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.

For the chief musician; set to the Sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Yahweh, for the godly have disappeared; the faithful have vanished.

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

Everyone says empty words to his neighbor; everyone speaks with flattering lips and a double heart.

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

Yahweh, cut off all flattering lips, every tongue declaring great things.

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

These are those who have said, “With our tongues will we prevail. When our lips speak, who can be master 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 violence against the poor, because of the groans of the needy, I will arise,” says Yahweh. “I will provide the safety for which they long.”

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

The words of Yahweh are pure words, like silver purified in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

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

You are Yahweh! You keep them. You preserve the godly people from this wicked generation and forever.

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

The wicked walk on every side when evil is exalted among the children of mankind.