The whole Psalter translated into English Metre :: :: University of Virginia Library

King Dauid prayed as dumme to go,
before his cruell fo,
To scape from his wo: of sinne to be quyte,
And sayth that man is vanitie right
Euen mere vayne vanitie light
Uayne vanitie light.

This psalm aforesaid in an other Metre.

1

I haue decreed: to wayte my wayes,
lest tong should faute by strayes:
My mouth will I kepe: with bridle to tye,
While that I know my foe to be bye.
While he in vanitie lygheth,
In vanitie lygheth.

2

I held my tong, I nothyng sayd,
In silence domme I layde,
So lothe to reply: although to my payne,
Great griefe I felt: good worde to restrayne,
In world such vanitie raignth,
Such vanitie raignth.

3

But musing thus: I was in heat,
My hart did sore me freat:
For fire the payne: prouoked me much,
At last I spake: wyth murmuryng grutch,
I saw the vanitie such,
The vanitie such.

113

4

Lord let me know: myne ende of dayes,
the number how it layes:
So truely to touche, the certeintie yet,
How long shall nature respite her det,
To wayle my vanitie great,
My vanitie great.

5

As span thou metst: the dayes of myne,
And nought they be to thyne:
In breuitie set, all wrapped in feare,
God hap so far: great magre so neare,
Man is but vanitie here,
But vanitie here.

6

In shadow darke: man toylth wyth payne,
and vexth himselfe in vayne:
So gather he deare: goods carefully kept,
He knowth not yet, by whome to be rept,
So deepe in vanitie slept,
In vanitie stept.

7

And now O Lord what is my hope,
where men thus blyndly grope:
Thou truly my scope: art onely to see,
For man we know but shadow to bee,
Whole set in vanitie he,
In vanitie he.

8

O ryd me Lord that am so thrall,
from myne offences all:
That neuer I fall: as mocke and a scorne,
Of wycked men: wyth teeth to be torne,
Who be in vanitie borne.
In vanitie borne.

114

9

And domme I went in all my payne,
In mouth I dyd not playne:
I mynded agayne thy doyng among,
Thou wylt the iust to suffer a wrong,
Of man in vanitie strong,
In vanitie strong.

10

This plage for sinne yet take away,
O Lord to thee I pray:
For wasted I lay: thy hand is so fell,
Thy terrours great: my conscience swell.
I feele my vanitie well,
My vanitie well.

11

When thy rebukes: mans sinne correcth,
Hys strength is soone deiect:
Hys beauty so checkt: thou bringst it a sleepe,
As mothe in clothe: when slily they creepe,
Eche man is vanitie deepe,
Is vanitie deepe.

12

Expende my cry: bowe downe thyne eare,
O Lord my prayer heare:
My teares be thou neare: for straunger I am,
And ghest wyth thee: my fathers the same,
And they by vanitie lame,
By vanitie lame.

13

O spare a tyme: and cease my payne,
my strength to wynne agayne:
Before to refrayne: eare death doth me spy,
Consumde by thee: wyth irefull eye,
Lest I in vanitie dye,
In vanitie dye.