1 I told myself, “I'll be carefulnot to sin by what I say,and I'll muzzle my mouthwhen evil people are near.”
2 I kept completely silent,but it did no good,and I suffered even more.
3 I felt a fire burning inside,and the more I thought,the more it burnt,until at last I said:
4 “Please, Lord,show me my future.Will I soon be gone?
5 You made my life short,so brief that the timemeans nothing to you.“Human life is but a breath,
6 and it disappearslike a shadow.Our struggles are senseless;we store up more and more,without ever knowingwho will get it all.
7 “What am I waiting for?I depend on you, Lord!
8 Save me from my sins.Don't let fools sneer at me.
9 You treated me like this,and I kept silent,not saying a word.
10 “Won't you stop punishing me?You have worn me down.
11 You punish us severelybecause of our sins.Like a moth, you destroywhat we treasure most.We are as frail as a breath.
12 “Listen, Lord, to my prayer!My eyes are flooded with tears,as I pray to you.I am merely a strangervisiting your homeas my ancestors did.
13 Stop being angry with meand let me smile againbefore I am dead and gone.”