The Fleeting Nature Of Life
1 {To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.} I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
1 For the choir director, for (a)Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.I said, “I will (A)guard my waysThat I (B)may not sin with my tongue;I will guard (C)my mouth as with a muzzleWhile the wicked are in my presence.”
1 For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Davidic psalm.I said, “I will guard my waysso that I may not sin with my tongue;I will guard my mouth with a muzzleas long as the wicked are in my presence.”(A)
1 I told myself, "I will keep watch over my tongue to keep from sinning. I will muzzle my mouth when the wicked are around."
1 I said, “I will guard my waysThat I may not sin with my tongue;I will muzzle my mouthWhile the wicked are in my presence.”
4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.
4 “Lord, make me to know (F)my endAnd what is the extent of my days;Let me know how (G)transient I am.
4 “Lord, reveal to me the end of my lifeand the number of my days.Let me know how short-lived I am.(D)
4 "LORD, let me know how my life ends, and the standard by which you will measure my days, whatever it is! Then I will know how transient my life is.
4 “Lord, let me know my [life’s] endAnd [to appreciate] the extent of my days;Let me know how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].
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.
5 “Behold, You have made (H)my days as handbreadths,And my (I)lifetime as nothing in Your sight;Surely every man (e)at his best is (f)a mere (J)breath. (g)Selah.
5 You, indeed, have made my days short in length,and my life span as nothing in Your sight.Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor.(E)Selah
5 Look, you have made my life span fit in your hand; It is nothing compared to yours. Surely every person at their best is a puff of wind. Interlude
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
6 “Surely every man (K)walks about as (h)a phantom;Surely they make an (L)uproar for nothing;He (M)amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.
6 “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow.Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain,gathering possessionswithout knowing who will get them.(F)
6 In fact, people walk around as shadows. Surely, they busy themselves for nothing, heaping up possessions but not knowing who will get them.
11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
11 “With (U)reproofs You chasten a man for iniquity;You (V)consume as a moth what is precious to him;Surely (W)every man is a mere breath. Selah.
11 You discipline a man with punishment for sin,consuming like a moth what is precious to him;(K)every man is only a vapor.(L)Selah
11 You rebuke by chastening a man with the consequence of iniquities; you destroy what is attractive to him, as one would treat a moth. Indeed, every person is a puff of wind. Interlude
11 “With rebukes You discipline man for sin;You consume like a moth what is precious to him;Surely every man is a mere breath [a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes]. Selah.
12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
12 “(X)Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;Do not be silent (Y)at my tears;For I am (Z)a stranger with You,A (AA)sojourner like all my fathers.
12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,and listen to my cry for help;do not be silent at my tears.(M)For I am a foreigner residing with You,a temporary resident like all my fathers.(N)
12 Hear my prayer, LORD, pay attention to my cry, and do not ignore my tears. I am an alien in your presence, a stranger just like my ancestors were.
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and listen to my cry;Do not be silent at my tears;For I am Your temporary guest,A sojourner like all my fathers.
13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
13 Stop looking at me with chastisement, so I can smile again, before I depart and am no more. To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.
13 “O look away from me, that I may smile and again know joyBefore I depart and am no more.”