Psalms 58
1 For the music director. According to “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm (miktam) of David. You leaders, do you really say what is right? Do you judge people fairly?
`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, for in your minds you plan evil. You cause violence everywhere!
For in herte ye worchen wickidnesse in erthe; youre hondis maken redi vnriytfulnessis.
3 The wicked are sinners from birth; from the moment they're born they tell lies.
Synneris weren maad aliens fro the wombe; thei erriden fro the wombe, thei spaken false thingis.
4 They have venom like that of a poisonous snake, and just like a cobra they stop listening,
Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
5 refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmers or the spellbinders.
Which schal not here the vois of charmeris; and of a venym makere charmynge wiseli.
6 God, break their teeth, and smash the jaws of these lions, Lord.
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 flows away; when they shoot their arrows may they miss their mark.
Thei schulen come to nouyt, as water rennynge awei; he bente his bouwe, til thei ben maad sijk.
8 May they be like the slime of snails that dissolves away, like a stillborn child that never saw the light of day.
As wexe that fletith awei, thei schulen be takun awei; fier felle aboue, and thei siyen not the sunne.
9 Before the cooking pot is hot from burning thorns, whether fresh or dry, God will blow them away.
Bifore that youre thornes vndurstoden the ramne; he swolewith hem so in ire, as lyuynge men.
10 Those who live right will be happy when they see there is punishment; 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 They will say, “There is definitely a reward for those who live right; there is certainly a God who judges fairly on earth.”
And a man schal seie treuli, For fruyt is to a iust man; treuli God is demynge hem in erthe.
