Book of Common Prayer

102 The prayer of a poor man, when he was anguished, and shedded out his speech before the Lord. Lord, hear thou my prayer; and my cry come to thee. (The prayer of a poor man, when he was anguished, and poured out his words before the Lord. Lord, hear thou my prayer; and let my cry come unto thee.)

² Turn not away thy face from me; in whatever day I am troubled, bow down thine ear to me. In whatever day I shall inwardly call thee; hear thou me swiftly. (Turn not away thy face from me; on whatever day I am troubled, bow down thy ear to me. On whatever day that I shall call to thee, please swiftly answer thou me.)

³ For my days have failed as smoke; and my bones have dried up as croutons/as cracklings, either (the) leaving(s) of frying. (For my days have vanished like smoke; and my bones have dried up like croutons.)

⁴ I am smitten as hay, and mine heart (hath) dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread. (I am beaten down like dry grass; and I have forgotten to eat my food.)

⁵ Of the voice of my wailing; my bone cleaved to my flesh. (My voice waileth; for my bones cleave to my flesh.)

⁶ I am made like a pelican of (the) wilderness; I am made as a night crow in an house.

⁷ I waked; and I am made as a solitary sparrow in the roof. (I lie awake; and I am like a solitary sparrow on the rooftop.)

⁸ All day mine enemies despised me; and they that praised me swore against me. (All day long my enemies despise me; and those who be angry with me/and those who mock me, conspire against me.)

⁹ For I ate ashes as bread; and I meddled my drink with weeping. (For I have eaten ashes for food; and I have mixed my tears with my drink.)

¹⁰ From the face of the ire of thine indignation; for thou raising me [up] hast hurtled me down. (All because of thy anger, and thy indignation; for first thou hast raised me up, and then thou hast hurtled me down.)

¹¹ My days bowed away as a shadow; and I waxed dry as hay. (My days disappeared like a shadow; and I am dried up like the hay, or the grass.)

¹² But, Lord, thou dwellest [into] without end; and thy memorial in generation and into generation. (But, Lord, thou livest forever; and shalt be remembered by all generations.)

¹³ Lord, thou rising up, shalt have mercy on Zion (Lord, thou shalt rise up, and have mercy on Zion); for the time to have mercy thereof cometh, for the time cometh.

¹⁴ For the stones thereof pleased thy servants; and they shall have mercy on the land thereof. (For its stones pleased thy servants; and they even love its dust.)

¹⁵ And, Lord, heathen men shall dread thy name; and all kings of earth shall dread thy glory. (And, Lord, the heathen shall fear thy name; and all the kings of the earth shall fear thy glory.)

¹⁶ For the Lord hath built [up] Zion; and he shall be seen in his glory. (And when the Lord buildeth up Zion again; he shall be seen in all his glory.)

¹⁷ He beheld on the prayer of meek men; and he despised not the prayer of them. (He heareth the prayers of the humble; and he did not despise their prayers.)

¹⁸ Be these things written in another generation; and the people that shall be made shall praise the Lord. (These things be written for another generation; and then those people, yet to be, shall praise the Lord.)

¹⁹ For he beheld from his high holy place; the Lord looked from heaven into earth (the Lord looked down from heaven onto the earth).

²⁰ For to hear the wailings of fettered men; and for to unbind the sons of slain men.

²¹ That they tell in Zion the name of the Lord; and his praising in Jerusalem. (So that they tell out the Lord’s name in Zion; and his praises in Jerusalem.)

²² In gathering together peoples into one; and kings, that they serve the Lord. (Yea, when all peoples, and kingdoms, shall be gathered together into one, to serve the Lord.)

²³ It answered to him in the way of his virtue; Tell thou to me the fewness of my days. (But he hath weakened my strength along the way; he hath shortened my days.)

²⁴ Again-call thou not me in the middle of my days; thy years be in generation and into generation. (Please do not call me back in the middle of my days; thy years last for all generations.)

