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 leader of the music. To the tune of “Do not destroy.” A psalm of David.” Do ye, indeed, administer justice faithfully, ye mighty ones? Do ye judge with uprightness, ye sons of men?
2 For in herte ye worchen wickidnesse in erthe; youre hondis maken redi vnriytfulnessis.
Nay, in your hearts ye contrive iniquity; Your hands weigh out violence in the land!
3 Synneris weren maad aliens fro the wombe; thei erriden fro the wombe, thei spaken false thingis.
The wicked are estranged, from their very birth; The liars go astray as soon as they are born.
4 Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
They have poison, like the poison of a serpent; Like the deaf adder's, which stoppeth her ear;
5 Which schal not here the vois of charmeris; and of a venym makere charmynge wiseli.
Which listeneth not to the voice of the charmer, And of the sorcerer, skilful in incantations.
6 God schal al to-breke the teeth of hem in her mouth; the Lord schal breke togidere the greet teeth of liouns.
Break their teeth, O God! in their mouths! Break out the great teeth of the lions, O LORD!
7 Thei schulen come to nouyt, as water rennynge awei; he bente his bouwe, til thei ben maad sijk.
May they melt like waters, which flow away; May their arrows, when they aim them, be as if cut in pieces!
8 As wexe that fletith awei, thei schulen be takun awei; fier felle aboue, and thei siyen not the sunne.
May they be like the snail, which melteth away as it goeth; Like the abortion of a woman, that seeth not the sun!
9 Bifore that youre thornes vndurstoden the ramne; he swolewith hem so in ire, as lyuynge men.
Before your pots feel the heat of the thorns, Whether fresh, or burning, may they be blown 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 shall rejoice, when he seeth such vengeance; He shall bathe his 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 shall men say, “Truly there is a reward for the righteous! Truly there is a God who is judge upon the earth!”
