1BOOK FOURTH: “A prayer of Moses the man of God.” Lord, a place of refuge hast thou been unto us in all generations.

2Before yet the mountains were brought forth, or thou hadst ever produced the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

3Thou turnest man to contrition, and sayest, Return ye children of men.

4For a thousand years are in thy eyes but as the yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

5Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning [they grow] like the grass which changeth.

6In the morning it blossometh, and is changed: in the evening it is mowed off, and withereth.

7For [thus] are we consumed by thy anger, and by thy fury are we terrified.

8Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our concealed sins before the light of thy countenance.

9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we consume our years like a word that is spoken.

10The days of our years in this life are seventy years; and if by uncommon vigor they be eighty, yet is their greatness trouble and mishap; for it soon hasteneth off, and we fly away.

11Who knoweth the strength of thy anger, and thy wrath which is like the fear of thee?

12Let us then know how to number our days, that we may obtain a heart endowed with wisdom.

13Return, O Lord, how long yet? and bethink thee concerning thy servants.

14O satisfy us in the morning with thy kindness, that we may be glad and rejoice throughout all our days.

15Cause us to rejoice as many days as those wherein thou hast afflicted us, the years wherein we have seen unhappiness.

16Let thy act be visible on thy servants, and thy majesty over their children.

17And may the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and the work of our hands do thou firmly establish upon us: yea, the work of our hands—firmly establish thou it.