Psalms 12

1 To the victorie on the eiyte, the song of Dauid. Lord, make thou me saaf, for the hooli failide; for treuthis ben maad litle fro the sones of men.

To the chief Musician. Upon Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Save, Jehovah, for the godly man is gone; for the faithful have failed from among the children of men.

2 Thei spaken veyn thingis, ech man to hys neiybore; thei han gileful lippis, thei spaken in herte and herte.

They speak falsehood every one with his neighbour: [with] flattering lip, with a double heart, do they speak.

3 The Lord destrie alle gileful lippis; and the greet spekynge tunge.

Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things,

4 Whiche seiden, We schulen magnyfie oure tunge, our lippis ben of vs; who is oure lord?

Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own: who [is] lord over us?

5 For the wretchednesse of nedy men, and for the weilyng of pore men; now Y schal ryse vp, seith the Lord. I schal sette inhelt he; Y schal do tristili in hym.

Because of the oppression of the afflicted, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith Jehovah, I will set [him] in safety, at whom they puff.

6 The spechis of the Lord ben chast spechis; siluer examynyd bi fier, preued fro erthe, purgid seuen fold.

The words of Jehovah are pure words, silver tried in the furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 Thou, Lord, schalt kepe vs; and thou `schalt kepe vs fro this generacioun with outen ende.

Thou, Jehovah, wilt keep them, thou wilt preserve them from this generation for ever.

8 Wickid men goen in cumpas; bi thin hiynesse thou hast multiplied the sones of men.

The wicked walk about on every side, when vileness is exalted among the children of men.