Psalms 12

1 For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

To the victorie on the eiyte, the song of Dauid. Lord, make thou me saaf, for the hooli failide; for treuthis ben maad litle fro the sones of men.

2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

Thei spaken veyn thingis, ech man to hys neiybore; thei han gileful lippis, thei spaken in herte and herte.

3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

The Lord destrie alle gileful lippis; and the greet spekynge tunge.

4 They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

Whiche seiden, We schulen magnyfie oure tunge, our lippis ben of vs; who is oure lord?

5 “For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

For the wretchednesse of nedy men, and for the weilyng of pore men; now Y schal ryse vp, seith the Lord. I schal sette inhelt he; Y schal do tristili in hym.

6 The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold.

The spechis of the Lord ben chast spechis; siluer examynyd bi fier, preued fro erthe, purgid seuen fold.

7 You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation.

Thou, Lord, schalt kepe vs; and thou `schalt kepe vs fro this generacioun with outen ende.

8 The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.

Wickid men goen in cumpas; bi thin hiynesse thou hast multiplied the sones of men.