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 grows up like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn’t continue.

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

Do you open your eyes on 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? Not 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.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his bounds that he can’t pass;

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

Look away from him, that he may rest, until he shall accomplish, as a hireling, 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, that the tender branch of it will not cease.

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

Though its root grows 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 it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant.

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

But man dies, and is laid low. Yes, man gives up the spirit, and where is he?

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

As the waters fail from the sea, and the river wastes 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 doesn’t rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused 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, that you would keep me secret, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

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 would I wait, until my release should 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 have a desire to the work of your hands.

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

But now you number my steps. Don’t you watch over my sin?

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

My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.

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

“But the mountain falling comes to nothing. 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.

The waters wear the stones. The torrents of it wash away the dust 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 forever prevail against him, and he departs. You change his face, 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 doesn’t know it. They are brought low, but he doesn’t perceive it of them.

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

But his flesh on him has pain, and his soul within him mourns.”