1 WYC A man is borun of a womman, and lyueth schort tyme, and is fillid with many wretchidnessis. BSB BSB: “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
2 WYC Which goith out, and is defoulid as a flour; and fleeth as schadewe, and dwellith neuere perfitli in the same staat. BSB BSB: Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
3 WYC And gessist thou it worthi to opene thin iyen on siche a man; and to brynge hym in to doom with thee? BSB BSB: Do You open Your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You?
4 WYC Who may make a man clene conseyued of vnclene seed? Whether not thou, which art aloone? BSB BSB: Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!
5 WYC The daies of man ben schorte, the noumbre of his monethis is at thee; thou hast set, ethir ordeyned, hise termes, whiche moun not be passid. BSB BSB: Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
6 WYC Therfor go thou awey fro hym a litil, `that is, bi withdrawyng of bodili lijf, that he haue reste; til the meede coueitid come, and his dai is as the dai of an hirid man. BSB BSB: look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.
7 WYC A tree hath hope, if it is kit doun; and eft it wexith greene, and hise braunches spreden forth. BSB BSB: For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.
8 WYC If the roote therof is eeld in the erthe, and the stok therof is nyy deed in dust; BSB BSB: If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,
9 WYC it schal buriowne at the odour of watir, and it schal make heer, as whanne it was plauntid first. BSB BSB: at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.
10 WYC But whanne a man is deed, and maad nakid, and wastid; Y preye, where is he? BSB BSB: But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?
11 WYC As if watris goen awei fro the see, and a ryuer maad voide wexe drie, BSB BSB: As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,
12 WYC so a man, whanne he hath slept, `that is, deed, he schal not rise ayen, til heuene be brokun, `that is, be maad newe; he schal not wake, nether he schal ryse togidere fro his sleep. BSB BSB: so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.
13 WYC Who yiueth this to me, that thou defende me in helle, and that thou hide me, til thi greet veniaunce passe; and thou sette to me a tyme, in which thou haue mynde on me? BSB BSB: If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!
14 WYC Gessist thou, whethir a deed man schal lyue ayen? In alle the daies, in whiche Y holde knyythod, now Y abide, til my chaungyng come. BSB BSB: When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.
15 WYC Thou schalt clepe me, and Y schal answere thee; thou schalt dresse the riyt half, `that is, blis, to the werk of thin hondis. BSB BSB: You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.
16 WYC Sotheli thou hast noumbrid my steppis; but spare thou my synnes. BSB BSB: For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.
17 WYC Thou hast seelid as in a bagge my trespassis, but thou hast curid my wickidnesse. BSB BSB: My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
18 WYC An hil fallynge droppith doun; and a rooche of stoon is borun ouer fro his place. BSB BSB: But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,
19 WYC Watris maken stoonys holowe, and the erthe is wastid litil and litil bi waischyng a wey of watir; and therfor thou schalt leese men in lijk maner. BSB BSB: as water wears away the stones and torrents wash away the soil, so You destroy a man’s hope.
20 WYC Thou madist a man strong a litil, that he schulde passe with outen ende; thou schalt chaunge his face, and schalt sende hym out. BSB BSB: You forever overpower him, and he passes on; You change his countenance and send him away.
21 WYC Whether hise sones ben noble, ether vnnoble, he schal not vndurstonde. BSB BSB: If his sons receive honor, he does not know it; if they are brought low, he is unaware.
22 WYC Netheles his fleisch, while he lyueth, schal haue sorewe, and his soule schal morne on hym silf. BSB BSB: He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.