The Fleeting Nature Of Life

1 I said, to myself, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue, - I will put on my mouth a muzzle, So long as the lawless is before me.

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."

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, afar from happiness, But, my pain had been stirred:

2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

2 I was (D)mute (b)and silent,I (c)refrained even from good,And my (d)sorrow grew worse.

2 I was speechless and quiet;I kept silent, even from speaking good,and my pain intensified.(B)

2 I was as silent as a mute person; I said nothing, not even something good, and my distress deepened.

3 Hot was my heart within me, While I was musing, there was kindled a fire, I spake with my tongue!

3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

3 My (E)heart was hot within me,While I was musing the fire burned;Then I spoke with my tongue:

3 My heart grew hot within me;as I mused, a fire burned.(C)I spoke with my tongue:

3 My heart within me became incensed; as I thought about it, the fire burned. Then I spoke out:

4 Let me know, O Yahweh, mine end, And the measure of my days - what it is, I would know how short-lived I am.

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.

5 Lo! as hand-breadths, hast thou granted my days, and my life-time, is as nothing before thee, - Surely, a mere breath, are all men, even such as stand firm. Selah.

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 as a shadow, doth every man wander, Surely in vain, do they bustle about, he heapeth things up, and knoweth not who shall gather them in.

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.

7 Now, therefore, for what have I waited, O My Lord? My hope, is, in thee.

7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?My (N)hope is in You.

7 Now, Lord, what do I wait for?My hope is in You.(G)

7 How long, LORD, will I wait expectantly? I have placed my hope in you.

8 From all my transgressions, rescue thou me, - The reproach of the base, oh do not make me!

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

8 (O)Deliver me from all my transgressions;Make me not the (P)reproach of the foolish.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;do not make me the taunt of fools.(H)

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions, and do not let fools scorn me."

9 I am dumb, I cannot open my mouth, for, thou, hast done it.

9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

9 “I have become (Q)mute, I do not open my mouth,Because it is (R)You who have done it.

9 I am speechless; I do not open my mouthbecause of what You have done.(I)

9 I remain silent; I do not open my mouth, for you are the one who acted.

10 Remove from off me thy stroke, Because of the hostility of thy hand, am, I, consumed.

10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.

10 (S)Remove Your plague from me;Because of (T)the opposition of Your hand I am (i)perishing.

10 Remove Your torment from me;I fade away because of the force of Your hand.(J)

10 Stop scourging me, since I have been crushed by your heavy hand.

11 When, by rebukes for iniquity, thou hast corrected a man, Then hast thou consumed, as a moth, all that was delightful within him, Surely, a breath, are all men. Selah.

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

12 Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, And, unto my cry for help, give ear, At my tears, do not be silent, - For, a sojourner, am, I, with thee, A stranger, like all my fathers.

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.

13 Look away from me that I may brighten up, Ere yet I depart and am no more.

13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

13 (AB)Turn Your gaze away from me, that I may (j)smile againBefore I depart and am no more.”

13 Turn Your angry gaze from meso that I may be cheered upbefore I die and am gone.”(O)

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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org