³ You turn mortals back into dust
and say, “Return, descendants of Adam.”
⁴ Indeed, in your sight a thousand years are like a single day,
like yesterday—already past—
like an hour in the night.
⁵ You sweep mortals away.
They are a dream.
They sprout again in the morning like cut grass.
⁶ In the morning they blossom and sprout.
In the evening they wither and dry up.

⁷ Indeed, your anger consumes us.
Your rage terrifies us.
⁸ You have set our sins in front of you.
You have put our secret sins in the light of your presence.
⁹ Indeed, all our days slip away because of your fury.
We live out our years like one ⌞long⌟ sigh.
¹⁰ Each of us lives for 70 years—
or even 80 if we are in good health.
But the best of them ⌞bring⌟ trouble and misery.
Indeed, they are soon gone, and we fly away.
¹¹ Who fully understands the power of your anger?
A person fears you more when he better understands your fury.
¹² Teach us to number each of our days
so that we may grow in wisdom.

¹³ Return, Lord! How long … ?
Change your plans about ⌞us,⌟ your servants.
¹⁴ Satisfy us every morning with your mercy
so that we may sing joyfully and rejoice all our days.
¹⁵ Make us rejoice for as many days as you have made us suffer,
for as many years as we have experienced evil.
¹⁶ Let ⌞us,⌟ your servants, see what you can do.
Let our children see your glorious power.
¹⁷ Let the kindness of the Lord our God be with us.
Make us successful in everything we do.
Yes, make us successful in everything we do.