But as for me, I have not hurriedaway from [being] a shepherdafterYou, Norhave I longedfor the woefulday;You Yourselfknowthat the utteranceof my lipsWas in Your presence.
But You knowme, O LORD;You seeme; And You examinemy heart's[attitude] towardYou. Dragthem offlike sheepfor the slaughterAnd setthem apartfor a dayof carnage!
But ifyou will not listento it, My soulwill sobin secretfor [such] pride;And my eyeswill bitterlyweepAnd flowdownwith tears,Becausethe flockof the LORDhas been takencaptive.
You who know,O LORD,Rememberme, takenoticeof me, And takevengeancefor me on my persecutors.Do not, in view of Your patience,takeme away; Knowthat for Your sakeI endurereproach.
Should goodbe repaidwith evil?For they have duga pitfor me. Rememberhow I stoodbeforeYou To speakgoodon their behalf,So as to turnawayYour wrathfrom them.
O LORD,You have deceivedme and I was deceived;You have overcomeme and prevailed.I have becomea laughingstockalldaylong; Everyonemocksme.
But if I say,"I will not rememberHim Or speakanymorein His name,"Then in my heartit becomeslike a burningfireShutup in my bones;And I am wearyof holding[it] in, And I cannotendure[it].
Ohthat my headwere watersAnd my eyesa fountainof tears,That I might weepdayand nightFor the slainof the daughterof my people!
They hatehim who reprovesin the gate,And they abhorhim who speaks[with] integrity.
howI did not shrinkfrom declaringto you anythingthat was profitable,and teachingyou publiclyand from house to house,
"For I did not shrinkfrom declaringto you the wholepurposeof God.
For our proud confidenceis this:the testimonyof our conscience,that in holinessand godlysincerity,not in fleshlywisdombut in the graceof God,we have conductedourselves in the world,and especiallytowardyou.
For we are not likemany,peddlingthe wordof God,but as from sincerity,but as from God,we speakin Christin the sightof God.
[This] you know,my belovedbrethren.But everyonemust be quickto hear,slowto speak[and] slowto anger;
Let not many[of you] becometeachers,my brethren,knowingthat as such we will incura stricterjudgment.
