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?
`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 Yea, rather ye imagine mischiefe in your heart: your hands execute crueltie vpon the earth.
For in herte ye worchen wickidnesse in erthe; youre hondis maken redi vnriytfulnessis.
3 The wicked are strangers from ye wombe: euen from the belly haue they erred, and speake lyes.
Synneris weren maad aliens fro the wombe; thei erriden fro the wombe, thei spaken false thingis.
4 Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.
Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
5 Which heareth not the voyce of the inchanter, though he be most expert in charming.
Which schal not here the vois of charmeris; and of a venym makere charmynge wiseli.
6 Breake their teeth, O God, in their mouthes: breake the iawes of the yong lions, O Lord.
God schal al to-breke the teeth of hem in her mouth; the Lord schal breke togidere the greet teeth of liouns.
7 Let them melt like the waters, let them passe away: when hee shooteth his arrowes, let them be as broken.
Thei schulen come to nouyt, as water rennynge awei; he bente his bouwe, til thei ben maad sijk.
8 Let them consume like a snayle that melteth, and like the vntimely fruite of a woman, that hath not seene the sunne.
As wexe that fletith awei, thei schulen be takun awei; fier felle aboue, and thei siyen not the sunne.
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.
Bifore that youre thornes vndurstoden the ramne; he swolewith hem so in ire, as lyuynge men.
10 The righteous shall reioyce when he seeeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete 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 And men shall say, Verily there is fruite for the righteous: doutlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth.
And a man schal seie treuli, For fruyt is to a iust man; treuli God is demynge hem in erthe.
