Psalms 73
1 `The salm of Asaph. God of Israel is ful good; to hem that ben of riytful herte.
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 But my feet weren moued almeest; my steppis weren sched out almeest.
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 For Y louede feruentli on wickid men; seynge the pees of synneris.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 For biholdyng is not to the deth of hem; and stidefastnesse in the sikenesse of hem.
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 Thei ben not in the trauel of men; and thei schulen not be betun with men.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Therfore pride helde hem; thei weren hilid with her wickidnesse and vnfeithfulnesse.
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 The wickidnesse of hem cam forth as of fatnesse; thei yeden in to desire of herte.
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 Thei thouyten and spaken weiwardnesse; thei spaken wickidnesse an hiy.
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 Thei puttiden her mouth in to heuene; and her tunge passide in erthe.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Therfor my puple schal be conuertid here; and fulle daies schulen be foundun in hem.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 And thei seiden, How woot God; and whether kunnyng is an heiye, `that is, in heuene?
‘How does God know?’ they say, ‘And has the Most High any knowledge?’
12 Lo! thilke synneris and hauynge aboundance in the world; helden richessis.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 And Y seide, Therfor without cause Y iustifiede myn herte; and waischide myn hoondis among innocentis.
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 And Y was betun al dai; and my chastisyng was in morutidis.
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 If Y seide, Y schal telle thus; lo! Y repreuede the nacioun of thi sones.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 I gesside, that Y schulde knowe this; trauel is bifore me.
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 Til Y entre in to the seyntuarie of God; and vndurstonde in the last thingis of hem.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Netheles for gilis thou hast put to hem; thou castidist hem doun, while thei weren reisid.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 Hou ben thei maad into desolacioun; thei failiden sodeynli, thei perischiden for her wickidnesse.
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 As the dreem of men that risen; Lord, thou schalt dryue her ymage to nouyt in thi citee.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 For myn herte is enflaumed, and my reynes ben chaungid;
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 and Y am dryuun to nouyt, and Y wiste not.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 As a werk beeste Y am maad at thee; and Y am euere with thee.
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 Thou heldist my riythond, and in thi wille thou leddist me forth; and with glorie thou tokist me vp.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 For whi what is to me in heuene; and what wolde Y of thee on erthe?
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 Mi fleische and myn herte failide; God of myn herte, and my part is God withouten ende.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is 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 see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false 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 I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
