Job 14:2

He grows up ¹  like a flower and then withers away; ²  he flees like a shadow, and does not remain. ³ 

He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

"Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.

Like a flower, we blossom for a moment and then wither. Like the shadow of a passing cloud, we quickly disappear.

We spring up like wildflowers in the desert and then wilt, transient as the shadow of a cloud.

He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.

comes up like a flower and withers, flees like a shadow and does not last.

He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.

He grows up ¹  like a flower and then withers away; ²  he flees like a shadow, and does not remain. ³ 

¹ tn Heb יָצָא (yatsa’, “comes forth”). The perfect verb expresses characteristic action and so is translated by the present tense (see GKC 329 §111.s).

² tn The verb וַיִּמָּל (vayyimmal) is from the root מָלַל (malal, “to languish; to wither”) and not from a different root מָלַל (malal, “to cut off”).

³ tn The verb is “and he does not stand.” Here the verb means “to stay fixed; to abide.” The shadow does not stay fixed, but continues to advance toward darkness.