Domine, refugium. A prayer for the mercy of God: recounting the shortness and miseries of the days of man.

[1] A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation.
Oratio Moysi, hominis Dei. Domine, refugium factus es nobis a generatione in generationem.

[2] Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed; from eternity and to eternity thou art God.
Priusquam montes fierent, aut formaretur terra et orbis, a saeculo et usque in saeculum tu es Deus.

[3] Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.
Ne avertas hominem in humilitatem; et dixisti : Convertimini, filii hominum.

[4] For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,
Quoniam mille anni ante oculos tuos tamquam dies hesterna quae praeteriit, et custodia in nocte;

[5] Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.
quae pro nihilo habentur eorum anni erunt.

[6] In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.
Mane sicut herba transeat; mane floreat, et transeat; vespere decidat, induret, et arescat.

[7] For in thy wrath we have fainted away: and are troubled in thy indignation.
Quia defecimus in ira tua, et in furore tuo turbati sumus.

[8] Thou hast set our iniquities before thy eyes: our life in the light of thy countenance.
Posuisti iniquitates nostras in conspectu tuo, saeculum nostrum in illuminatione vultus tui.

[9] For all our days are spent; and in thy wrath we have fainted away. Our years shall be considered as a spider:
Quoniam omnes dies nostri defecerunt; et in ira tua defecimus. Anni nostri sicut aranea meditabuntur;

[10] The days of our years in them are threescore and ten years. But if in the strong they be fourscore years: and what is more of them is labour and sorrow. For mildness is come upon us: and we shall be corrected.
dies annorum nostrorum in ipsis septuaginta anni. Si autem in potentatibus octoginta anni, et amplius eorum labor et dolor; quoniam supervenit mansuetudo, et corripiemur.

[11] Who knoweth the power of thy anger, and for thy fear
Quis novit potestatem irae tuae,

[12] Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.
et prae timore tuo iram tuam dinumerare? Dexteram tuam sic notam fac, et eruditos corde in sapientia.

[13] Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.
Convertere, Domine; usquequo? et deprecabilis esto super servos tuos.

[14] We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.
Repleti sumus mane misericordia tua; et exsultavimus, et delectati sumus omnibus diebus nostris.

[15] We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast humbled us: for the years in which we have seen evils.
Laetati sumus pro diebus quibus nos humiliasti, annis quibus vidimus mala.

[16] Look upon thy servants and upon their works: and direct their children.
Respice in servos tuos et in opera tua, et dirige filios eorum.

[17] And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.
Et sit splendor Domini Dei nostri super nos; et opera manuum nostrarum dirige super nos, et opus manuum nostrarum dirige.