Whereas ye know not what {shall be} on the morrow. For what {is} your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. {It...: or, For it is}

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale {that is told}. {passed...: Heb. turned away} {as a...: or, as a meditation}

When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man {is} vanity. Selah. {his...: Heb. that which is to be desired in him to melt away}

Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

Behold, thou hast made my days {as} an handbreadth; and mine age {is} as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state {is} altogether vanity. Selah. {at...: Heb. settled}

{So} the posts that rode upon mules {and} camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

Whereas ye know not what {shall be} on the morrow. For what {is} your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. {It...: or, For it is}

Man {that is} born of a woman {is} of few days, and full of trouble. {few...: Heb. short of days}

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Behold, thou hast made my days {as} an handbreadth; and mine age {is} as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state {is} altogether vanity. Selah. {at...: Heb. settled}

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. {from: Heb. from the hand}

Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, {even} upon the thirteenth {day} of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and {to take} the spoil of them for a prey.

My days are past, my purposes are broken off, {even} the thoughts of my heart. {the thoughts: Heb. the possessions}

Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day {even} to night wilt thou make an end of me. {with...: or, from the thrum}

One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at {one} end,

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

{Are} not my days few? cease {then, and} let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

O remember that my life {is} wind: mine eye shall no more see good. {shall...: Heb. shall not return} {see: to see, that is, to enjoy}

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed {it} with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, {and} riders on mules, camels, {and} young dromedaries: