King James Version

Psalms 39:5

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 39:6.

הִנֵּ֤הhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.טְפָח֨וֹתtefachotcopingטֵפַחnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “coping”, the ordinary formH2947a spread of the hand, i.e. a palm-breadth (not 'span' of the fingers); architecturally, a corbel (as a supporting palm)coping, hand-breadth.נָ֘תַ֤תָּהnatatahgiveנָתַןverb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “give”, a completed actionH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…יָמַ֗יyamayas long asיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…וְחֶלְדִּ֣יvecheldiand worldחֶלֶדconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and world”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2465life (as a fleeting portion of time); hence, the world (as transient)age, short time, world.כְאַ֣יִןkheayinas elseאַיִןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as else”, the ordinary formH369a non-entity; generally used as a negative particleelse, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן).נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָnegdekhaagainstנֶגֶדpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “against”H5048a front, i.e. part opposite; specifically a counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with preposition) over against or beforeabout, (over) against, [idiom] aloof, [idiom] far (off), [idiom] from, over, presence, [idiom] other side, sight, [idiom] to view.אַ֥ךְakhonlyאַךְparticle, affirmation — “only”H389a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) onlyalso, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, [phrase] wherefore, yet (but).כָּֽלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).הֶ֥בֶלhevelvanityהֶבֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “vanity”, the ordinary formH1892emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb[idiom] altogether, vain, vanity.כָּלkalallכֹּלnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).אָ֝דָ֗םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.נִצָּ֥בnitsavappointedנָצַבverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “appointed”, a verb used as a describing wordH5324to station, in various applications (literally or figuratively)appointed, deputy, erect, establish, [idiom] Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer, pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to) stand(-ing, still, up, upright), best state.סֶֽלָהselahSelahסֶלָהparticle, interjection — “Selah”H5542suspension (of music), i.e. pauseSelah.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(39-6) Behold, Thou hast made my days as hand-breadths; and mine age is as nothing before Thee; surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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American Standard Version (1901)

Behold, thou hast made my days as handbreadths; And my life-time is as nothing before thee: Surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. [Selah

Young’s Literal Translation

Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age [is] as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity [is] every man set up. Selah.

World English Bible

Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah.

Darby Translation

Behold, thou hast made my days [as] hand-breadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before thee; verily, every man, [even] the high placed, is altogether vanity. Selah.

Douay-Rheims

Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(39-6) Behold, Thou hast made my days as hand-breadths; and mine age is as nothing before Thee; surely every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Selah

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Behold, thou hast made my days old; and my existence is as nothing before thee: nay, every man living is altogether vanity. Pause.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἰδοὺ παλαιὰς ἔθου τὰς ἡμέρας μου, καὶ ὑπόστασίς μου ὡσεὶ οὐθὲν ἐνώπιόν σου· πλὴν τὰ σύμπαντα ματαιότης, πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ζῶν· διάψαλμα.