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¹ Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth? and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hyreling?² As a seruant longeth for the shadowe, and as an hyreling looketh for the ende of his worke,³ So haue I had as an inheritance the moneths of vanitie, and painefull nights haue bene appointed vnto me.⁴ If I layed me downe, I sayde, 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 flesh is clothed with wormes and filthinesse of the dust: my skinne is rent, and become horrible.⁶ My dayes are swifter then a weauers shittle, and they are spent without hope.

⁷ Remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall not returne to see pleasure.⁸ The eye that hath seene me, shall see me no more: thine eyes are vpon me, and I shall be no longer.⁹ As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goeth downe to the graue, shall come vp no more.¹⁰ He shall returne no more to his house, neither shall his place knowe him any more.¹¹ Therefore I will not spare my mouth, but will speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bitternesse of my minde.¹² Am I a sea or a whalefish, that thou keepest me in warde?¹³ When I say, My couch shal relieue me, and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation,¹⁴ Then fearest thou me with dreames, and astonishest me with visions.¹⁵ Therefore my soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to die, then to be in my bones.¹⁶ I abhorre it, I shall not liue alway: spare me then, for my dayes are but vanitie.

¹⁷ What is man, that thou doest magnifie him, and that thou settest thine heart vpon him?¹⁸ And doest visite him euery morning, and tryest him euery moment?¹⁹ Howe long will it be yer thou depart from me? thou wilt not let me alone whiles I may swallowe my spettle.²⁰ I haue sinned, what shal I do vnto thee? O thou preseruer of me, why hast thou set me as a marke against thee, so that I am a burden vnto my selfe?²¹ And why doest thou not pardon my trespasse? and take away mine iniquitie? for nowe shall I sleepe in the dust, and if thou seekest me in the morning, I shall not be found.