²⁵ Lord, thou foundedest the earth in the beginning; and (the) heavens be the works of thine hands.

²⁶ Those shall perish, but thou dwellest perfectly; and all shall wax eld as a cloth. And thou shalt change them as a covering, and those shall be changed; (They shall perish, but thou shalt live forever; all of them shall grow old like a cloak. And thou shalt change them like a covering, and they shall be changed;)

²⁷ but thou art the same thyself, and thy years shall not fail. (but thou thyself art the same, and thy years shall have no end.)

²⁸ The sons of thy servants shall dwell; and the seed of them shall be (ad)dressed, (or directed,) into the world. (The sons and daughters of thy servants shall live; and their children shall be secure before thee/and their descendants shall be established before thee.)

107 Alleluia. Acknowledge ye to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy is into the world. (Alleluia. Give ye thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his love is forever.)

² Say they, that be again-bought of the Lord; which he again-bought from the hand of the enemy, (Say they, who were redeemed by the Lord; whom he rescued from the power of the enemy,)

³ from countries he gathered them together. From the rising of the sun, and from the going down; from the north, and from the sea. (yea, he gathered them together from all the countries. From the rising of the sun, and from the going down of the same; from the north, and from the sea.)

⁴ They erred in wilderness, in a place without water; they found not way of the city of dwelling place. (They wandered about in the desert, in a place without water; they could not find the way to a city to live in.)

⁵ They were hungry and thirsty; their soul(s) failed in them.

⁶ And they cried to the Lord, when they were set in tribulation; and he delivered them from their needinesses. (And they cried to the Lord, when they were in trouble; and he saved them from all their distress.)

⁷ And he led forth them into the right way; that they should go into the city of dwelling. (And he led them forth by the right way; so that they came to a city to live in.)

⁸ The mercies of the Lord, acknowledge to him; and his marvels acknowledge to the sons of men. (Give thanks to the Lord for his constant love; and for the marvellous deeds which he hath done, for the sons and daughters of men.)

⁹ For he [ful]filled a void man; and he filled with goods an hungry man. (For he fulfilleth the thirsty; and he filleth the hungry with good things to eat.)

¹⁰ God delivered men sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death; and men imprisoned in beggary, and in iron(s).

¹¹ For they made bitter the speeches of God; and wrathed the counsel of the Highest. (Because they had rebelled against the words of God; and had rejected the counsel of the Most High.)

¹² And the heart of them was made meek in travails; and they were sick, and none was that helped (them). (And their hearts were made weary by their labour; and they were enfeebled, or weak, and there was no one to help them.)

¹³ And they cried to the Lord, when they were set in tribulation; and he delivered them from their needinesses. (And they cried to the Lord, when they were in trouble; and he saved them from all their distress.)

¹⁴ And he led them out of darknesses, and [the] shadow of death; and brake the bonds of them.

¹⁵ The mercies of the Lord, acknowledge to him; and his marvels, acknowledge to the sons of men. (Give thanks to the Lord for his constant love; and for the marvellous deeds which he hath done, for the sons and daughters of men.)

¹⁶ For he all-brake [the] brazen gates; and he brake [the] iron bars. (For he broke all the bronze gates; and the iron bars.)

¹⁷ He up-took them from the way of their wickedness; for they were made low for their unrightfulnesses. (And some were fools, and they went forth in their wicked ways; and they were made low for their unrighteousnesses.)

¹⁸ The soul of them loathed all meat (They hated all kinds of food); and they nighed unto the gates of death.

¹⁹ And they cried to the Lord, when they were set in tribulation; and he delivered them from their needinesses. (And they cried to the Lord, when they were in trouble; and he saved them from all their distress.)

²⁰ He sent his word, and healed them; and delivered them from the perishings of them (and saved them from death).

²¹ The mercies of the Lord, acknowledge to him; and his marvels to the sons of men. (Give thanks to the Lord for his constant love; and for the marvellous deeds which he hath done, for the sons and daughters of men.)

