Psalms 58
1 To the Chief Musician. "Do not Destroy." A precious Psalm, of David. Are ye, indeed, silent [when] righteousness, ye should speak? When, with equity, ye should judge, O ye 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 Aye! ye all do work, perversity, —Throughout the land, your hands, weigh out, violence!
Nay, in your hearts ye contrive iniquity; Your hands weigh out violence in the land!
3 Lawless men have been estranged from birth, They have gone astray from their nativity, speaking falsehood;
The wicked are estranged, from their very birth; The liars go astray as soon as they are born.
4 Their poison, is like unto the poison of a serpent, Like the deaf adder, that stoppeth his ear;
They have poison, like the poison of a serpent; Like the deaf adder's, which stoppeth her ear;
5 That will not hearken to the voice of whisperers, Though the wise one try to bind him with spells.
Which listeneth not to the voice of the charmer, And of the sorcerer, skilful in incantations.
6 O God! break away their teeth in their mouth, The biters of the young lions, knock thou out, O Yahweh!
Break their teeth, O God! in their mouths! Break out the great teeth of the lions, O LORD!
7 Let such men flow away like waters that disperse themselves: He prepareth his arrow, Like [grass] let them be cut down:
May they melt like waters, which flow away; May their arrows, when they aim them, be as if cut in pieces!
8 Like a snail, which melteth away as it goeth, An untimely birth of a woman, which hath 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 kettles can perceive the [kindled] bramble, Be he green or be he withered, he shall be swept away.
Before your pots feel the heat of the thorns, Whether fresh, or burning, may they be blown away!
10 The righteous man will rejoice when he hath seen an avenging, His feet, will he bathe in the blood of the lawless one: —
The righteous shall rejoice, when he seeth such vengeance; He shall bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a son of earth may say—Surely there is fruit for the righteous man! Surely there are gods who judge 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!”
