Psalms 73
1 `The salm of Asaph. God of Israel is ful good; to hem that ben of riytful herte.
A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!
2 But my feet weren moued almeest; my steppis weren sched out almeest.
But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For Y louede feruentli on wickid men; seynge the pees of synneris.
Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.
4 For biholdyng is not to the deth of hem; and stidefastnesse in the sikenesse of hem.
For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.
5 Thei ben not in the trauel of men; and thei schulen not be betun with men.
They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men.
6 Therfore pride helde hem; thei weren hilid with her wickidnesse and vnfeithfulnesse.
Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.
7 The wickidnesse of hem cam forth as of fatnesse; thei yeden in to desire of herte.
Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.
8 Thei thouyten and spaken weiwardnesse; thei spaken wickidnesse an hiy.
They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.
9 Thei puttiden her mouth in to heuene; and her tunge passide in erthe.
They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.
10 Therfor my puple schal be conuertid here; and fulle daies schulen be foundun in hem.
Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.
11 And thei seiden, How woot God; and whether kunnyng is an heiye, `that is, in heuene?
And they said: How doth 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 sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.
13 And Y seide, Therfor without cause Y iustifiede myn herte; and waischide myn hoondis among innocentis.
And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.
14 And Y was betun al dai; and my chastisyng was in morutidis.
And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.
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 condemn the generation of thy children.
16 I gesside, that Y schulde knowe this; trauel is bifore me.
I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:
17 Til Y entre in to the seyntuarie of God; and vndurstonde in the last thingis of hem.
Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.
18 Netheles for gilis thou hast put to hem; thou castidist hem doun, while thei weren reisid.
But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.
19 Hou ben thei maad into desolacioun; thei failiden sodeynli, thei perischiden for her wickidnesse.
How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.
20 As the dreem of men that risen; Lord, thou schalt dryue her ymage to nouyt in thi citee.
As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.
21 For myn herte is enflaumed, and my reynes ben chaungid;
For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:
22 and Y am dryuun to nouyt, and Y wiste not.
And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.
23 As a werk beeste Y am maad at thee; and Y am euere with thee.
I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.
24 Thou heldist my riythond, and in thi wille thou leddist me forth; and with glorie thou tokist me vp.
Thou hast held me by my right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me, and with thy glory thou hast received me.
25 For whi what is to me in heuene; and what wolde Y of thee on erthe?
For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?
26 Mi fleische and myn herte failide; God of myn herte, and my part is God withouten ende.
For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is 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 go far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to 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 it is good for me to adhere to my God, to put my hope in the Lord God: That I may declare all thy praises, in the gates of the daughter of Sion.
