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Life Is Short

For the director of music. For Jeduthun [C Levitical musician; 1 Chr. 16:41–42; 25:1, 6; 2 Chr. 5:12]. A psalm of David.

39 I said, “I will ·be careful how I act [L guard my way]
    and will not sin ·by what I say [L with my tongue].
I will ·be careful what I say [L keep a muzzle on my mouth]
    around wicked people.”
So I kept ·very quiet [silent and still].
    I didn’t even say anything good,
    but ·I became even more upset [L my agony/sorrow got worse].
·I became very angry inside [L My heart grew hot within me],
    and as I ·thought [meditated] about it, ·my anger [L a fire] burned.
    So I ·spoke [L said with my tongue]:
Lord, ·tell [inform; reveal to] me when ·the end [or my end] will come
    and how long ·I will live [L will be my days].
    Let me know how ·long I have [L fleeting I am; 90:1–12].
You have given ·me only a short life [L my days a handbreadth; C about four inches];
    my lifetime is like nothing to you.
    Everyone’s life is only ·a breath [vapor; Eccl. 1:2]. ·Selah [Interlude]
People are like shadows moving about.
    All their ·work [or wealth; or turmoil] is ·for nothing [a breath/vapor; Luke 12:13–21; James 4:3–17];
they ·collect things [accumulate riches/wealth] but don’t know who will ·get [gather] them.

“So, Lord, what ·hope do I have [do I wait for]?
    You are my hope.
Save me from all my ·sins [transgressions].
    Don’t ·let wicked fools make fun of me [L set the scorn of fools on me].
I am quiet; I do not open my mouth,
    because you are the one who has done this.
10 ·Quit punishing me [L Turn your blows/scourge away from me];
    ·your beating is about to kill me [L I am exhausted/finished from the hostility/beatings of your hand].
11 You correct and punish people for their sins;
    like a moth, you destroy what they ·love [covet; desire].
Everyone’s life is only a ·breath [vapor; Eccl. 1:2]. ·Selah [Interlude]

12 Lord, hear my prayer,
    and listen to my cry.
    Do not ignore my tears.
I am like a ·visitor [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien] with you.
    Like my ·ancestors [fathers], I’m only ·here a short time [a temporary resident].
13 Leave me alone so I can be happy
    before I leave and am no more.”

39 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,

Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.

11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.

12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.

世事虛幻唯主是望

39 大衛的詩,交於伶長耶杜頓

我曾說:「我要謹慎我的言行,免得我舌頭犯罪。惡人在我面前的時候,我要用嚼環勒住我的口。」
我默然無聲,連好話也不出口,我的愁苦就發動了。
我的心在我裡面發熱,我默想的時候,火就燒起,我便用舌頭說話。
耶和華啊,求你叫我曉得我身之終,我的壽數幾何,叫我知道我的生命不長。
你使我的年日窄如手掌,我一生的年數,在你面前如同無有。各人最穩妥的時候,真是全然虛幻!(細拉)
世人行動實係幻影,他們忙亂真是枉然,積蓄財寶不知將來有誰收取。
主啊,如今我等什麼呢?我的指望在乎你。
求你救我脫離一切的過犯,不要使我受愚頑人的羞辱。
因我所遭遇的是出於你,我就默然不語。
10 求你把你的責罰從我身上免去,因你手的責打,我便消滅。
11 你因人的罪惡,懲罰他的時候,叫他的笑容[a]消滅,如衣被蟲所咬。世人真是虛幻!(細拉)
12 耶和華啊,求你聽我的禱告,留心聽我的呼求,我流淚,求你不要靜默無聲。因為我在你面前是客旅,是寄居的,像我列祖一般。
13 求你寬容我,使我在去而不返之先,可以力量復原。

Footnotes

  1. 詩篇 39:11 「的笑容」或作「所喜愛的」。