Chapter 39
1 I said to myself , "I will be careful not to sin by the things that I say [MTY]. I will not say anything to complain while wicked people are near to me and can hear me ."
2 So I was completely silent [DOU], and I did not even talk about things that were good, but it was useless, because I began to suffer even more.
3 I became very anxious/worried [IDM]. As I thought about my troubles , I became more worried. Then finally I said [MTY],
4 "Yahweh, show/tell me how long I will live. Tell me when I will die. Tell me how many years I will live!
5 It seems that you have caused me to live only a short time; ◄my lifetime/all the time that I have lived► seems like nothing to you. The time that all we humans live is as short as [MET] a puff of wind. (Think about that!)
6 Then we disappear like a shadow does. It seems that all that we do is for nothing/useless. We sometimes get a lot of money, but we do not know who will get it after we die .
7 So now, Yahweh, if I expect [RHQ] to receive blessings from other people , I will be disappointed. You are the only one from whom I confidently expect to receive blessings .
8 Save me from being punished for all the sins that I have committed. And do not allow foolish people to make fun of me.
9 I did not say anything when you punished me , because I knew that you were the one who caused me to suffer .
10 But now, please stop punishing me! If you do not do that , I am about to die because of the ways that you [SYN] have struck/afflicted me.
11 When you rebuke someone and punish him for the sin that he has committed, you destroy the things that ◄he loves/are precious to him►, like moths’ larva destroy clothing. Our lives disappear like a puff of wind. (Think about that!)
12 Yahweh, listen to me while I pray; pay attention to me while I cry out to you. Help me while I am crying. I am here on the earth for only a short time, like all my ancestors.
13 Now please leave me alone, and do not punish me any more in order that I may smile and be happy for a while before I die. [EUP, DOU]"