Psalms 12

1 “To the chief musician upon Sheminith, a psalm of David.” Help, O Lord; for the pious have ceased to be; for the truthful have failed from among the children of men.

【求免於是非】 達味詩歌，交與樂官，八度低音。 主，求你拯救，因為熱心者已缺少，忠誠的人在人間也已絕跡不見了。

2 Deceptively do they speak every one with his neighbor, with flattering lips, with a double heart do they speak.

人們彼此言談虛偽，嘴唇圓滑，口是心非，

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh boastful things:

願上主將一切欺詐的口唇除去。把大言不慚的舌頭剪除!

4 Who have said, With our tongue will we be mighty; our lips are with us; who is Lord over us!

他們揚言說：「我們以口以舌取勝；有口有唇護衛我們，誰能作我們的主人？」

5 Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord: I will grant safety to him for whom the other layeth a snare.

「為了貧苦者的委屈，為了窮困者的歎息，我要立刻站起──上主說：將渴望救援的人救起。

6 The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver refined in the crucible of earth, purified seven times.

上主的聖言是真誠的聖言，如同純銀經過七次的鍛鍊。

7 Thou, O Lord, wilt preserve them; thou wilt guard them from this generation for ever.

上主，懇求你護祐我們，由這一代常拯救我們。

8 On every side do the wicked walk about, when the vile are exalted over the sons of man.

惡人在四周往來追蹤，實如令人生厭的毒蟲。