Psalms 12

1 To him that excelleth upon the eight tune. A Psalme of Dauid. Helpe Lord, for there is not a godly man left: for the faithfull are fayled from among the children of 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 speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour, flattering with their lips, and speake with a double heart.

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

3 The Lord cut off all flattering lippes, and the tongue that speaketh proude things:

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

4 Which haue saide, With our tongue will we preuaile: our lippes are our owne: who is Lord ouer vs?

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

5 Now for the oppression of the needy, and for the sighes of the poore, I will vp, sayeth the Lord, and will set at libertie him, whom the wicked hath snared.

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 wordes of the Lord are pure wordes, as the siluer, tried in a fornace of earth, fined seuen folde.

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

7 Thou wilt keepe them, O Lord: thou wilt preserue him from this generation for euer.

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

8 The wicked walke on euery side: when they are exalted, it is a shame for the sonnes of men.

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