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Ancient Grecian and Roman ladies used to reckon their age from the date of their marriage. Many wise persons have reckoned their years from the time that they really began to live as they ought. Mere existence can hardly be said to be living.

"We live in deeds, not years — in thoughts, not breaths,

In feelings, not in figures on a dial:

We should count time by heart-throbs: he lives most

Who feels most, thinks the noblest, acts the best."A good man was once told he might live six years if he gave up working, but he would die in two or three years if he continued to work. He replied he had much rather spend the shorter time on earth in trying to do good. But hard work seldom shortens life. John Wesley was an indefatigable worker, and when he was seventy-three years old he said he was better and stronger than he was at twenty-three years of age; and he attributed this, under God, to his early rising, his activity, his undisturbed sleep, and his even temper. Said he, "I feel and grieve, but I fret at nothing." Some, however, who do not observe and obey the laws of health, are cut off in the midst of their days. Young people should feel, "It is time to seek the Lord," for religion alone prepares for a really happy and profitable existence; then it ever becomes more and more difficult to turn to God and to live aright the longer these duties are neglected; moreover, no one should give to the world and to Satan the best of their days and energies, and then hope to give to God and to their spiritual and eternal duties and interests, the paltry and miserable residue of their existence. When Care was old, he said his greatest pleasure arose from the remembrance of the good deeds he had done (see also, Proverbs 16:31; Leviticus 19:32).

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KJV: And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

WEB: Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?"