The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 <A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.> Lord, you have been our resting-place in all generations.
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O Lord, you have always been our home.
2 Before the mountains were made, before you had given birth to the earth and the world, before time was, and for ever, you are God.
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Before you created the hills or brought the world into being, you were eternally God, and will be God forever.
3 You send man back to his dust; and say, Go back, you children of men.
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You tell us to return to what we were; you change us back to dust.
4 For to you a thousand years are no more than yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.
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A thousand years to you are like one day; they are like yesterday, already gone, like a short hour in the night.
5 ...
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You carry us away like a flood; we last no longer than a dream. We are like weeds that sprout in the morning,
6 In the morning it is green; in the evening it is cut down, and becomes dry.
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that grow and burst into bloom, then dry up and die in the evening.
7 We are burned up by the heat of your passion, and troubled by your wrath.
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We are destroyed by your anger; we are terrified by your fury.
8 You have put our evil doings before you, our secret sins in the light of your face.
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You place our sins before you, our secret sins where you can see them.
9 For all our days have gone by in your wrath; our years come to an end like a breath.
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Our life is cut short by your anger; it fades away like a whisper.
10 The measure of our life is seventy years; and if through strength it may be eighty years, its pride is only trouble and sorrow, for it comes to an end and we are quickly gone.
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Seventy years is all we have - eighty years, if we are strong; yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow; life is soon over, and we are gone.
11 Who has knowledge of the power of your wrath, or who takes note of the weight of your passion?
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Who has felt the full power of your anger? Who knows what fear your fury can bring?
12 So give us knowledge of the number of our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom.
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Teach us how short our life is, so that we may become wise.
13 Come back, O Lord; how long? let your purpose for your servants be changed.
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How much longer will your anger last? Have pity, O Lord, on your servants!
14 In the morning give us your mercy in full measure; so that we may have joy and delight all our days.
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Fill us each morning with your constant love, so that we may sing and be glad all our life.
15 Make us glad in reward for the days of our sorrow, and for the years in which we have seen evil.
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Give us now as much happiness as the sadness you gave us during all our years of misery.
16 Make your work clear to your servants, and your glory to their children.
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Let us, your servants, see your mighty deeds; let our descendants see your glorious might.
17 Let the pleasure of the Lord our God be on us: O Lord, give strength to the work of our hands.
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Lord our God, may your blessings be with us. Give us success in all we do!
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.