Psalms 58
1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
`In Ebreu thus, To victorie; `lese thou not the swete song, ether the semely salm, of Dauid. `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomere, that thou lese not Dauid, meke and simple. Forsothe if ye speken riytfulnesse verili; ye sones of men, deme riytfuli.
2 No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.
For in herte ye worchen wickidnesse in erthe; youre hondis maken redi vnriytfulnessis.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.
Synneris weren maad aliens fro the wombe; thei erriden fro the wombe, thei spaken false thingis.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,
Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
5 refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell.
Which schal not here the vois of charmeris; and of a venym makere charmynge wiseli.
6 O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
God schal al to-breke the teeth of hem in her mouth; the Lord schal breke togidere the greet teeth of liouns.
7 May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.
Thei schulen come to nouyt, as water rennynge awei; he bente his bouwe, til thei ben maad sijk.
8 Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.
As wexe that fletith awei, thei schulen be takun awei; fier felle aboue, and thei siyen not the sunne.
9 Before your pots can feel the burning thorns— whether green or dry— He will sweep them away.
Bifore that youre thornes vndurstoden the ramne; he swolewith hem so in ire, as lyuynge men.
10 The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
The iust man schal be glad, whanne he schal se veniaunce; he schal waische hise hondis in the blood of a synner.
11 Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
And a man schal seie treuli, For fruyt is to a iust man; treuli God is demynge hem in erthe.
