Old/New Testament

119 Alleluia. [Aleph]. Blessed be men without wem in the way; that go in the law of the Lord. (Alleluia. Happy be they whose lives be without blemish, or without fault; who walk in the Law of the Lord.)

² Blessed be they, that seek his witnessings; and seek him in all the heart. (Happy be they who obey his teachings, or his commands; and who seek him, or obey him, with all their heart.)

³ For they that work wickedness; went not in his ways. (For they who work wickedness, went not in his ways.)

⁴ Thou hast commanded; that thy behests be kept greatly. (Thou hast commanded, that thy precepts, or thy laws, be diligently kept.)

⁵ I would that my ways were (ad)dressed; to keep thy justifyings. (I desire that my ways be directed; so that I can obey thy statutes.)

⁶ Then I shall not be shamed; when I shall behold perfectly in(to) all thy behests. (Then I shall not be shamed, if I fix my eyes on thy commandments.)

⁷ I shall acknowledge to thee in the (ad)dressing of mine heart; in that that I learned the dooms of thy rightfulnesses. (I shall praise thee with my heart properly directed, when I have learned thy righteous judgements./I shall praise thee with a pure heart, when I have learned thy just decrees.)

⁸ I shall keep thy justifyings; forsake thou not me on each side. (I shall obey thy statutes; do not thou abandon me on any side/never desert thou me.)

⁹ [Beth]. In what thing amendeth a young waxing man his way? in keeping thy words. (How may a young man correct his way? by obeying thy words, or thy commands.)

¹⁰ In all mine heart I sought thee; put thou me not away from thy behests. (With all my heart I have sought thee; let me not stray from thy commandments.)

¹¹ In mine heart I hid thy speeches; that I do not sin against thee. (I hid thy words in my heart; so that I will not sin against thee.)

¹² Lord, thou art blessed; teach thou me thy justifyings. (Lord, blessed art thou; teach thou me thy statutes.)

¹³ In my lips I have pronounced; all the dooms of thy mouth. (With my lips I have declared, all the judgements, or the laws, from thy mouth.)

¹⁴ I delighted in the way of thy witnessings; (as much) as in all riches. (I delighted in the way of thy teachings, or thy commands; as much as in great riches.)

¹⁵ I shall be exercised, either busily occupied, in thy behests; and I shall behold thy ways. (I shall think about thy precepts; and I shall study thy ways.)

¹⁶ I shall bethink in thy justifyings; I shall not forget thy words. (I shall delight myself in thy statutes; I shall not forget thy words, or thy commands.)

¹⁷ [Gimel]. Yield to thy servant; quicken thou me, and I shall keep thy words. (Grant this to thy servant; that thou let me live, and that I obey thy commands.)

¹⁸ Lighten thou mine eyes; and I shall behold the marvels of thy law. (Open thou my eyes; and I shall see the marvels, or the wonders, that come forth from thy Law.)

¹⁹ I am a comeling in earth; hide thou not thy behests from me. (I am a newcomer, or a stranger, here on earth; hide thou not thy commandments from me.)

²⁰ My soul coveted to desire thy justifyings; in all time. (My soul desireth to know thy judgements; at all times.)

²¹ Thou blamedest the proud; they be cursed, that bow away from thy behests. (Thou hast rebuked the proud; cursed be they who turn away from thy commandments.)

²² Do thou away from me shame and despising; for I sought thy witnessings. (Do thou away from me all shame and despising; for I have kept thy commands/for I have obeyed thy laws/for I have followed thy teachings.)

²³ For why princes sat, and spake against me; but thy servant was exercised in thy justifyings. (For the rulers sit, and speak against me; but thy servant studied, and thought about, thy statutes/but thy servant shall study, and shall think about, thy statutes.)

²⁴ For why and thy witnessings is my thinking; and my counsel is thy justifyings. (For thy teachings, or thy commands, be my delight; and they be my counsellors.)

²⁵ [Daleth]. My soul cleaved to the pavement; quicken thou me by thy word. (My body lieth on the ground/lieth in the dust; grant thou me life according to thy word.)

²⁶ I told out my ways, and thou heardest me; teach thou me thy justifyings. (I told thee all that I had done, and thou heardest me/and thou answeredest me; teach thou me thy statutes.)

²⁷ Learn thou me the way of thy justifyings; and I shall be exercised in thy marvels. (Teach thou me the way of thy precepts; and I shall think about thy marvels, or thy wonders.)

