Psalms 58

1 To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam. Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men?

Do ye indeed speak righteousness in silence? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

No! In heart ye work wickedness. Ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The wicked go astray from the womb; they err as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

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

4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

Their poison is like the poison of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops her ear,

5 Which doth not hearken to the voice of enchanters, of one charming ever so wisely.

which hearkens not to the voice of charmers, charming ever so wisely.

6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.

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

7 Let them melt away as waters that flow off; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as blunted:

Let them melt away as water that runs with haste. When he aims his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off,

8 Let them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; [like] the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun.

as a snail which melts and passes away, as the untimely birth of a woman, that has not seen the sun.

9 Before your pots feel the thorns, green or burning, — they shall be whirled away.

Before your pots can feel the thorns, he will take them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.

10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked:

A righteous man shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

11 And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

so that men shall say, Truly there is a reward for the righteous man. Truly there is a God who judges in the earth.