Psalms 129

1 The song of greces. Israel seie now; Ofte thei fouyten ayens me fro my yongth.

A song of ascents. ‘Sore have they vexed me from youth’ thus let Israel say

2 Ofte thei fouyten ayens me fro my yongthe; and sotheli thei miyten not to me.

‘Sore have they vexed me from youth, but they have not prevailed against me.

3 Synneris forgeden on my bak; thei maden long her wickidnesse.

‘The ploughers ploughed on my back, they made their furrows long.

4 The `iust Lord schal beete the nollis of synneris;

But the Lord, who is righteous, has cut the cords of the wicked.’

5 alle that haten Sion be schent, and turned abak.

Let all who are haters of Zion be put to shame and defeated.

6 Be thei maad as the hey of hous coppis; that driede vp, bifore that it be drawun vp.

May they be as the grass on the house-top, which withers before it shoots up;

7 Of which hei he that schal repe, schal not fille his hond; and he that schal gadere hondfullis, schal not fille his bosum.

which fills not the arms of the reaper, nor the lap of the binder of sheaves

8 And thei that passiden forth seiden not, The blessing of the Lord be on you; we blessiden you in the name of the Lord.

whereof no one says as they pass, ‘The blessing of God be upon you.’ In the name of the Lord we bless you.