The Confession of a Sufferer
1 I said, “I will be careful about what I do
and will not let my tongue make me sin;
I will not say anything
while evil people are near.”
2 I kept quiet, not saying a word,
not even about anything good!
But my suffering only grew worse,
3 and I was overcome with anxiety.
The more I thought, the more troubled I became;
I could not keep from asking:
4 “Lord, how long will I live?
When will I die?
Tell me how soon my life will end.”
5 How short you have made my life!
In your sight my lifetime seems nothing.
Indeed every living being is no more than a puff of wind,
6 no more than a shadow.
All we do is for nothing;
we gather wealth, but don't know who will get it.
7 What, then, can I hope for, Lord?
I put my hope in you.
8 Save me from all my sins,
and don't let fools make fun of me.
9 I will keep quiet, I will not say a word,
for you are the one who made me suffer like this.
10 Don't punish me any more!
I am about to die from your blows.
11 You punish our sins by your rebukes,
and like a moth you destroy what we love.
Indeed we are no more than a puff of wind!
12 Hear my prayer, Lord,
and listen to my cry;
come to my aid when I weep.
Like all my ancestors
I am only your guest for a little while.
13 Leave me alone so that I may have some happiness
before I go away and am no more.
Par cilvēka niecību
1 Korvedim Jedūtūnam. Dāvida psalms .
2 Es teicu: sargāšu savus ceļus,
ka negrēkoju ar mēli,
sargāšu savu muti ar iemauktiem,
kamēr ļaundaris manā priekšā!
3 Mēms biju un kluss, un rāms pār mēru,
bet manas sāpes tik pieņēmās.
4 Gruzdēja sirds man krūtīs,
un es kunkstēju, jo uguns koda,
tad runāju ar savu mēli:
5 ļauj, Kungs, uzzināt manu galu
un manu dienu mēru – kāds tas? –
lai zinu, cik nīcīgs es!
6 Tik sprīžiem tu mēri manu dzīvi,
un mans mūžs tavā priekšā nekas.
Patiesi, cilvēks tik dvesma vien ir!
7 Patiesi, kā ēna cilvēks staigā,
patiesi, tik dvesma ir viņa pūles –
krāj un nezina, kam tiks.
8 Ko tagad lai gaidu, Kungs?
Mana cerība ir uz tevi!
9 Glāb mani no katra grēka,
nelgām par apsmieklu neliec mani!
10 Mēms biju un nevēru muti,
jo tu esi tas, kas dara.
11 Noņem man savu pārmācību –
tavas rokas ķerts, es nīkstu!
12 Rādams par grēkiem, tu cilvēku māci,
tu ēd kā kode to, kas tam tīk, –
patiesi, tik dvesma ir cilvēks!
13 Jel uzklausi manu lūgšanu, Kungs,
un manus saucienus dzirdi,
manās asarās neskaties klusēdams,
jo viesis esmu pie tevis
un piemitējs kā mani tēvi!
14 Novērsies, lai es atspirgstu,
pirms es aizeju un nav manis!
