우리에게 잘 알려져 있는 "나이 드는 것을 위한 기도" 원문을 옮겨 본다.
다만 고어체로 된 것을 현대문으로 고쳤을 뿐이다.
 
   특히 두번째 구절 "제가 말이 많아지지 않게 하여 주시고, 특히 모든 경우에 모든 것에 대하여 무엇인가 말해야 겠다고 생각하는 무서운 습관으로부터 저를 지켜 주소서"하는  기도문과 
 
    세번째 구절 "모든 이들의 일을 해결해 주고자 참견하는 것에서 벗어나게 하소서" 하는  내용
 
    다섯번째 " 때로는 잘못을 저지를 수 있다는 소중한 교훈을 저에게 가르치소서" 하는 구절이
 
    그리고 마지막 문장 "그러나 전지하신 하나남, 저는 최후의 순간에 몇몇 친구가 곁에 있기를 원합니다" 하는 내용이 마음에 든다.
 
   Lord,  You know that I am growing older.
 
  Keep me from becoming too talkative, and particularly keep me from falling
into the tiresome habit of expressing an opinion on every subject.
 
   Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Keep
my mind free from the recital of endless details. Give me wings to get to the
point.
 
   Give me grace, dear Lord,  to listen to others describe their aches and
pains. Help me endure the boredom with patience and to keep my lips sealed,
for my own aches and pains are increasing in number and intensity and the
pleasure of discussing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
 
   Teach me the glorious lesson that, occasionally, I might be mistaken. Keep
me reasonably sweet. I do not wish to be a saint (some saints are so hard
to live with) but a sour old person is the work of the devil.
 
   Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not pushy; independent,
yet able to accept with graciousness favors that others wish to bestow on
me.
 
   Free me of the notion that simply because I have lived a long time I am
wiser than those who have not lived so long.
 
   If I do not approve of some of the changes that have taken place in
recent years, give me the wisdom to keep my mouth shut.
 
   Lord knows that when the end comes I would like to have a friend or
two left.