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.
Unto the end. May you not destroy. Of David, with the inscription of a title. If, truly and certainly, you speak justice, then judge what is right, you sons of men.
2 For in herte ye worchen wickidnesse in erthe; youre hondis maken redi vnriytfulnessis.
For, even in your heart, you work iniquity. Your hands construct injustice on the earth.
3 Synneris weren maad aliens fro the wombe; thei erriden fro the wombe, thei spaken false thingis.
Sinners have become foreigners from the womb; they have gone astray from conception. They have been speaking falsehoods.
4 Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
Their fury is similar to that of a serpent; it is like a deaf asp, who even blocks her ears,
5 Which schal not here the vois of charmeris; and of a venym makere charmynge wiseli.
who will not listen to the voice of charmers, nor even to the enchanter who chants wisely.
6 God schal al to-breke the teeth of hem in her mouth; the Lord schal breke togidere the greet teeth of liouns.
God will crush their teeth within their own mouth. The Lord will break the molars of the lions.
7 Thei schulen come to nouyt, as water rennynge awei; he bente his bouwe, til thei ben maad sijk.
They will come to nothing, like water flowing away. He has aimed his bow, while they are being weakened.
8 As wexe that fletith awei, thei schulen be takun awei; fier felle aboue, and thei siyen not the sunne.
Like wax that flows, they will be carried away. Fire has fallen upon them, and they will not see the sun.
9 Bifore that youre thornes vndurstoden the ramne; he swolewith hem so in ire, as lyuynge men.
Before your thorns could know the brier, he consumes them alive, as if in rage.
10 The iust man schal be glad, whanne he schal se veniaunce; he schal waische hise hondis in the blood of a synner.
The just one will rejoice when he sees vindication. He will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.
11 And a man schal seie treuli, For fruyt is to a iust man; treuli God is demynge hem in erthe.
And man will say, “If the just one is fruitful, then, truly, there is a God judging them on earth.”
