To the chief Musician, for Yedutun, A Psalm of David.

For the conductor, [to be played] upon the yeduthun, a psalm of David.

I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep a curb on my mouth, while the wicked man is before me.

I [(Israel)] said [in my heart]: I will abide in my [(accustomed)] ways, not to sin with my tongue [(by questioning the attribute of justice)]. I will guard my mouth with a muzzle though the wicked are against me.

I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, had no comfort, and my pain was stirred up.

I was mute with silence [for many days]; I stilled myself from good [(Torah study) in fear of my foes], and my pain [(in doing this)] was grievous and sore.

My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned: then I spoke with my tongue,

And [(in my silence)], my heart was hot within me. A fire flamed in my thoughts, and [(compulsively)] I spoke with my tongue:

Lord, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is; I will know how frail I am.

Make known to me, O L rd, my end [i.e., How long will I suffer so?], and what is the extent of my days [(for such suffering)]? Let me know when I will be quit [of it]?

Behold, Thou hast made my days like handbreadths; and my age is as nothing before Thee: truly every man at his best state is altogether vanity. (Sela.)

You have set limits to my days, and my hoariness is as naught before You. Verily, all is vanity; all men are [thus, in vanity,] forever founded.

Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heaps up riches, and knows not who shall gather them.

Verily, man walks in darkness. Verily, in vanity do they desire. He amasses [grain in the field all the days of the harvest], and he does not know who will gather it in [to the house (It may be that he will die beforehand)].

And now, Lord, what do I wait for? my hope is in Thee.

And now, [(this being so)], what can I hope, O L rd? My hope to You is this:

Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the base man.

From all of my offenses, save me. Do not make me the shame of the churl [(Esav.) Bring suffering upon him (i.e., the nations), too, so that he cannot say: You are smitten and we are not!] [(This prayer availed to bring the affliction of illness upon the nations.)]

I am dumb, I open not my mouth; because Thou didst it.

I was mute; I did not open my mouth, for You wrought [(i.e., You brought more afflictions upon us than upon the other nations.)]

Remove Thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of Thy hand.

Remove Your afflictions from me. From the assault [i.e., the blows] of Your hand I perish.

When Thou with rebukes dost correct a man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. (Sela.)

With chastisements for sin [(those written in the Torah)] You have afflicted man [i.e., us], and You have rotted his flesh as a moth [rots a garment]. Verily, all man is vanity forever.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; keep not silence at my tears: for I am a stranger with Thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

Hear my prayer, O L rd, and listen to my cry. Do not be silent to my tears. For I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all of my fathers.

Look away from me, that I may recover brightness, before I go hence, and am no more.

Leave off from [afflicting] me, that I may recover, before I go and am no more.