1 I decided, “I will watch what I say

so that I do not sin with my tongue.

I will muzzle my mouth

while in the presence of an evil man.”

2 I kept silent; I kept back my words even from saying anything good,

and my pain grew worse.

3 My heart became hot;

when I thought about these things, it burned like a fire.

Then finally I spoke.

4 “Yahweh, make me know when will be the end of my life

and the extent of my days.

Show me how transient I am.

5 See, you have made my days only the width of my hand,

and my lifetime is like nothing before you.

Surely every man is a single breath.

6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow.

Surely everyone hurries about

to accumulate riches although they do not know who will receive them.

7 Now, Lord, for what am I waiting?

You are my only hope.

8 Rescue me from my sins;

do not make me the reproach of fools.

9 I am silent and cannot open my mouth,

because it is you who has done it.

10 Stop wounding me;

I am overwhelmed by the blow of your hand.

11 When you discipline people for sin,

you consume the things they desire like a moth;

surely all people are nothing but vapor.

12 Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and listen to me;

listen to my weeping!

Do not be deaf to me,

for I am like a foreigner with you, a refugee like all my ancestors were.

13 Turn your gaze from me so that I may smile again

before I die.”