The Confession of a Sufferer
1 I said, “I will be careful about what I do
and will not let my tongue make me sin;
I will not say anything
while evil people are near.”
2 I kept quiet, not saying a word,
not even about anything good!
But my suffering only grew worse,
3 and I was overcome with anxiety.
The more I thought, the more troubled I became;
I could not keep from asking:
4 “Lord, how long will I live?
When will I die?
Tell me how soon my life will end.”
5 How short you have made my life!
In your sight my lifetime seems nothing.
Indeed every living being is no more than a puff of wind,
6 no more than a shadow.
All we do is for nothing;
we gather wealth, but don't know who will get it.
7 What, then, can I hope for, Lord?
I put my hope in you.
8 Save me from all my sins,
and don't let fools make fun of me.
9 I will keep quiet, I will not say a word,
for you are the one who made me suffer like this.
10 Don't punish me any more!
I am about to die from your blows.
11 You punish our sins by your rebukes,
and like a moth you destroy what we love.
Indeed we are no more than a puff of wind!
12 Hear my prayer, Lord,
and listen to my cry;
come to my aid when I weep.
Like all my ancestors
I am only your guest for a little while.
13 Leave me alone so that I may have some happiness
before I go away and am no more.
Ehempululo muuwehame
Episalomi lyaDavid
1 Onda ti:
“Ondi na okukotokela iilonga yandje
noitandi ethele elaka lyandje mokuyona.
Itandi ti sha, manga aakolokoshi ye li popepi.”
2 Onda mwena, nda tya thilu,
naashoka shu uka!
Ihe uuwehame wandje owa nayipala
3 nonda legwa kothina.
Sho nde shi dhiladhila,
omwenyo gwandje ogwa lindimana;
ngame nonda pula:
4 “Omuwa, tseyithila ndje ehulilo lyandje,
uule womasiku gandje,
opo ndi pikule kutya ngame oshipipili.”
5 Omasiku gandje owe ga ningi omashona
nokukalamwenyo kwandje momeho goye itaku ti sha.
Kehe omuntu okwa fa okambiya
6 nenge omuzizimba gwowala.
Ashihe shi ta ningi, itashi kwatha sha;
ota ndumbile omaliko ye ina tseya kutya otaga ka ninga galye.
7 Omuwa, ano ondi na okutegamena shike?
Omungoye ndi na etegameno.
8 Hupitha ndje momayono gandje agehe,
noino etha, aagoya ya yole ndje.
9 Otandi mwena, itandi ti nando osha,
oshoka ongoye wa pe ndje uudhigu mbuka.
10 Ino geela ndje we!
Ngame ondi li pokusa komadhengo goye
11 Oondjo dhomuntu oto dhi geele nomaputudho goye,
ongoshushi, to halakanitha po shoka e hole.
Osho omuntu kehe ki ivule nokambiya.
12 Omuwa, uva egalikano lyandje,
u pulakene kokulila kwandje;
ila, u kwathe ndje, sho te hekumuna.
Ngaashi ootate ayehe,
nangame wo omuyenda gwoye okathimbo okafupi kowala.
13 Etha ndje, ndi ikalele, opo ndi mone enyanyu lyasha,
manga inee pepuka po noki po we!
