Psalms 58

1 TO THE OVERSEER. “DO NOT DESTROY.” A MIKTAM OF DAVID. Is it true, O silent one, that you speak righteously? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?

To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam. Is righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men?

2 Even in heart you work iniquities, In the land you ponder the violence of your hands.

Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 The wicked have been estranged from the womb, They have erred from the belly, speaking lies.

The wicked go astray from the womb; they err as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

4 Their poison [is] as poison of a serpent, As a deaf cobra shutting its ear,

Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

5 Which does not listen to the voice of whisperers, A charmer of most skillful charms.

Which doth not hearken to the voice of enchanters, of one charming ever so wisely.

6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth, Break down the jaw-teeth of young lions, O YHWH.

O God, break their teeth in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.

7 They are melted as waters, They go up and down for themselves, His arrow proceeds as they cut themselves off.

Let them melt away as waters that flow off; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as blunted:

8 He goes on as a snail that melts, [As] an untimely birth of a woman, They have not seen the sun.

Let them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; [like] the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun.

9 Before your pots discern the bramble, As living, He whirls away in His burning anger.

Before your pots feel the thorns, green or burning, — they shall be whirled away.

10 The righteous rejoices that he has seen vengeance, He washes his steps in the blood of the wicked.

The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked:

11 And man says: “Surely fruit [is] for the righteous: Surely there is a God judging in the earth!”

And men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.