| 1 |
militia est vita hominis super terram et sicut dies mercennarii dies eius
The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling.
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| 2 |
sicut servus desiderat umbram et sicut mercennarius praestolatur finem operis sui
As a servant longeth for the shade, as the hireling looketh for the end of his work;
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| 3 |
sic et ego habui menses vacuos et noctes laboriosas enumeravi mihi
So I also have had empty months, and have numbered to myself wearisome nights.
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| 4 |
si dormiero dico quando consurgam et rursum expectabo vesperam et replebor doloribus usque ad tenebras
If I lie down to sleep, I shall say: When shall I rise? and again, I shall look for the evening, and shall be filled with sorrows even till darkness.
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| 5 |
induta est caro mea putredine et sordibus pulveris cutis mea aruit et contracta est
My flesh is clothed with rottenness and the filth of dust; my skin is withered and drawn together.
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| 6 |
dies mei velocius transierunt quam a texente tela succiditur et consumpti sunt absque ulla spe
My days have passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver, and are consumed without any hope.
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| 7 |
memento quia ventus est vita mea et non revertetur oculus meus ut videat bona
Remember that my life is but wind, and my eye shall not return to see good things.
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| 8 |
nec aspiciet me visus hominis oculi tui in me et non subsistam
Nor shall the sight of man behold me: thy eyes are upon me, and I shall be no more.
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| 9 |
sicut consumitur nubes et pertransit sic qui descenderit ad inferos non ascendet
As a cloud is consumed, and passeth away: so he that shall go down to hell shall not come up.
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| 10 |
nec revertetur ultra in domum suam neque cognoscet eum amplius locus eius
Nor shall he return any more into his house, neither shall his place know him any more
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| 11 |
quapropter et ego non parcam ori meo loquar in tribulatione spiritus mei confabulabor cum amaritudine animae meae
Wherefore, I will not spare my month, I will speak in the affliction of my spirit: I will talk with the bitterness of my soul.
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| 12 |
numquid mare sum ego aut cetus quia circumdedisti me carcere
Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou hast inclosed me in a prison?
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| 13 |
si dixero consolabitur me lectulus meus et relevabor loquens mecum in strato meo
If I say: My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, speaking with myself on my couch:
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| 14 |
terrebis me per somnia et per visiones horrore concuties
Thou wilt frighten me with dreams, and terrify me with visions.
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| 15 |
quam ob rem elegit suspendium anima mea et mortem ossa mea
So that my soul rather chooseth hanging, and my bones death.
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| 16 |
desperavi nequaquam ultra iam vivam parce mihi nihil enim sunt dies mei
I have done with hope, I shall now live no longer: spare me, for my days are nothing.
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| 17 |
quid est homo quia magnificas eum aut quia ponis erga eum cor tuum
What is a man, that thou shouldst magnify him or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?
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| 18 |
visitas eum diluculo et subito probas illum
Thou visitest him early in the morning, and thou provest him suddenly.
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| 19 |
usquequo non parces mihi nec dimittis me ut gluttiam salivam meam
How long wilt thou not spare me, nor suffer me to swallow down my spittle?
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| 20 |
peccavi quid faciam tibi o custos hominum quare posuisti me contrarium tibi et factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis
I have sinned: what shall I do to thee, O keeper of men? why hast thou set me opposite to thee. and am I become burdensome to myself?
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| 21 |
cur non tolles peccatum meum et quare non auferes iniquitatem meam ecce nunc in pulvere dormiam et si mane me quaesieris non subsistam
Why dost thou not remove my sin, and why dost thou not take away my iniquity? Behold now I shall sleep in the dust: and if thou seek me in the morning, I shall not be.
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