Psalms 58

1 To the chief music-maker; put to Al-tashheth. Michtam. Of David. Is there righteousness in your mouths, O you gods? are you upright judges, O you sons of men?

[For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A poem by David.] Do you rulers indeed speak righteousness? Do you judge blamelessly, you descendants of Adam?

2 The purposes of your hearts are evil; your hands are full of cruel doings on the earth.

No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The evil-doers are strange from the first; from the hour of their birth they go out of the true way, saying false words.

The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4 Their poison is like the poison of a snake; they are like the adder, whose ears are shut;

Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; like a deaf viper that stops its ear,

5 Who will not be moved by the voice of the wonder-worker, however great are his powers.

which doesn't listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6 O God, let their teeth be broken in their mouths; let the great teeth of the young lions be pulled out, O Lord.

Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, LORD.

7 Let them be turned to liquid like the ever-flowing waters; let them be cut off like the grass by the way.

Let them vanish as water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

8 Let them be like an after-birth which is turned to water and comes to an end; like the fruit of a woman who gives birth before her time, let them not see the sun.

Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

9 Before they are conscious of it, let them be cut down like thorns; let a strong wind take them away like waste growth.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

10 The upright man will be glad when he sees their punishment; his feet will be washed in the blood of the evil-doer.

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;

11 So that men will say, Truly there is a reward for righteousness; truly there is a God who is judge on the earth.

so that men shall say, "Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth."