Chapter 39
1לַמְנַצֵּחַ (לידיתון) [לִֽידוּתוּן] מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִֽדFor the leader; for Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
2אָמַרְתִּי אֶשְׁמְרָה דְרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי אֶשְׁמְרָה לְפִי מַחְסוֹם בְּעֹד רָשָׁע לְנֶגְדִּֽיI resolved I would watch my step lest I offend by my speech; I would keep my mouth muzzled while the villain was in my presence.
3נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּֽרI was dumb, silent; I was very still while my pain was intense.
4חַם־לִבִּי בְּקִרְבִּי בַּהֲגִיגִי תִבְעַר־אֵשׁ דִּבַּרְתִּי בִּלְשׁוֹנִֽיMy mind was in a rage, my thoughts were all aflame; I spoke out:
5הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְהֹוָה קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה־הִיא אֵדְעָה מֶה־חָדֵל אָֽנִיTell me, O ETERNAL One, what my term is, what is the measure of my days; I would know how fleeting my life is.
6הִנֵּה טְפָחוֹת נָתַתָּה יָמַי וְחֶלְדִּי כְאַיִן נֶגְדֶּךָ אַךְ כׇּֽל־הֶבֶל כׇּל־אָדָם נִצָּב סֶֽלָהYou have made my life just handbreadths long; its span is as nothing in Your sight; no human endures any longer than a breath. Selah.
7אַךְ־בְּצֶלֶם יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִישׁ אַךְ־הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן יִצְבֹּר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַע מִֽי־אֹסְפָֽםEveryone walks about as a mere shadow; mere futility is their hustle and bustle, amassing and not knowing who will gather in.
8וְעַתָּה מַה־קִּוִּיתִי אֲדֹנָי תּוֹחַלְתִּי לְךָ הִֽיאWhat, then, can I count on, O my Sovereign? In You my hope lies.
9מִכׇּל־פְּשָׁעַי הַצִּילֵנִי חֶרְפַּת נָבָל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִיDeliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the butt of the benighted.
10נֶאֱלַמְתִּי לֹא אֶפְתַּח־פִּי כִּי אַתָּה עָשִֽׂיתָI am dumb, I do not speak up, for it is Your doing.
11הָסֵר מֵעָלַי נִגְעֶךָ מִתִּגְרַת יָדְךָ אֲנִי כָלִֽיתִיTake away Your plague from me; I perish from Your blows.
12בְּֽתוֹכָחוֹת עַל־עָוֺן יִסַּרְתָּ אִישׁ וַתֶּמֶס כָּעָשׁ חֲמוּדוֹ אַךְ הֶבֶל כׇּל־אָדָם סֶֽלָהYou chastise everyone in punishment for sin, consuming like a moth what they treasure. No human is more than a breath. Selah.
13שִׁמְעָֽה־תְפִלָּתִי יְהֹוָה וְשַׁוְעָתִי הַאֲזִינָה אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִי אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַשׁ כִּי גֵר אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ תּוֹשָׁב כְּכׇל־אֲבוֹתָֽיHear my prayer, O ETERNAL One; give ear to my cry; do not disregard my tears; for like all my forebears I am an alien, resident with You.
14הָשַׁע מִמֶּנִּי וְאַבְלִיגָה בְּטֶרֶם אֵלֵךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּיLook away from me, that I may recover, before I pass away and am gone.