Psalms 58
1 To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalme of David on Michtam. Is it true? O Congregation, speake ye iustly? O sonnes of men, iudge ye vprightly?
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?
2 Yea, rather ye imagine mischiefe in your heart: your hands execute crueltie vpon the earth.
No, for in your minds you plan evil. You cause violence everywhere!
3 The wicked are strangers from ye wombe: euen from the belly haue they erred, and speake lyes.
The wicked are sinners from birth; from the moment they're born they tell lies.
4 Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.
They have venom like that of a poisonous snake, and just like a cobra they stop listening,
5 Which heareth not the voyce of the inchanter, though he be most expert in charming.
refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmers or the spellbinders.
6 Breake their teeth, O God, in their mouthes: breake the iawes of the yong lions, O Lord.
God, break their teeth, and smash the jaws of these lions, Lord.
7 Let them melt like the waters, let them passe away: when hee shooteth his arrowes, let them be as broken.
May they vanish like water that flows away; when they shoot their arrows may they miss their mark.
8 Let them consume like a snayle that melteth, and like the vntimely fruite of a woman, that hath not seene the sunne.
May they be like the slime of snails that dissolves away, like a stillborn child that never saw the light of day.
9 As raw flesh before your pots feele the fire of thornes: so let him cary them away as with a whirlewinde in his wrath.
Before the cooking pot is hot from burning thorns, whether fresh or dry, God will blow them away.
10 The righteous shall reioyce when he seeeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete in the blood of the wicked.
Those who live right will be happy when they see there is punishment; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men shall say, Verily there is fruite for the righteous: doutlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth.
They will say, “There is definitely a reward for those who live right; there is certainly a God who judges fairly on earth.”
