(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)
A Prayer for Forgiveness
1 I told myself, “I'll be careful
not to sin by what I say,
and I'll muzzle my mouth
when evil people are near.”
2 I kept completely silent,
but it did no good,
and I hurt even worse.
3 I felt a fire burning inside,
and the more I thought,
the more it burned,
until at last I said:
4 “Please, Lord,
show me my future.
Will I soon be gone?
5 You made my life short,
so brief that the time
means nothing to you.
“Human life is but a breath,
6 and it disappears
like a shadow.
Our struggles are senseless;
we store up more and more,
without ever knowing
who will get it all.
7 “What am I waiting for?
I depend on you, Lord!
8 Save me from my sins.
Don't let fools sneer at me.
9 You treated me like this,
and I kept silent,
not saying a word.
10 “Won't you stop punishing me?
You have worn me down.
11 You punish us severely
because of our sins.
Like a moth, you destroy
what we treasure most.
We are as frail as a breath.
12 “Listen, Lord, to my prayer!
My eyes are flooded with tears,
as I pray to you.
I am merely a stranger
visiting in your home
as my ancestors did.
13 Stop being angry with me
and let me smile again
before I am dead and gone.”
Omerihepuriro womundu momihihamo
Komuimburise Jedutun. Epsalme ra David.
1 Ami mba tja: “Ami me kara nongengezero
ku imbi mbi me tjiti,
kokutja ambi ha tjiti ourunde neraka randje;
hi nokuhungira ko otjiṋa
ovanauvi averi popezu.”
2 Ami mba mwina kumwi,
nu hi nyamukurire embo,
nangarire ohunga notjiṋa kaaṋi otjiwa!
Nungwari omihihamo vyandje vya ririra ko omizeu.
3 Ami mba kurungisiwa tjinene momutima,
notja tji me ripura tjinene,
moukoto wandje otji mu yaka omuriro;
notji mba pura nai:
4 “Muhona, me kara nomuinyo nga ruṋe?
Me koka ruṋe?
Ndji tjivisa ondjandero yandje.”
5 Tara, ove wa zikamisa kutja
omayuva wandje maye rire ouṱiṱi.
Nomuinyo wandje tjimuna katjiṋa
momurungu woye;
nomundu auhe nanga ngara wa zikama,
eye omungandjo uriri.
6 Omundu u ri otja otjizire porwe.
Atjihe tji ma ungura, otjo opouriri;
me rinyanyangizire outumbe,
nungwari ke nokutjiwa kutja mau rire owauṋe.
7 Nu nambano me undju tjike, Muhona?
Oove erike ngu u ri omaundjiro wandje.
8 Ndji kutura komauvi wandje aehe,
nu o tarere omayova amaye ndji nyekerere.
9 Ami me mwina, hi nokupaturura otjinyo tjandje,
orondu oove ngu wa tjita nao.
10 Isa ko omihihamo mbi wa
twa kombanda yandje;
omutwaro mbu wa twa kombanda
yandje we ndji wotamisa.
11 Ove u vera omauvi womundu nomberero yoye,
nu u nyona otja etoto ihi
tji tji ri otjinanḓengu ku ye.
Tjiri, omundu eye u ri otja ombepo uriri.
12 Muhona, zuvira ongumbiro yandje,
nu puratena kondjuriro yandje.
O mwina komahoze wandje,
notja ootate mukururume avehe,
ami owami omuyenda okaruveze okasupi.
13 Arikana, isa po omberero yoye ku ami,
kutja mbi yoroke rukwao,
ngunda ambi hiya ya nambi he tji ri po rukwao.
