PSA 39:6 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal Speaker(s)=Narrator (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX (PSA 38:7) Μέντοιγε ἐν εἰκόνι διαπορεύεται ἄνθρωπος, πλὴν μάτην ταράσσεται· θησαυρίζει, καὶ οὐ γινώσκει τίνι συνάξει αὐτά.
(Mentoige en eikoni diaporeuetai anthrōpos, plaʸn mataʸn tarassetai; thaʸsaurizei, kai ou ginōskei tini sunaxei auta.)

BrTr (PSA 38:7) Surely man walks in a [fn]shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them.

ULT Surely a man walks about as an image;
⇔ surely they make an uproar for vapor.
⇔ He heaps up and does not know
⇔ who will be gathering them.

UST Truly, each person does not do anything more substantial than a shadow would do.
⇔ Truly, people become agitated about things that do not matter.
⇔ They pile up wealth, but they do not know
⇔ who will get it after they die.

BSB & MSB Surely every man goes about like a phantom;
⇔ surely he bustles in vain;
⇔ he heaps up [riches]
⇔ not knowing who will haul them away.

OEB it is but in mere semblance we walk to and fro,
⇔ and all our noise is for nothing.
⇔ We heap up, and know not who will gather.’

WEBBE & WMBB “Surely every man walks like a shadow.
⇔ Surely they busy themselves in vain.
⇔ He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.

NET Surely people go through life as mere ghosts.
⇔ Surely they accumulate worthless wealth
⇔ without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”

LSV Only, each habitually walks in an image,
Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted,
He heaps up and does not know who gathers them.

FBV Human beings are just shadows walking around. They pointlessly rush through life, trying to pile up possessions without knowing who will get them.

T4T Then we disappear like a shadow does.
⇔ It seems that all that we do is for nothing/useless.
⇔ We sometimes get a lot of money, but we do not know who will get it after we die.

LEB • Surely a man walks about as a mere shadow ;[fn]
• surely in vain they bustle about.
• He heaps up possessions but does not know who will gather them in.

39:? Literally “image”

BBE Truly, every man goes on his way like an image; he is troubled for no purpose: he makes a great store of wealth, and has no knowledge of who will get it.

Moff Man’s busy life indeed is but a phantom,
⇔ making an empty ado,
⇔ amassing wealth and knowing not
⇔ who is to have his hoard.

JPS (PSA 39:7) (39-8) And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope, it is in Thee.

ASV Surely every man walketh in a vain show;
⇔ Surely they are disquieted in vain:
⇔ He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

DRA (PSA 38:7) Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.

YLT Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, [in] vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

Drby Verily, man walketh in a vain show; verily they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them.

RV Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
(Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth/knows not who shall gather them.)

SLT Surely in a shadow a man will go about: surely they will be disquieted in vain: he will store up, and he knew not who shall gather them.

Wbstr Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches , and knoweth not who shall gather them.

KJB-1769 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.[fn]
(Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth/knows not who shall gather them.)

39.6 a vain…: Heb. an image

KJB-1611 Surely euery man walketh in [fn]a vaine shew: surely they are disquieted in vaine: he heapeth vp riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

39:6 Hebr. image.

Bshps Truely man walketh in a vayne shadowe, truely he and all his do disquiet them selues in vayne: he heapeth vp riches, & can not tel who shal vse them.
(Truly man walketh in a vain shadow, truly he and all his do disquiet themselves in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall use them.)

Gnva Doubtlesse man walketh in a shadowe, and disquieteth himselfe in vaine: he heapeth vp riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
(Doubtless man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.)

Cvdl Beholde, thou hast made my dayes a spanne longe, and my life is as it were nothinge before the. O how vayne are all men lyuynge?
(Behold, thou/you hast made my days a span long, and my life is as it were nothing before them. Oh how vain are all men living?)

Wycl (PSA 38:7) Netheles a man passith in ymage; but also he is disturblid veynli. He tresorith; and he noot, to whom he `schal gadere tho thingis.
(Nevertheless a man passeth/passes in image; but also he is disturbed vainly. He treasures; and he know_not, to whom he shall gather those things.)

Luth (PSA 39:7) Sie gehen daher wie ein Schemen und machen ihnen viel vergeblicher Unruhe; sie sammeln und wissen nicht, wer es kriegen wird.
(They/She go therefore as/like a phantoms and make to_them many vain restlessness; they/she/them collect and realise not, who it get becomes.)