²² And offer they the sacrifice of praising; and tell they his works with full out joying. (And offer they the sacrifice of praise; and tell they about his works with rejoicing.)

²³ They that go down into the sea in ships; and make working in many waters. (And let others go down to the sea in ships; and do their work/and ply their trade in many waters.)

²⁴ They saw the works of the Lord; and his marvels in the depth. (And they saw the works of the Lord; and his marvellous deeds in the depths of the sea.)

²⁵ He said, and the spirit of tempest stood; and the waves thereof were areared. (He spoke, and the wind of the tempest stood still; and its waves were lifted up high.)

²⁶ They ascend till to heavens, and go down unto the depths; the soul of them failed in evils. (They were lifted up to the heavens, and then brought down to the depths; and their souls failed because of their troubles, yea, they lost all hope, or all courage.)

²⁷ They were troubled, and they were moved as a drunken man; and all the wisdom of them was devoured. (They were troubled, and they staggered around like drunken men; and all their wisdom, or all their skill, had fled.)

²⁸ And they cried to the Lord, when they were set in tribulation; and he led them out of their needinesses. (And they cried to the Lord, when they were in trouble; and he saved them from all their distress.)

²⁹ And he ordained the tempest thereof into a soft wind, either peaceability; and the waves thereof were still(ed).

³⁰ And they were glad, for those were still; and he led them forth into the haven of their will. (And they were glad that all was still; and he led them forth into the haven of their desire, yea, into a safe harbour.)

³¹ The mercies of the Lord, acknowledge to him; and his marvels to the sons of men. (Give thanks to the Lord for his constant love; and for the marvellous deeds which he hath done, for the sons and daughters of men.)

³² And enhance they him in the church of the people; and praise they him in the chair(s) of the elder men. (And let them exalt him in the congregation of the people; and praise they him in the council of the elders.)

3 Lo! I shall send mine angel, and he shall make ready the way before my face; and anon the Lord, whom ye seek, shall come to his holy temple, and the angel of the testament, whom ye will. Lo! he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts; (Lo! I shall send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before my face; and at once the Lord, whom ye seek, shall come to his holy Temple, and also the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in. Lo! he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts;)

² and who shall be able to think (on) the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? For he shall be as fire welling together, and as the herb of fullers, either tuckers; (and then who shall be able to even think, let alone endure, on the day of his coming? and who shall be able to stand firm to see him? For he shall be like a fire welling together, or purging and refining, and like fuller’s, or tucker’s, soap;)

³ and he shall sit welling together and cleansing silver, and he shall purge the sons of Levi; and he shall purge them as gold and as silver, and they shall be offering to the Lord sacrifices in rightwiseness. (and he shall sit welling together and cleansing, or purging and refining, silver, and he shall purge the Levites; yea, he shall refine them like gold and silver, and then they shall offer to the Lord sacrifices in righteousness.)

⁴ And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as the days of the world, and as old years. (And then the sacrifices, or the offerings, of Judah and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, like in the days of old, and like in the years long ago.)

⁵ And I shall come to you in doom, and I shall be a swift witness to mis-doers, either enchanters of devil’s craft, and to adulterers, and to forsworn men, and that falsely challenge the hire of an hired man, and widows, and fatherless children, and oppress a pilgrim, and dreaded not me, saith the Lord of hosts. (And I shall come to you in judgement, and I shall be a swift witness against all evil-doers, that is, enchanters of the devil’s craft, and adulterers, and perjurers, and those who cheat hired men out of their wages, and do wrong to widows, and fatherless, or motherless, children, and foreigners, yea, those who do not fear me/yea, those who do not revere, or respect, me, saith the Lord of hosts.)

⁶ Forsooth I am the Lord, and I am not changed; and ye sons of Jacob be not wasted. (Yea, I am the Lord, and I do not change; and so ye sons of Jacob be not completely lost, or separated from me.)

