Psalms 73
1 `The salm of Asaph. God of Israel is ful good; to hem that ben of riytful herte.
A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But my feet weren moued almeest; my steppis weren sched out almeest.
But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For Y louede feruentli on wickid men; seynge the pees of synneris.
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For biholdyng is not to the deth of hem; and stidefastnesse in the sikenesse of hem.
For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 Thei ben not in the trauel of men; and thei schulen not be betun with men.
They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therfore pride helde hem; thei weren hilid with her wickidnesse and vnfeithfulnesse.
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7 The wickidnesse of hem cam forth as of fatnesse; thei yeden in to desire of herte.
Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8 Thei thouyten and spaken weiwardnesse; thei spaken wickidnesse an hiy.
They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 Thei puttiden her mouth in to heuene; and her tunge passide in erthe.
They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therfor my puple schal be conuertid here; and fulle daies schulen be foundun in hem.
Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11 And thei seiden, How woot God; and whether kunnyng is an heiye, `that is, in heuene?
They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Lo! thilke synneris and hauynge aboundance in the world; helden richessis.
Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 And Y seide, Therfor without cause Y iustifiede myn herte; and waischide myn hoondis among innocentis.
Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
14 And Y was betun al dai; and my chastisyng was in morutidis.
For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
15 If Y seide, Y schal telle thus; lo! Y repreuede the nacioun of thi sones.
If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 I gesside, that Y schulde knowe this; trauel is bifore me.
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
17 Til Y entre in to the seyntuarie of God; and vndurstonde in the last thingis of hem.
until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18 Netheles for gilis thou hast put to hem; thou castidist hem doun, while thei weren reisid.
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19 Hou ben thei maad into desolacioun; thei failiden sodeynli, thei perischiden for her wickidnesse.
How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 As the dreem of men that risen; Lord, thou schalt dryue her ymage to nouyt in thi citee.
As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 For myn herte is enflaumed, and my reynes ben chaungid;
For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22 and Y am dryuun to nouyt, and Y wiste not.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23 As a werk beeste Y am maad at thee; and Y am euere with thee.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24 Thou heldist my riythond, and in thi wille thou leddist me forth; and with glorie thou tokist me vp.
You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 For whi what is to me in heuene; and what wolde Y of thee on erthe?
Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
26 Mi fleische and myn herte failide; God of myn herte, and my part is God withouten ende.
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For lo! thei that drawen awei fer hem silf fro thee, `bi deedli synne, schulen perische; thou hast lost alle men that doen fornycacioun fro thee.
For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good to me to cleue to God; and to sette myn hope in the Lord God. That Y telle alle thi prechyngis; in the yatis of the douyter of Syon.
But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
