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The Vanity of Life.

¹ I said, "I will ^(C1)guard my ways
That I ^(C2)may not sin with my tongue;
I will muzzle ^(C3)my mouth
While the wicked are in my presence."

² I was ^(C1)mute and silent before my enemies,
I refrained even from good,
And my ^(F1)distress grew worse.

³ My ^(C1)heart was hot within me.
While I was musing the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ "LORD, let me know ^(C1)my life's end
And to appreciate the extent of my days;
Let me know how ^(C2)frail I am how transient is my stay here.

⁵ "Behold, You have made ^(C1)my days as short as hand widths,
And my ^(C2)lifetime is as nothing in Your sight.
Surely every man at his best is ^(C3)a mere breath a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes! ^(VR1) Selah.

⁶ "Surely every man ^(C1)walks around like a shadow in a charade;
Surely they make an ^(C2)uproar for nothing;
Each one ^(C3)builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them. ^(VR1)

⁷ "And now, Lord, for what do I expectantly wait?
My ^(C1)hope my confident expectation is in You.

⁸ "^(C1)Save me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me the ^(C2)scorn and reproach of the self-righteous, arrogant fool.

⁹ "I am ^(C1)mute, I do not open my mouth,
Because it is ^(C2)You who has done it.

¹⁰ "^(C1)Remove Your plague from me;
I am wasting away because of ^(C2)the conflict and opposition of Your hand.

¹¹ "With ^(C1)rebukes You discipline man for sin;
You ^(C2)consume like a moth what is precious to him;
Surely ^(C3)every man is a mere breath a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes. Selah.

¹² "^(C1)Hear my prayer, O LORD, and listen to my cry;
Do not be silent ^(C2)at my tears;
For I am Your ^(C3)temporary guest,
A ^(C4)sojourner like all my fathers.

¹³ "O ^(C1)look away from me, that I may smile and again know joy
Before I depart and am no more."