1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? 2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: 3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. 4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. 8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more . 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? 13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; 14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: 15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. 16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be .
1 “Omuinyo womundu u ri otja otjiungura
tjoṋiṋikizire tjotjimbumba tjovita,
notja oviungura ovizeu vyokomake,
2 notja omukarere ngu ma
zeri omuzire omutarazu,
notja omuungure ngu ma
undju ondjambi ye.
3 Omueze nga komueze hi
notjiṋa tji mbi hupira;
ouṱuku nga kouṱuku mbi kara noruhoze.
4 Tji mba ka rara, ouṱuku unana;
mbi rara ame nyinganyinga
ouṱuku auhe ame zeri kutja pe tje.
5 Orutu rwandje rwe ura nomativa,
rwa vandekwa novinyuru;
outwika mau ziza movirwaro vyandje.
6 Omayuva wandje ye kapita
nokuhinomaundjiro,
nowo ye kapita hakahana
pomutiri womuwoze.
7 “Zemburuka, Ndjambi, kutja omuinyo
wandje osuvaneno uriri;
omeho wandje kamaa e kamuna
ondjoroka rukwao.
8 Ove nai mo ndji munu,
nungwari komoo ndji munu rukwao.
Tji mo ndji paha, ami tjandje mba i.
9 Otja otjikamba tji tji pizuka natji zengi,
omundu otje koka
10 na ha kotoka rukwao;
eye u zembwa i avehe mbe mu i.
11 Kako! Ami himee mwina ko!
Ami me hungire mombamisiro
yombepo yandje,
nu me urakana momatetarero
womuinyo wandje.
12 “Okutjavi tji mo ndji tjevere?
Mo ripura kutja owami
otjipuka otjitirise tjokuvare are?
13 Ami me rangavara ne roro okusuva;
me paha okukuturwa
komuhihamo wandje.
14 Nungwari ove,
ove mo ndji tirisa noturoto;
mo ndji urumisa
novirimunikise vyoturoto,
15 ngandu indu tji me ṱokusiniwa
komeho yokukara nai
norutu ndwi orunandjenda.
16 Ami mbe rihahiza;
mba urwa okukara nomuinyo.
Ndji esa mbi rikarere erike.
Omuinyo wandje otjikongo uriri.
17 “Okutjavi omundu tje ri
omunanḓengu nai kove?
Okutjavi tji mo rikende na
imbi eye mbi ma tjiti?
18 Ove u mu konḓonona omuhuka auhe
nu u mu rora okaruveze akehe.
19 Ko nokutaviza orure nai kwarwe, nga
ami tji mba ṋiṋa omate wandje are?
20 Ove, mutjevere wovandu,
wa hihamisiwa i ourunde wandje are?
Okutjavi tji mo ndji tjiti
omuhunga womayahero?
Owami omutwaro
omuzeu nai kove are?
21 Hapo, ko nokundjiisira
ouvi wandje are?
Ko nokundjizembira
ozondataiziro zandje are?
Nambano ami mbi ri
pokuhita meyendo randje;
nu tji mo ndji paha,
ami tjandje mba zengi.”
