I Will Watch My Ways

1 לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ (To the one directing). לִידִיתוּן (For Jeduthun). מִזְמ֥וֹר (A Psalm) לְדָוִֽד׃ (of David). אָמַ֗רְתִּי (I said), אֶֽשְׁמְרָ֣ה (I will guard) דְרָכַי֮ (my ways), מֵחֲט֪וֹא (from sinning) בִלְשׁ֫וֹנִ֥י (with my tongue); אֶשְׁמְרָ֥ה (I will guard) לְפִ֥י (my mouth) מַחְס֑וֹם (with a muzzle), בְּעֹ֖ד (as long as) רָשָׁ֣ע (a wicked one) לְנֶגְדִּֽי׃ (is before me).

2 נֶאֱלַ֣מְתִּי (I was mute) ד֭וּמִיָּה (in silence), הֶחֱשֵׁ֣יתִי (I kept silent) מִטּ֑וֹב (from good), וּכְאֵבִ֥י (and my pain) נֶעְכָּֽר׃ (was stirred up).

3 חַם־ (Became hot) לִבִּ֨י׀ (my heart) בְּקִרְבִּ֗י (within me) בַּהֲגִיגִ֥י (in my musing) תִבְעַר־ (was kindled); אֵ֑שׁ (a fire) דִּ֝בַּ֗רְתִּי (I have spoken) בִּלְשֽׁוֹנִי׃ (with my tongue),

4 הוֹדִ֘יעֵ֤נִי (Cause me to know), יְהוָ֨ה׀ (O YHWH), קִצִּ֗י (my end), וּמִדַּ֣ת (and the measure) יָמַ֣י (of my days)— מַה־ (what) הִ֑יא (is it), אֵ֝דְעָ֗ה (that I may know) מֶה־ (how) חָדֵ֥ל (fleeting) אָֽנִי׃ (I am).

5 הִנֵּ֤ה (Behold), טְפָח֨וֹת׀ (as handbreadths) נָ֘תַ֤תָּה (have made) יָמַ֗י (my days), וְחֶלְדִּ֣י (and my lifetime) כְאַ֣יִן (as nothing) נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ (before You). אַ֥ךְ (Truly) כָּֽל־ (each one) הֶ֥בֶל (is a vapor), כָּל־ (each) אָ֝דָ֗ם (man) נִצָּ֥ב (is stationary). סֶֽלָה׃ (Selah)

6 אַךְ־ (surely) בְּצֶ֤לֶם׀ (like a shadow) יִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־ (goes about) אִ֗ישׁ (every man); אַךְ־ (surely) הֶ֥בֶל (in vain) יֶהֱמָי֑וּן (they are in commotion); יִ֝צְבֹּ֗ר (he heaps up) וְֽלֹא־ (and not) יֵדַ֥ע (does know) מִי־ (who) אֹסְפָֽם׃ (will gather them).

7 וְעַתָּ֣ה (And now), מַה־ (what) קִּוִּ֣יתִי (am I waiting), אֲדֹנָ֑י (O Lord)? תּ֝וֹחַלְתִּ֗י (My hope), לְךָ֣ (in You) הִֽיא׃ (it is).

8 מִכָּל־ (From all) פְּשָׁעַ֥י (my transgressions) הַצִּילֵ֑נִי (may You deliver me); חֶרְפַּ֥ת (make me) נָ֝בָ֗ל (of the fool) אַל־ (not) תְּשִׂימֵֽנִי׃ (shall you make me).

9 נֶ֭אֱלַמְתִּי (I have become mute); לֹ֣א (and not) אֶפְתַּח־ (did I open) פִּ֑י (my mouth), כִּ֖י (O that) אַתָּ֣ה (You) עָשִֽׂיתָ׃ (would act).

10 הָסֵ֣ר (Turn away) מֵעָלַ֣י (from me) נִגְעֶ֑ךָ (Your plague); מִתִּגְרַ֥ת (by the blow) יָ֝דְךָ֗ (of Your hand) אֲנִ֣י (I) כָלִֽיתִי׃ (am consumed).

11 בְּֽתוֹכָ֘ח֤וֹת (With rebukes) עַל־ (over) עָוֺ֨ן׀ (iniquity) יִסַּ֬רְתָּ (You discipline) אִ֗ישׁ (a man), וַתֶּ֣מֶס (you melt away) כָּעָ֣שׁ (like a moth) חֲמוּד֑וֹ (the things he desires); אַ֤ךְ (surely) הֶ֖בֶל (is a vapor) כָּל־ (every) אָדָ֣ם (man). סֶֽלָה׃ (Selah)

12 שִֽׁמְעָ֥ה־ (hear) תְפִלָּתִ֨י׀ (my prayer), יְהוָ֡ה (O YHWH), וְשַׁוְעָתִ֨י׀ (and to my cry) הַאֲזִינָה֮ (turn your ear); אֶֽל־ (at) דִּמְעָתִ֗י (my tears) אַֽל־ (not) תֶּ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ (should You be silent), כִּ֤י (for) גֵ֣ר (a sojourner) אָנֹכִ֣י (I am) עִמָּ֑ךְ (with You), תּ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב (a settler) כְּכָל־ (like all) אֲבוֹתָֽי׃ (my fathers).

13 הָשַׁ֣ע (Turn Your gaze) מִמֶּ֣נִּי (from me) וְאַבְלִ֑יגָה (that I might be made glad), בְּטֶ֖רֶם (before) אֵלֵ֣ךְ (I go on) וְאֵינֶֽנִּי׃ (and am no more).