Psalms 58
1 `In Ebreu thus, To victorie; `lese thou not the swete song, ether the semely salm, of Dauid. `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomere, that thou lese not Dauid, meke and simple. Forsothe if ye speken riytfulnesse verili; ye sones of men, deme riytfuli.
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
2 For in herte ye worchen wickidnesse in erthe; youre hondis maken redi vnriytfulnessis.
No, in your hearts you devise injustice; with your hands you mete out violence on the earth.
3 Synneris weren maad aliens fro the wombe; thei erriden fro the wombe, thei spaken false thingis.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.
4 Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,
5 Which schal not here the vois of charmeris; and of a venym makere charmynge wiseli.
refusing to hear the tune of the charmer who skillfully weaves his spell.
6 God schal al to-breke the teeth of hem in her mouth; the Lord schal breke togidere the greet teeth of liouns.
O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
7 Thei schulen come to nouyt, as water rennynge awei; he bente his bouwe, til thei ben maad sijk.
May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.
8 As wexe that fletith awei, thei schulen be takun awei; fier felle aboue, and thei siyen not the sunne.
Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.
9 Bifore that youre thornes vndurstoden the ramne; he swolewith hem so in ire, as lyuynge men.
Before your pots can feel the burning thorns— whether green or dry— He will sweep them away.
10 The iust man schal be glad, whanne he schal se veniaunce; he schal waische hise hondis in the blood of a synner.
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And a man schal seie treuli, For fruyt is to a iust man; treuli God is demynge hem in erthe.
Then men will say, “There is surely a reward for the righteous! There is surely a God who judges the earth!”