ClVg (PSA 38:7) Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo; sed et frustra conturbatur: thesaurizat, et ignorat cui congregabit ea.[fn]
(Nevertheless in/into/on imagine passes_through man; but and in_vain is_disturbed: hoards, and he/she_doesn’t_know to_whom will_gather them.)

38.7 Verum tamen. CASS. Videns adventum Christi, redit ad infirmitatem quam inter virtutes habet. AUG. Magna sunt quæ diximus et credimus; sed tamen non est illud æternum, sed universa vanitas. Et pro mutabilitate desiderans æternam, exprobrat humanæ vitæ, cui subest, quod dicit. Ne quis putet sanctos a tentationibus alienos. Vel, licet mensurabiles dies, licet substantia, nihil: tamen universa vanitas est in rationali creatura, quæ secundum diversos universam appetit creaturam. Verumtamen. Quamvis æternis inhio, etc., usque ad cujus conversatio in cœlis est. Omnis homo. AUG. Si malus, in sæcularibus vanus est; si bonus, cum Christo volenti esse, vana est vita. Verumtamen. AUG. Diapsalmus. Quomodo omnes sub vanitate et casu; et inde opponit se exspectare Dominum, et petit liberari. In imagine pertransit. ID. Quamvis ita studeat vanitati, etc., usque ad quia cum miseria et labore appetit terrena. Thesaurizat. ID. De cæteris vitiis elegit Propheta avaritiam, ad ostendendum quod intendit: ipsa enim est radix omnium malorum.

38.7 True nevertheless. CASS. Seeing arrival Christi, returns to weakness how between by_virtues has. AUG. Magna are which we_said and we_believe; but nevertheless not/no it_is it/this/that eternal, but universe vanity. And for changeability longing eternal, reproaches human of_life, to_whom is_underneath, that he_says. Don’t who/any smell saints from temptations strangers. Or, although measurable days, although substance, nothing: nevertheless universe vanity it_is in/into/on rational creature, which after/second different the_whole desires creature. Nevertheless. Although eternal I_gape, etc., until to whose conversation in/into/on heavens it_is. Everyone man. AUG. When/But_if bad, in/into/on secular vain it_is; when/but_if good/kind/gracious, when/with to_Christ/Messiah willing to_be, in_vain it_is life. Nevertheless. AUG. Musical_pause. How/In_what_manner everyone under vanity and by_chance/accidentally; and therefore/from_there opposes himself to_expect the_Master, and asks to_be_freed. In imagine passes_through. ID. Although so/thus may_desire in_vain, etc., until to because when/with misery and with_hard_work desires earthly. Hoards. ID. From/About the_rests vices/defects chose Prophet greed, to to_be_shown that he_intends: herself because it_is root of_all of_evil.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

בְּ⁠צֶ֤לֶם ׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ

(Some words not found in UHB: surely in=(the)_image goes_about (a)_man surely Abel people,are_in_turmoil heaps_up_wealth and=not know who? [will_of,be]_gathering_them )

The point of this comparison is that just as an image is insubstantial and fleeting, so is a person’s life. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this point explicitly. Alternate translation: [a man walks about but has no real substance]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִ֗ישׁ

(Some words not found in UHB: surely in=(the)_image goes_about (a)_man surely Abel people,are_in_turmoil heaps_up_wealth and=not know who? [will_of,be]_gathering_them )

Here David is speaking of people going through life as if it were a man who walks about. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [people go through life]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אִ֗ישׁ

(a)_man

David is not referring to a specific man. He means people in general. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use an expression that would be more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [a person]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אַךְ־הֶ֥בֶל יֶהֱמָי֑וּ⁠ן

surely surely Abel people,are_in_turmoil

David is speaking of people’s pursuits as if they were vapor, something futile and insubstantial. Your language may have a comparable expression that you can use in your translation, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [surely they make an uproar over what is futile and worthless]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

יֶהֱמָי֑וּ⁠ן

people,are_in_turmoil

The pronoun they refers to people in general. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [everyone bustles around]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר

(Some words not found in UHB: surely in=(the)_image goes_about (a)_man surely Abel people,are_in_turmoil heaps_up_wealth and=not know who? [will_of,be]_gathering_them )

David assumes that readers will know that by heaps up he means acquiring a lot of possessions. You could say that explicitly if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [He acquires possessions]

Note 7 topic: writing-pronouns

מִי־אֹסְפָֽ⁠ם

who? [will_of,be]_gathering_them

The pronoun them refers to the things that the person has heaped up. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [who will be getting all of those things]

Parallel PSA 39:6