²⁸ My soul napped for, or because of, harm; confirm thou me in thy words. (I was harmed/My body was harmed, and could not sleep; strengthen thou me with thy words.)

²⁹ Remove thou from me the way of wickedness; and in thy law have thou mercy on me. (Remove thou me, or keep me away, from the ways of wickedness; and in thy Law have mercy upon me.)

³⁰ I chose the way of truth; I forgat not thy dooms (I did not forget thy judgements).

³¹ Lord, I cleaved to thy witnessings; do not thou shame me. (Lord, I have held fast to thy teachings, or thy commands; do not let me be shamed.)

³² I ran the way of thy commandments; when thou alargedest mine heart. (I shall go the way of thy commandments; for thou hast enlarged my heart.)

³³ [He]. Lord, set thou to me a law, the way of thy justifyings; and I shall seek it ever[more]. (Lord, set thou thy Law before me, yea, the way of thy statutes; and I shall follow it forevermore.)

³⁴ Give thou understanding to me, and I shall seek thy law; and I shall keep it in all mine heart. (Give thou understanding to me, and I shall follow thy Law; yea, I shall obey it with all my heart.)

³⁵ Lead me forth in the path of thy behests; for I would it. (Lead me forth on the path of thy commandments; for I delight in them/for that is what I desire.)

³⁶ Bow down mine heart into thy witnessings; and not into avarice. (Turn my heart to thy teachings, or thy commands; and not to greed.)

³⁷ Turn thou away mine eyes, that they see not vanity; quicken thou me in thy way. (Turn thou away my eyes from the empty, and the worthless; grant thou me life in thy way.)

³⁸ Ordain thy speech to thy servant; (who is) in thy dread. (Ordain thy word to thy servant; who feareth thee/who hath reverence for thee.)

³⁹ Cut away my shame, which I supposed; for thy dooms be merry. (Turn away the shame, or the rebuke, which I fear; for thy judgements be good.)

⁴⁰ Lo! I coveted thy commandments; quicken thou me in thine equity. (Lo! I desired to obey thy precepts; grant thou me life in thy righteousness.)

⁴¹ [Vau]. And, Lord, thy mercy come [up]on me; thine health come by thy speech. (And, Lord, let thy love come to me; let thy salvation, or thy deliverance, come according to thy word.)

⁴² And I shall answer a word to men saying shame to me; for I hoped in thy words. (And then I shall answer a word to those shaming me; for I put my trust in thy words.)

⁴³ And take thou not away from my mouth the word of truth utterly; for I hoped above in thy dooms. (And never take away the word of truth from my mouth; for I put my hope in thy judgements, or in thy decrees.)

⁴⁴ And I shall keep thy law ever[more]; into the world, and into the world of world. (And I shall obey thy Law forevermore; yea, forever and ever.)

⁴⁵ And I went in largeness; for I sought thy commandments. (And I shall walk in freedom; for I have sought out thy commandments.)

⁴⁶ And I spake of thy witnessings in the sight of kings; and I was not shamed. (And I shall speak of thy teachings, or thy commands, before kings; and I shall not be ashamed.)

⁴⁷ And I bethought in thy behests; which I loved. (And I delight myself in thy commandments; which I love.)

⁴⁸ And I raised mine hands to thy commandments, which I loved; and I shall be exercised in thy justifyings. (And I shall raise up my hands to thy commandments, which I love; and I shall think about thy statutes.)

⁴⁹ [Zain]. Lord, have thou mind on thy word to thy servant (Lord, remember thy word to thy servant); in which word thou hast given hope to me.

⁵⁰ This comforted me in my lowness; for thy word quickened me. (This comforted me in my time of trouble; for thy word hath given me life.)

⁵¹ Proud men did wickedly (to me) by all things; but I bowed not away from thy law. (The proud and the boastful have scorned me in all things; but I have not turned away from thy Law.)

⁵² Lord, I was mindful of thy dooms from the world; and I was comforted. (Lord, I remember thy judgements of long ago; and I am comforted.)

⁵³ Failing held me; for sinners forsaking thy law. (Anger taketh hold of me; when I think of the sinners who desert thy Law.)

⁵⁴ Thy justifyings were delightable to me to be sung; in the place of my pilgrimage. (Thy statutes were delightful for me to sing about; here on my pilgrimage.)

