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[1] Knyythod is lijf of man on erthe, and his daies ben as the daies of an hired man.
[2] As an hert desireth schadowe, and as an hirede man abideth the ende of his werk;
[3] so and Y hadde voide monethis, and Y noumbrede trauailous niytes to me.
[4] 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.
[5] Mi fleisch is clothid with rot, and filthis of dust; my skyn driede vp, and is drawun togidere.
[6] My daies passiden swiftliere thanne a web is kit doun `of a webstere; and tho daies ben wastid with outen ony hope.
[7] God, haue thou mynde, for my lijf is wynde, and myn iye schal not turne ayen, that it se goodis.
[8] Nethir the siyt of man schal biholde me; but thin iyen ben in me, and Y schal not `be in deedli lijf.
[9] As a cloude is wastid, and passith, so he that goith doun to helle, schal not stie;
[10] nether schal turne ayen more in to his hows, and his place schal no more knowe hym.
[11] 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.
[12] Whether Y am the see, ethir a whal, for thou hast cumpassid me with prisoun?
[13] If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed;
[14] thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis.
[15] Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth.
[16] `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.
[17] What is a man, for thou `magnifiest hym? ether what settist thou thin herte toward hym?
[18] Thou visitist hym eerly, and sudeynli thou preuest hym.
[19] Hou long sparist thou not me, nether suffrist me, that Y swolowe my spotele?
[20] 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?
[21] 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.
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