1 WYC Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man. BSB BSB: “Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
2 WYC As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk; BSB BSB: Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
3 WYC so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me. BSB BSB: So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed to me.
4 WYC If Y schal slepe, Y schal seie, Whanne schal Y rise? and eft Y schal abide the euentid, and Y schal be fillid with sorewis `til to derknessis. BSB BSB: When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
5 WYC Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere. BSB BSB: My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.
6 WYC My daies passiden swiftliere thanne a web is kit doun `of a webstere; and tho daies ben wastid with outen ony hope. BSB BSB: My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
7 WYC God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis. BSB BSB: Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
8 WYC Nethir the siyt of man schal biholde me; but thin iyen ben in me, and Y schal not `be in deedli lijf. BSB BSB: The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
9 WYC As a cloude is wastid, and passith, so he that goith doun to helle, schal not stie; BSB BSB: As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up.
10 WYC nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym. BSB BSB: He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
11 WYC Wherfor and Y schal not spare my mouth; Y schal speke in the tribulacioun of my spirit, Y schal talke togidere with the bitternesse of my soule. BSB BSB: Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 WYC Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun? BSB BSB: Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
13 WYC If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed; BSB BSB: When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
14 WYC thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis. BSB BSB: then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
15 WYC Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth. BSB BSB: so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
16 WYC `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt. BSB BSB: I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
17 WYC What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym? BSB BSB: What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
18 WYC Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym. BSB BSB: that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
19 WYC Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele? BSB BSB: Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
20 WYC Y haue synned; A! thou kepere of men, what schal Y do to thee? Whi hast thou set me contrarie to thee, and Y am maad greuouse to my silf? BSB BSB: If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
21 WYC Whi doist thou not awei my sinne, and whi takist thou not awei my wickidnesse? Lo! now Y schal slepe in dust, and if thou sekist me eerli, Y schal not abide. BSB BSB: Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.