⁵⁵ Lord, I had mind of thy name by night; and I kept thy law. (Lord, I remember thy name in the night; and I obey thy Law.)

⁵⁶ This thing was made to me; for I sought thy justifyings. (And this is true of me; that I have kept thy precepts/that I have obeyed thy commands.)

⁵⁷ [Cheth]. Lord, my part; I said to keep thy law. (Lord, thou art my portion; I have said that I would obey thy Law.)

⁵⁸ I besought thy face in all mine heart; have thou mercy on me by thy speech. (I sought thee out with all my heart; have thou mercy on me according to thy word.)

⁵⁹ I bethought (on) my ways; and I turned my feet into thy witnessings. (I thought about my ways; and I have turned my feet to follow thy teachings.)

⁶⁰ I am ready, and I am not troubled; to keep thy commandments. (I am ready, and I have not delayed, to obey thy commandments.)

⁶¹ The cords of sinners have embraced me; and I have not forgotten thy law. (The cords of the sinners have entangled me; but I have not forgotten thy Law.)

⁶² At midnight, I rose to acknowledge to thee; on the dooms of thy justifyings. (At midnight, I rise to give thee thanks/I rise to give thee praise; for all thy righteous judgements.)

⁶³ I am partner of all that dread thee; and keep thy behests. (I am a partner of all who fear thee/I am a friend of all who revere thee; of all who obey thy precepts.)

⁶⁴ Lord, the earth is full of thy mercy; teach thou me thy justifyings. (Lord, the earth is full of thy love; teach thou me thy statutes.)

⁶⁵ [Teth]. Lord, thou hast done goodness with thy servant; by thy word. (Lord, thou hast been kind to thy servant; yea, according to thy word.)

⁶⁶ Teach thou me goodness, and lore, either chastising, and knowing; for I believed to thy behests. (Teach thou me goodness, and knowledge, or discipline; for I trust in thy commandments.)

⁶⁷ Before that I was made meek, I trespassed; therefore I kept thy speech. (Before that I was punished, I trespassed; but thereafter, I have obeyed thy word.)

⁶⁸ Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach thou me thy justifyings. (Thou art good, and thou doest good; teach thou me thy statutes.)

⁶⁹ The wickedness of them that be proud, is multiplied on me; but in all mine heart I shall seek thy behests. (The wicked lies of them, who be proud, be multiplied against me; but I shall follow thy precepts with all my heart.)

⁷⁰ The heart of them is crudded, either made hard, as milk; but I bethought (on) thy law. (Their hearts be like curdled milk; but I delight in thy Law.)

⁷¹ It is good to me, that thou hast made me meek; that I learn thy justifyings. (It was good for me, that thou hast punished me; so that I would learn thy statutes.)

⁷² The law (out) of thy mouth is better to me; than thousands of gold and silver. (The Law from thy mouth meaneth more to me/is more valuable to me, than a fortune in gold and silver.)

⁷³ [Jod]. Thine hands made me, and formed me; give thou understanding to me, that I learn thy behests. (Thy hands made me, and formed me; now give thou me understanding, so that I can learn thy commandments.)

⁷⁴ They that dread thee shall see me, and they shall be glad; for I hoped more on thy words. (They who fear thee/They who revere thee, shall be glad when they see me; for I trust in thy words.)

⁷⁵ Lord, I knew, that thy dooms be equity; and in thy truth thou hast made me meek. (Lord, I know, that thy judgements be just; and that thou hast punished me because of thy faithfulness.)

⁷⁶ Thy mercy be made, that it comfort me; by thy speech to thy servant. (Let thy love comfort me; yea, according to thy word to thy servant.)

⁷⁷ Thy merciful doings come to me, and I shall live; for thy law is my thinking. (Let thy mercy come to me, and then I shall live; for thy Law is my delight.)

⁷⁸ They that be proud be shamed, for unjustly they did wickedness against me; but I shall be exercised in thy behests. (Let they who be proud be shamed, for unjustly, or for no reason, they did wickedly against me; but I shall think about thy precepts.)

⁷⁹ They that dread thee be turned to me; and they that know thy witnessings. (Let they who fear thee/Let they who revere thee, turn to me; yea, all who know thy teachings.)

⁸⁰ Mine heart be made unwemmed in thy justifyings; that I be not shamed. (Let my heart obey thy statutes, and be without blemish, or without fault; and so I shall not shamed.)

