2 “How I long for the months gone by,

for the days when God watched over me,

3 when his lamp shone on my head

and by his light I walked through darkness!

4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,

when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house,

2 Oh that I were as in months past,

As in the days when God preserved me;

3 When his candle shined upon my head,

And when by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the days of my youth,

When the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

2 “I long for the years gone by

when God took care of me,

3 when he lit up the way before me

and I walked safely through the darkness.

4 When I was in my prime,

God’s friendship was felt in my home.

2 “Oh, that I were as in months past,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When His lamp shone upon my head,

And when by His light I walked through darkness;

4 Just as I was in the days of my prime,

When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;

2 “How I wish for the months that have passed

and the days when God watched over me.

3 God’s lamp shined on my head,

and I walked through darkness by his light.

4 I wish for the days when I was strong,

when God’s close friendship blessed my house.

2 Oh that I were as in the months of old,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When his lamp shined upon my head,

And by his light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the ripeness of my days,

When the friendship of God was upon my tent;

2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when †God preserved me; 3 When his lamp shone over my head, and by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret counsel of †God was over my tent,

2 “If only my life could be like it used to be, 

in the days when God watched over me, 

3 when he made his lamp shine on my head, 

when I walked through the dark in his light. 

4 If only I were in the prime of my life ⸤again⸥, 

when God was an adviser in my tent. 

2 If only I could be as in months gone by,

in the days when God watched over me,

3 when His lamp shone above my head,

and I walked through darkness by His light!

4 I would be as I was in the days of my youth

when God’s friendship rested on my tent,

2 “O that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me;

3 when his lamp shone over my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness;

4 when I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent;

2 “O that I were as in the months before,

as in the days when God watched over me,

3 when his shining lamp was over my head—

by his light I walked through darkness—

4 as when I was in the days of my prime,

when God’s confiding was over my house,

2 “How I long for the good old days!

That’s when God watched over me.

3 The light of his lamp shone on me.

I walked through darkness by his light.

4 Those were the best days of my life.

That’s when God’s friendship blessed my house.

2 “Oh that I were as in months gone by,

As in the days when God watched over me;

3 When His lamp shone over my head,

And by His light I walked through darkness;

4 As I was in the prime of my days,

When the friendship of God was over my tent;