25:6 how much less a mortal man, who is but a maggot 1 –
a son of man, who is only a worm!”
146:3 Do not trust in princes,
or in human beings, who cannot deliver! 2
146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground;
on that day their plans die. 3
51:12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. 4
Why are you afraid of mortal men,
of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass? 5
1 tn The text just has “maggot” and in the second half “worm.” Something has to be added to make it a bit clearer. The terms “maggot” and “worm” describe man in his lowest and most ignominious shape.
2 tn Heb “in a son of man, to whom there is no deliverance.”
3 tn Heb “his spirit goes out, it returns to his ground; in that day his plans die.” The singular refers to the representative man mentioned in v. 3b.
4 tc The plural suffix should probably be emended to the second masculine singular (which is used in v. 13). The final mem (ם) is probably dittographic; note the mem at the beginning of the next word.
5 tn Heb “Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, and of the son of man who [as] grass is given up?” The feminine singular forms should probably be emended to the masculine singular (see v. 13). They have probably been influenced by the construction אַתְּ־הִיא (’at-hi’) in vv. 9-10.