⁸¹ [Caph]. My soul failed into thine health; and I hoped more in thy word. (My soul fainteth waiting for thy salvation, or thy deliverance; but still I trust in thy word.)

⁸² Mine eyes failed into thy speech; saying, When shalt thou comfort me? (My eyes fail waiting for thy word; and so I ask, When shalt thou comfort me?)

⁸³ For I am made as a bouget, (or a bottle,) in frost; (yet) I have not forgotten thy justifyings. (For I am shriveled up, like a wineskin in the smoke; but I have not forgotten thy statutes.)

⁸⁴ How many be the days of thy servant; when thou shalt make doom of them that pursue me? (How many days must thy servant wait? when shalt thou bring judgement upon those who persecute me?)

⁸⁵ Wicked men told to me janglings; but (they be) not as thy law. (The wicked gossiped about me; and they do not obey thy Law.)

⁸⁶ All thy commandments be truth; wicked men have pursued me, help thou me. (All thy commandments be faithful/be trustworthy, and shall stand forever; the wicked persecute me, help thou me!)

⁸⁷ Almost they ended me in [the] earth; but I forsook not thy commandments. (Yea, they almost brought me to an end here on the earth; but I did not forsake thy precepts.)

⁸⁸ By thy mercy quicken thou me; and I shall keep the witnessings of thy mouth. (In thy mercy/In thy love, grant thou me life; so that I can obey the teachings from thy mouth.)

²⁰ Each man in what calling he is called, in that dwell he.

²¹ Thou servant art called, be it no charge to thee [Thou a servant art called, be it not charge to thee]; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

²² He that is a servant, and is called in the Lord, is a free man of the Lord. Also [and] he that is a free man, and is called, is the servant of Christ.

²³ With price ye be bought; do not ye be made servants of men.

²⁴ Therefore each man in what thing he is called a brother, dwell he in this with God. [Each man therefore in what calling he is called, in that dwell he with God.]

²⁵ But of virgins I have no commandment of God; but I give counsel, as he that hath gotten mercy of the Lord, that I be true.

²⁶ Therefore I guess, that this thing is good for the present need; for it is good to a man to be so [for it is good for a man to be so].

²⁷ Thou art bound to a wife, do not thou seek unbinding; thou art unbound from a wife, do not thou seek a wife.

²⁸ But if thou hast taken a wife, thou hast not sinned; and if a maiden is wedded, she sinned not; nevertheless such shall have tribulation of flesh. But I spare you.

²⁹ Therefore, brethren [And so, brethren], I say this thing, The time is short. Another is this, that they that have wives, be as though they had none;

³⁰ and they that weep, as they wept not; and they that joy, as they joyed not; and they that buy, as they had not;

³¹ and they that use this world, as they that use [it] not. For why the figure of this world passeth.^[a]

³² But I will, that ye be without busyness [Forsooth I will you to be without busyness], for he that is without wife, is busy what things be of the Lord, how he shall please God.

³³ But he that is with a wife, is busy what things be of the world, how he shall please the wife [how he shall please his wife], and he is parted.

³⁴ And a woman unwedded and [a] maiden thinketh what things be of the Lord, that she be holy in body and spirit. But she that is wedded, thinketh what things be of the world, how she shall please the husband [how she shall please her husband].

³⁵ And I say these things to your profit, not that I cast to you a snare, but to that that is seemly, and that giveth easiness, without hindering to make prayers to the Lord. [Soothly I say these things to your profit, not that I cast to you a snare, but to that that is honest, and that giveth facility, or easiness, without letting to beseech to the Lord.]

³⁶ And if any man guesseth himself to be seen foul on his virgin, that she is full waxen [that she is well old], and so it behooveth to be done, do she that that she will^[b]; she sinneth not, if she be wedded^[c].

³⁷ For he that ordained stably in his heart [For why he that ordained stably, or steadfast, in his heart], not having need, but having power of his will, and hath deemed in his heart this thing, to keep his virgin [for to keep his virginity], doeth well.

³⁸ Therefore he that joineth his virgin in matrimony, doeth well; and he that joineth not, doeth better.

³⁹ The woman is bound to the law, as long time as her husband liveth; and if her husband is dead, she is delivered from the law of the husband [she is delivered from the law], be she wedded to whom she will, only in the Lord.

⁴⁰ But she shall be more blessed, if she dwelleth thus [if she shall thus dwell], after my counsel; and I ween, that I have the Spirit of God.