§ The Book of Psalms 38

1 Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David.

1 In finem, ipsi Idithun. Canticum David.

2 I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.

2 Dixi: Custodiam vias meas: ut non delinquam in lingua mea. Posui ori meo custodiam, cum consisteret peccator adversum me.

3 I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.

3 Obmutui, et humiliatus sum, et silui a bonis; et dolor meus renovatus est.

4 My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.

4 Concaluit cor meum intra me; et in meditatione mea exardescet ignis.

5 I spoke with my tongue: O Lord, make me know my end. And what is the number of my days: that I may know what is wanting to me.

5 Locutus sum in lingua mea: Notum fac mihi, Domine, finem meum, et numerum dierum meorum quis est, ut sciam quid desit mihi.

6 Behold thou hast made my days measurable: and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.

6 Ecce mensurabiles posuisti dies meos, et substantia mea tamquam nihilum ante te. Verumtamen universa vanitas, omnis homo vivens.

7 Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.

7 Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo; sed et frustra conturbatur: thesaurizat, et ignorat cui congregabit ea.

8 And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.

8 Et nunc quæ est exspectatio mea: nonne Dominus? et substantia mea apud te est.

9 Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.

9 Ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis erue me: opprobrium insipienti dedisti me.

10 I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.

10 Obmutui, et non aperui os meum, quoniam tu fecisti;

11 Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:

11 amove a me plagas tuas.

12 thou hast corrected man for iniquity. And thou hast made his soul to waste away like a spider: surely in vain is any man disquieted.

12 A fortitudine manus tuæ ego defeci in increpationibus: propter iniquitatem corripuisti hominem. Et tabescere fecisti sicut araneam animam ejus: verumtamen vane conturbatur omnis homo.

13 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: give ear to my tears. Be not silent: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were.

13 Exaudi orationem meam, Domine, et deprecationem meam; auribus percipe lacrimas meas. Ne sileas, quoniam advena ego sum apud te, et peregrinus sicut omnes patres mei.