But we, like the leaves the much-blossoming season of spring grows, when they grow in a spurt with rays of the sun, like to these we enjoy for a span of time the blossoms of youth,ἡμεῖς δ’, οἷά τε φύλλα φύει πολυάνθεμος ὥρη 1 ἔαρος, ὅτ’ αἶψ’ αὐγῆις αὔξεται ἠελίου, 2 τοῖς ἴκελοι πήχυιον ἐπὶ χρόνον ἄνθεσιν ἥβης 3 τερπόμεθα,
by (from?) the Gods, blind to evil and to good. But black fates are stationed beside, the one holding the end of grievous old age, the other of death.. πρὸς θεῶν εἰδότες οὔτε κακὸν 4 οὔτ’ ἀγαθόν· Κῆρες δὲ παρεστήκασι μέλαιναι, (5) ἡ μὲν ἔχουσα τέλος γήραος ἀργαλέου, 6 ἡ δ’ ἑτέρη θανάτοιο·
The fruit of youth appears for a short time, just as long as it takes for sun to spread [its light at dawn].. μίνυνθα δὲ γίνεται ἥβης 7 καρπός, ὅσον τ’ ἐπὶ γῆν κίδναται ἠέλιος. 8
But then when he passes this limit of the season, then at once is it better for him to die than [have] life.αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ τοῦτο τέλος παραμείψεται ὥρης, 9 αὐτίκα δὴ τεθνάναι βέλτιον ἢ βίοτος· @1 (10)
For many bad things appear in life. Then to the one consuming his substance, the work of poverty becomes painful.πολλὰ γὰρ ἐν θυμῶι κακὰ γίνεται· ἄλλοτε οἶκος 11 τρυχοῦται, πενίης δ’ ἔργ’ ὀδυνηρὰ πέλει· 12
And again to another in lack of children, then (τε?) he is most of all desiring them as he makes his way over earth to Hades.ἄλλος δ’ αὖ παίδων ἐπιδεύεται, ὧν τε μάλιστα 13 ἱμείρων κατὰ γῆς ἔρχεται εἰς Ἀΐδην· 14
Another is sick to death. There is no one of mankind to whom Zeus does not give many evils.ἄλλος νοῦσον ἔχει θυμοφθόρον· οὐδέ τίς ἐστιν (15) ἀνθρώπων ὧι Ζεὺς μὴ κακὰ πολλὰ διδοῖ. 16
Note — I tried to relate lines 11-> with the statement about old age ruining everything. I felt that the “ἄλλοτε” of line 11 and the “τε” of line 13 had some sort of temporal significance, and interpreted them as “then”, but maybe I’m mistaken.