan honra sus hijos, pero él no lo sabe; o son humillados, pero él no lo percibe.

His sons come to honor, and he knows it not; they are brought low, and he perceives it not.

22 M as su cuerpo le da dolores, y se lamenta sólo por sí mismo.

But his body shall grieve over him, and his soul shall mourn.