The Fleeting Nature Of Life
1 {To the Chanter, for praising, a Psalm of David} I said, "I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not in my tongue. I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle, while the ungodly is in my sight."
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."
3 My heart was hot within me, and while I was thus musing, the fire kindled, and at the last I spoke 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 heart within me became incensed; as I thought about it, the fire burned. Then I spoke out:
4 "LORD, let me know mine end, and the number of my days: that I may be certified how long I have to live.
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 Behold, thou hast made my days a span long, and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity. 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 Yea every man walketh as it were a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.
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 chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment; every man therefore is but vanity. 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 LORD, and with thine ears consider my calling; hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
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 O spare me a little that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen."
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.