Psalms 10
1 Lord, whi hast thou go fer awei? thou dispisist `in couenable tymes in tribulacioun.
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 While the wickid is proud, the pore man is brent; thei ben taken in the counsels, bi whiche thei thenken.
In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise.
3 Forwhi the synnere is preisid in the desiris of his soule; and the wickid is blessid.
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
4 The synnere `wraththide the Lord; vp the multitude of his ire he schal not seke.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
5 God is not in his siyt; hise weies ben defoulid in al tyme. God, thi domes ben takun awei fro his face; he schal be lord of alle hise enemyes.
He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes.
6 For he seide in his herte, Y schal not be moued, fro generacioun in to generacioun without yuel.
He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
7 `Whos mouth is ful of cursyng, and of bitternesse, and of gyle; trauel and sorewe is vndur his tunge.
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 He sittith in aspies with ryche men in priuytees; to sle the innocent man.
He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
9 Hise iyen biholden on a pore man; he settith aspies in hid place, as a lioun in his denne. He settith aspies, for to rauysche a pore man; for to rauysche a pore man, while he drawith the pore man.
He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
10 In his snare he schal make meke the pore man; he schal bowe hym silf, and schal falle doun, whanne he hath be lord of pore men.
They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength.
11 For he seide in his herte, God hath foryete; he hath turned awei his face, that he se not in to the ende.
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
12 Lord God, rise thou vp, and thin hond be enhaunsid; foryete thou not pore men.
Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless.
13 For what thing terride the wickid man God to wraththe? for he seide in his herte, God schal not seke.
Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
14 Thou seest, for thou biholdist trauel and sorewe; that thou take hem in to thin hondis. The pore man is left to thee; thou schalt be an helpere to the fadirles and modirles.
But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Al to-breke thou the arme of the synnere, and yuel willid; his synne schal be souyt, and it schal not be foundun.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
16 The Lord schal regne with outen ende, and in to the world of world; folkis, ye schulen perische fro the lond of hym.
The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.
17 The Lord hath herd the desir of pore men; thin eere hath herd the makyng redi of her herte.
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
18 To deme for the modirles `and meke; that a man `leie to no more to `magnyfie hym silf on erthe.
to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.
