المَزامِير 39

١ 1 لِقَائِدِ الْمُنْشِدِينَ، مَزْمُورٌ لِدَاوُدَ قُلْتُ: «أَحْرِصُ عَلَى حُسْنِ الْمَسْلَكِ فَلَا يُخْطِئُ لِسَانِي الْقَوْلَ. سَأَكُمُّ فَمِي عَنِ الْكَلامِ مَادَامَ الشِّرِّيرُ أَمَامِي».

For the end, a Song of David, to Idithun. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I set a guard on my mouth, while the sinner stood in my presence.

٢ 2 صَمَتُّ صَمْتاً. أَمْسَكْتُ حَتَّى عَنِ الْخَيْرِ، فَثَارَ وَجَعِي.

I was dumb, and humbled myself, and kept silence from good [words]; and my grief was renewed.

٣ 3 الْتَهَبَ قَلْبِي فِي دَاخِلِي، وَفِي تَأَمُّلِي اشْتَعَلَتْ فِيَّ النَّارُ، فَأَطْلَقْتُ لِسَانِي بِالْكَلامِ.

My heart grew hot within me, and a fire would kindle in my (meditation) I spoke with my tongue,

٤ 4 يَا رَبُّ عَرِّفْنِي مَتَى تَكُونُ نِهَايَتِي، وَكَمْ تَطُولُ أَيَّامِي فَأُدْرِكَ أَنَّنِي إِنْسَانٌ زَائِلٌ.

O Lord, make me to know mine end, and the number of my days, what it is; that I may know what I lack.

٥ 5 هُوَذَا قَدْ جَعَلْتَ حَيَاتِي قَصِيرَةً، وَعُمْرِي كَلَا شَيْءَ أَمَامَكَ. كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ حَيٍّ لَيْسَ سِوَى نَفْخَةٍ!

Behold, you have made my days old; and my existence [is] as nothing before you: nay, every man living [is] altogether vanity. (Pause)

٦ 6 إِنَّمَا كَخَيَالٍ يَتَمَشَّى الإِنْسَانُ، فَعَبَثاً يُكَافِحُ النَّاسُ. يَجْمَعُ الْوَاحِدُ مِنْهُمْ ثَرْوَةً وَلَا يَدْرِي مَنْ يَرِثُهَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ.

Surely man walks in a shadow; nay, he is disquieted in vain: he lays up treasures, and knows not for whom he shall gather them.

٧ 7 وَالآنَ، فَأَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَنْتَظِرُ يَا رَبُّ؟ إِنَّمَا فِيكَ رَجَائِي.

And now what [is] my expectation? [is it] not the Lord? and my ground [of hope] is with you. (Pause)

٨ 8 نَجِّنِي مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَعَاصِيَّ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي عَاراً عِنْدَ الأَحْمَقِ.

Deliver me from all my transgressions: you have made me a reproach to the foolish.

٩ 9 صَمَتُّ. لَا أَفْتَحُ فَمِي، لأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ فَعَلْتَ هَذَا.

I was dumb, and opened not my mouth; for you are he that made me.

١٠ 10 ارْفَعْ عَنِّي ضَرْبَتَكَ فَقَدْ فَنِيْتُ مِنْ صَفْعَةِ يَدِكَ.

Remove your scourges from me: I have fainted by reason of the strength of your hand.

١١ 11 عِنْدَمَا تُؤَدِّبُ الإِنْسَانَ بِالتَّوْبِيخِ عَلَى الإِثْمِ، تُتْلِفُ بَهَاءَهُ إِتْلافَ الْعُثِّ. إِنَّمَا كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ نَفْخَةٌ.

You chasten man with rebukes for iniquity, and you make his life to consume away like a spider's web; nay, every man is disquieted in vain. (Pause)

١٢ 12 يَا رَبُّ اسْمَعْ صَلاتِي. وَأَصْغِ إِلَى صُرَاخِي، وَلَا تَسْكُتْ أَمَامَ دُمُوعِي، لأَنِّي غَرِيبٌ عِنْدَكَ وَعَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ كَجَمِيعِ آبَائِي.

O Lord, listen to my prayer and my supplication: attend to my tears: be not silent, for I am a sojourner in the land, and a stranger, as all my fathers [were].

١٣ 13 حَوِّلْ غَضَبَكَ عَنِّي فَأَنْتَعِشَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ أَمُوتَ وَيَخْتَفِيَ أَثَرِي.

Spare me, that I may be refreshed, before I depart, and be no more.