⁷ Forsooth from the days of your fathers ye went away from my lawful things, and kept not; turn ye again to me, and I shall again turn to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye said, In what thing shall we turn again? (Though from the days of your forefathers ye went away from my laws, and did not keep them; return ye to me, and I shall return to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye said, How can we return to thee?/Though from the days of your forefathers ye went away from my laws, and did not keep them; turn ye back to me, and I shall turn back to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye said, How do we turn back to thee?)

⁸ If a man shall torment God, for ye tormented me. And ye said, In what thing tormented we thee? In tithes and in first fruits; (Shall a man rob God, for ye have robbed me. And ye said, How have we robbed thee? In the matter of tithes and of first fruits;)

⁹ and ye be cursed in neediness, and all ye folk deceived me, and tormented. (and so ye be cursed with need, or with want, yea, your whole nation hath deceived me, and hath robbed me.)

¹⁰ Bring ye each tithe into my barn, that meat be in mine house, and prove ye me on this thing, saith the Lord, if I shall not open to you the gutters of heaven, and shall shed out to you blessing, till to abundance. (Bring ye each tithe into my barn, so that there be food in my House, and prove ye me on this thing, saith the Lord; see if I shall not open the windows of heaven for you, and pour out blessings upon you, yea, in abundance.)

¹¹ And I shall blame for you that that devoureth, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your land; neither barren vine shall be in the field, saith the Lord of hosts, (And I shall rebuke the devourers, or I shall forbid the pests, for your sakes, and they shall not destroy the fruit of your land; nor shall there be any barren vines in your fields, saith the Lord of hosts,)

¹² and all folks shall say you blessed; for ye shall be a desirable land, saith the Lord of hosts. (and all the nations shall say that you be blessed; for ye shall have a very desirable land/for yours shall be a very desirable land, saith the Lord of hosts.)

⁷ Therefore, brethren, be ye patient, till to the coming of the Lord. Lo! an earth-tiller abideth [the] precious fruit of the earth, patiently suffering, till he receive timeful and lateful fruit.

⁸ And be ye patient, and confirm ye your hearts, for the coming of the Lord shall approach. [And be ye patient, and confirm your hearts, for the coming of the Lord shall nigh.]

⁹ Brethren, do not ye be sorrowful each to other [Brethren, do not ye be scornful each to other], that ye be not deemed. Lo! the judge standeth nigh before the gate.

¹⁰ Brethren, take ye ensample of evil going out, and of long abiding, and travail [Brethren, take ye example of evil going out, and of long abiding of travail], and of patience, the prophets, that spake to you in the name of the Lord.

¹¹ Lo! we bless them that suffered. Ye have heard the patience of Job, and ye saw the end of the Lord, for the Lord is merciful, and doing mercy.

¹² Before all things, my brethren, do not ye swear, neither by heaven, neither by earth, neither by whatever other oath. But be your word Yea, yea, Nay, nay, that ye fall not under doom.

18 And he said to them also a parable, that it behooveth to pray evermore, and not [to] fail; [Forsooth he said also a parable to them, for it behooveth to pray ever, and not to fail;]

² and said, There was a judge in a city, that dreaded not God, neither shamed of men.^[a]

³ And a widow was in that city, and she came to him, and said [saying], Venge me of mine adversary;

⁴ and he would not long time [and he would not by much time]. But after these things he said within himself, Though I dread not God, and shame not of man,

⁵ nevertheless for this widow is heavy to me, I shall venge her; lest at the last she coming condemn me [lest at the last she coming strangle me].

⁶ And the Lord said, Hear ye, what the doomsman of wickedness saith;

⁷ and whether God shall not do [the] vengeance of his chosen, crying to him day and night, and shall have patience in them?

⁸ Soothly I say to you, for soon he shall do [the] vengeance of them. Nevertheless guessest thou, that man's Son coming shall find faith in earth?