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¹ Is ther not an appoynted time to man vpon earth? Are not his dayes also like the dayes of an hired seruaunt?² For like as a bonde seruaunt desireth the shadowe, and as an hyreling woulde fayne haue the rewarde of his worke:³ Euen so haue I laboured whole monethes long in vayne, and many a carefull night haue I tolde.⁴ When I layde me downe to sleepe, I sayde, O when shall I arise? and measuring the euening, I am euen full with tossing to and fro vnto the dawning of the day.⁵ My fleshe is clothed with wormes and dust of the earth: my skinne is withered and become horrible.⁶ My dayes passe ouer more spedyly then a weauers shuttle, and are spent without hope.

⁷ O remember that my lyfe is but a winde, and that myne eye shall no more see pleasures:⁸ Yea and the eye that hath seene me, shal see me no more: for yer thou fasten thyne eye vpon me, I come to naught.⁹ The cloude is consumed and vanished away: so he that goeth downe to the graue shall come no more vp,¹⁰ Nor turne againe into his house, neither shall his place knowe him any more.¹¹ Therfore I wil not spare my mouth, but I will speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bitternesse of my mynde.¹² Am I a sea or a whale fish, that thou kepest me [so] in prison?¹³ When I say, My bed shal comfort me, I shall haue some refreshing by talking to my selfe vpon my couch:¹⁴ Then fearest thou me with dreames, & makest me so afrayde through visions,¹⁵ That my soule wisheth rather to perishe and die, then my bones to remayne.¹⁶ I can see no remedy, I shall liue no more: O spare me then, for my dayes are but vanitie.

¹⁷ What is man that thou doest magnifie him? and that thou settest thy heart vpon him?¹⁸ Thou visitest him early and euery day, euery moment doest thou trie him.¹⁹ Why goest thou not fro me, nor lettest me alone, so long till I may swalowe downe my spyttle?²⁰ I haue offended, what shall I do vnto the, O thou preseruer of men? Why hast thou set me [as a marke] against thee, so that I am a burden to my selfe?²¹ Why doest thou not pardon my trespasses, and take away myne iniquitie? Behold, nowe must I sleepe in the dust, and if thou sekest me to morowe in the morning, I shal not be.