Pemikiran Yahudi Mazmur 62:10: Duties

(3) When one considers his fleetingness, and the swift coming of death, and the abrupt cutting off of his desires and aspirations at that time. He must leave all of his possessions, and abandon hope that he can take with him any of them as provisions or that any of them will be of use to him when he is in the grave. The countenance of his face has already dimmed, its appearance darkens. And his flesh (after death) will bring up worms, decay and putrid liquid. The signs of his physical beauty vanished and an increasingly rotten odor will exude from him,as if he had never washed or scrubbed or put on a good fragrance. When he puts this or similar considerations to mind, he will feel humble and lowly. He will not become arrogant. His heart will not arise and become high and proud, as written: "Withdraw yourselves from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for in what is he to be esteemed?" (Yeshaya 2:22), and "men of low degree are but vanity, and men of high degree are but a lie; were they to be put on a scale, together they would equal nothing" (Tehilim 62:10).

(Answer further:) "And what is this world? Even if my name becomes known to the whole world, what is the measure of my days? Even if my name does go out to part of the world, certainly my memory will reach an even smaller part, and even then it will fade away after a short time and be forgotten as if it had never existed. And scripture says: 'The sons of men are but vanity, and men of distinction are a falsehood; were they to be put on a scale, together they would equal vanity' (Tehilim 62:10), and 'his breath leaves, he returns to his dust' (Tehilim 146:4), and 'there is no memory of the early ones' (Koheles 1:11)."

When, my brother, you have read this book, and comprehended its theme, take it for a remembrance. Bring your soul to a true judgement. Ponder it over, develop its thoughts. Cling it to your heart and mind. If you find an error in it, correct it; any omission, complete it. Have intent [when reading it] to follow its instruction and guidance. Do not have the aim of acquiring a name or to gain glory through its wisdom. Judge me leniently if you find any mistake, flaw, or whatever other shortcoming in its topics and words. For I hurried to compose it and did not tarry because I feared that death would overcome me and prevent me from my goal of completing it. You know how weak is the power of flesh to attain anything, and how deficient is man from fully grasping, as Scripture says: "Surely the sons of men are vanity; the sons of men are a lie; if they go up in the scales; they are altogether lighter than vanity" (Ps. 62:10). I have already confessed from the outset on my insufficient strength. Let this admission atone for the errors and flaws in it.