תהילים 39

1 לַמְנַצֵּחַ (לידיתון) [לִֽידוּתוּן] מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ אָמַרְתִּי אֶשְׁמְרָה דְרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי אֶשְׁמְרָה לְפִי מַחְסוֹם בְּעֹד רָשָׁע לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃

I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin ·err (the standard goal)· with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”

2 נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּֽר׃

I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred.

3 חַם־לִבִּי ׀ בְּקִרְבִּי בַּהֲגִיגִי תִבְעַר־אֵשׁ דִּבַּרְתִּי בִּלְשׁוֹנִֽי׃

My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue:

4 הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְהֹוָה ׀ קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה־הִיא אֵדְעָה מֶֽה־חָדֵל אָֽנִי׃

“Adonai, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am.

5 הִנֵּה טְפָחוֹת ׀ נָתַתָּה יָמַי וְחֶלְדִּי כְאַיִן נֶגְדֶּךָ אַךְ כׇּֽל־הֶבֶל כׇּל־אָדָם נִצָּב סֶֽלָה׃

Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” (Selah) ·contemplation with musical interlude·.

6 אַךְ־בְּצֶלֶם ׀ יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־אִישׁ אַךְ־הֶבֶל יֶהֱמָיוּן יִצְבֹּר וְֽלֹא־יֵדַע מִֽי־אֹסְפָֽם׃

“Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and does not know who shall gather.

7 וְעַתָּה מַה־קִּוִּיתִי אֲדֹנָי תּוֹחַלְתִּי לְךָ הִֽיא׃

Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you.

8 מִכׇּל־פְּשָׁעַי הַצִּילֵנִי חֶרְפַּת נָבָל אַל־תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃

Deliver me from all my rebellious breaches of relationships. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish.

9 נֶאֱלַמְתִּי לֹא אֶפְתַּח־פִּי כִּי אַתָּה עָשִֽׂיתָ׃

I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it.

10 הָסֵר מֵעָלַי נִגְעֶךָ מִתִּגְרַת יָדְךָ אֲנִי כָלִֽיתִי׃

Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11 בְּֽתוֹכָחוֹת עַל־עָוֺן ׀ יִסַּרְתָּ אִישׁ וַתֶּמֶס כָּעָשׁ חֲמוּדוֹ אַךְ הֶבֶל כׇּל־אָדָם סֶֽלָה׃

When you rebuke and correct man for depravity (moral evil), You consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” (Selah) ·contemplation with musical interlude·.

12 שִׁמְעָֽה תְפִלָּתִי ׀ יְהֹוָה וְשַׁוְעָתִי ׀ הַאֲזִינָה אֶֽל־דִּמְעָתִי אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַשׁ כִּי גֵר אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ תּוֹשָׁב כְּכׇל־אֲבוֹתָֽי׃

“Sh'ma ·Hear obey· my prayer, Adonai, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were.

13 הָשַׁע מִמֶּנִּי וְאַבְלִיגָה בְּטֶרֶם אֵלֵךְ וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃

Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more.”