Psalms 73
1 `The salm of Asaph. God of Israel is ful good; to hem that ben of riytful herte.
A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are of a pure 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 well nigh slipped;
3 For Y louede feruentli on wickid men; seynge the pees of synneris.
For I was envious at the arrogant, seeing the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For biholdyng is not to the deth of hem; and stidefastnesse in the sikenesse of hem.
For they have no pangs in their death, and their body is well nourished;
5 Thei ben not in the trauel of men; and thei schulen not be betun with men.
They have not the hardships of mankind, neither are they plagued like [other] men:
6 Therfore pride helde hem; thei weren hilid with her wickidnesse and vnfeithfulnesse.
Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them [as] a garment;
7 The wickidnesse of hem cam forth as of fatnesse; thei yeden in to desire of herte.
Their eyes stand out from fatness, they exceed the imaginations of their heart:
8 Thei thouyten and spaken weiwardnesse; thei spaken wickidnesse an hiy.
They mock and speak wickedly of oppression, they speak loftily:
9 Thei puttiden her mouth in to heuene; and her tunge passide in erthe.
They set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therfor my puple schal be conuertid here; and fulle daies schulen be foundun in hem.
Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.
11 And thei seiden, How woot God; and whether kunnyng is an heiye, `that is, in heuene?
And they say, How can God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Lo! thilke synneris and hauynge aboundance in the world; helden richessis.
Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.
13 And Y seide, Therfor without cause Y iustifiede myn herte; and waischide myn hoondis among innocentis.
Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:
14 And Y was betun al dai; and my chastisyng was in morutidis.
For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If Y seide, Y schal telle thus; lo! Y repreuede the nacioun of thi sones.
If I said, I will speak thus, behold, I should be faithless to the generation of thy children.
16 I gesside, that Y schulde knowe this; trauel is bifore me.
When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;
17 Til Y entre in to the seyntuarie of God; and vndurstonde in the last thingis of hem.
Until I went into the sanctuaries of God; [then] understood I their end.
18 Netheles for gilis thou hast put to hem; thou castidist hem doun, while thei weren reisid.
Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.
19 Hou ben thei maad into desolacioun; thei failiden sodeynli, thei perischiden for her wickidnesse.
How are they suddenly made desolate! they pass away, consumed 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 awaketh, wilt thou, Lord, on arising despise their image.
21 For myn herte is enflaumed, and my reynes ben chaungid;
When my heart was in a ferment, and I was pricked in my reins,
22 and Y am dryuun to nouyt, and Y wiste not.
Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was [as] a beast with thee.
23 As a werk beeste Y am maad at thee; and Y am euere with thee.
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden my right hand;
24 Thou heldist my riythond, and in thi wille thou leddist me forth; and with glorie thou tokist me vp.
Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after the glory, thou wilt receive me.
25 For whi what is to me in heuene; and what wolde Y of thee on erthe?
Whom have I in the heavens? and there is none upon earth I desire beside thee.
26 Mi fleische and myn herte failide; God of myn herte, and my part is God withouten ende.
My flesh and my heart faileth: God is the rock of my heart and my portion for ever.
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, they that are far from thee shall perish; thou destroyest every one that goeth a whoring from thee.
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 as for me, it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord Jehovah, that I may declare all thy works.
