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?
“For the leader of the music. To the tune of “Do not destroy.” A psalm of David.” Do ye, indeed, administer justice faithfully, ye mighty ones? Do ye judge with uprightness, ye sons of men?
2 Even in heart you work iniquities, In the land you ponder the violence of your hands.
Nay, in your hearts ye contrive iniquity; Your hands weigh out violence in the land!
3 The wicked have been estranged from the womb, They have erred from the belly, speaking lies.
The wicked are estranged, from their very birth; The liars go astray as soon as they are born.
4 Their poison [is] as poison of a serpent, As a deaf cobra shutting its ear,
They have poison, like the poison of a serpent; Like the deaf adder's, which stoppeth her ear;
5 Which does not listen to the voice of whisperers, A charmer of most skillful charms.
Which listeneth not to the voice of the charmer, And of the sorcerer, skilful in incantations.
6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth, Break down the jaw-teeth of young lions, O YHWH.
Break their teeth, O God! in their mouths! Break out the great teeth of the lions, O LORD!
7 They are melted as waters, They go up and down for themselves, His arrow proceeds as they cut themselves off.
May they melt like waters, which flow away; May their arrows, when they aim them, be as if cut in pieces!
8 He goes on as a snail that melts, [As] an untimely birth of a woman, They have not seen the sun.
May they be like the snail, which melteth away as it goeth; Like the abortion of a woman, that seeth not the sun!
9 Before your pots discern the bramble, As living, He whirls away in His burning anger.
Before your pots feel the heat of the thorns, Whether fresh, or burning, may they be blown 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 such vengeance; He shall bathe his feet 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!”
Then shall men say, “Truly there is a reward for the righteous! Truly there is a God who is judge upon the earth!”
