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. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail 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 vanity every one with his neighbour: [with] flattering lips [and] with a double heart do they speak.

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

The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, [and] 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.

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set [him] in safety [from him that] puffeth at him.

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

The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

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

Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt 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 on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.