Psalmorum 35
1 Psalmus David. Iudica Domine nocentes me, expugna impugnantes me.
A psalm of David. Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who are fighting against me.
2 Apprehende arma et scutum: et exurge in adiutorium mihi.
Put your armor on, and pick up your shield. Get ready, come and help me.
3 Effunde frameam, et conclude adversus eos, qui persequuntur me: dic animae meae: Salus tua ego sum.
Draw your spear and your javelin, confront those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I am your salvation!”
4 Confundantur et revereantur, quaerentes animam meam. Avertantur retrorsum, et confundantur cogitantes mihi mala.
Shame them! Humiliate those who are trying to kill me! Turn them back! Disgrace those who are planning to hurt me!
5 Fiant tamquam pulvis ante faciem venti: et angelus Domini coarctans eos.
Let them be like chaff blown by the wind; let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
6 Fiat via illorum tenebrae et lubricum: et angelus Domini persequens eos.
May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord chasing them down.
7 Quoniam gratis absconderunt mihi interitum laquei sui: supervacue exprobraverunt animam meam.
For no reason they set a net to catch me; for no reason they dug a pit to trap me.
8 Veniat illi laqueus, quem ignorat: et captio, quam abscondit, apprehendat eum: et in laqueum cadat in ipsum.
Let disaster come on them suddenly; let the net they set catch them instead; let the pit they dug trap them instead.
9 Anima autem mea exultabit in Domino: et delectabitur super salutari suo.
Then I will be glad in the Lord; I will be happy in his salvation.
10 Omnia ossa mea dicent: Domine, quis similis tibi? Eripiens inopem de manu fortiorum eius: egenum et pauperem a diripientibus eum.
Every part of me will say, Who can compare to you, Lord? You rescue the weak from the strong; the poor and needy from robbers.
11 Surgentes testes iniqui, quae ignorabam interrogabant me.
Hostile witnesses stand up to testify against me, accusing me of crimes I don't know anything about.
12 Retribuebant mihi mala pro bonis: sterilitatem animae meae.
They pay me back with evil instead of good. I feel like giving up.
13 Ego autem cum mihi molesti essent, induebar cilicio. Humiliabam in ieiunio animam meam: et oratio mea in sinu meo convertetur.
But when they were sick, I put on clothes of sackcloth in sympathy. I denied myself through fasting. May my prayer for them return to bless me too.
14 Quasi proximum, et quasi fratrem nostrum, sic complacebam: quasi lugens et contristatus sic humiliabar.
I was upset for them, as if they were my own friends or family; I bowed down in grief as if I was mourning my own mother.
15 Et adversum me laetati sunt, et convenerunt: congregata sunt super me flagella, et ignoravi.
But when I was in trouble, they gathered around and laughed at me. Even strangers I don't know attacked me, constantly tearing me apart.
16 Dissipati sunt, nec compuncti, tentaverunt me, subsannaverunt me subsannatione: frenduerunt super me dentibus suis.
Like irreligious people mocking a cripple they mock me and call me names, gnashing their teeth at me.
17 Domine quando respicies? restitue animam meam a malignitate eorum, a leonibus unicam meam.
How long, Lord, will you sit by and just watch? Save me from their vicious attacks; defend the only life I have from these lions.
18 Confitebor tibi in ecclesia magna, in populo gravi laudabo te.
Then I will thank you in front of the whole congregation and praise you in front of all the people.
19 Non supergaudeant mihi qui adversantur mihi inique: qui oderunt me gratis et annuunt oculis.
Don't let my enemies take pleasure in my troubles, those people who hate me and tell lies about me, gloating over me for no reason.
20 Quoniam mihi quidem pacifice loquebantur: et in iracundia terrae loquentes, dolos cogitabant.
They are not looking for peace; they invent malicious and deceptive schemes against innocent peace-loving people.
21 Et dilataverunt super me os suum: dixerunt: Euge, euge, viderunt oculi nostri.
They open their mouths wide to make accusations against me, saying, “Look! Look! We saw it with our own eyes!”
22 Vidisti Domine, ne sileas: Domine ne discedas a me.
But Lord, you've seen all this! Say something! Don't give up on me, Lord!
23 Exurge et intende iudicio meo: Deus meus, et Dominus meus in causam meam.
Wake up! Get up and defend me, my Lord and my God! Take up my case and make sure justice is done!
24 Iudica me secundum iustitiam tuam Domine Deus meus, et non supergaudeant mihi.
Vindicate me, my Lord and my God, because you are just and right. Don't let them gloat over me.
25 Non dicant in cordibus suis: Euge, euge, animae nostrae: nec dicant: Devorabimus eum.
Don't let them say to themselves, “Look! We got what we wanted!” Don't let them say, “We completely destroyed him!”
26 Erubescant et revereantur simul, qui gratulantur malis meis. Induantur confusione et reverentia qui maligna loquuntur super me.
Make them totally ashamed, all those who are happy for the trouble I'm in. Let those who are celebrating over me be covered with shame and dishonor.
27 Exultent et laetentur qui volunt iustitiam meam: et dicant semper: Magnificetur Dominus, qui volunt pacem servi eius.
Instead let those who are pleased I've been vindicated celebrate and shout for joy. Let them always say, “How great is the Lord! He is happy when his servants live in peace and have what they need.”
28 Et lingua mea meditabitur iustitiam tuam, tota die laudem tuam.
I will tell others about your character of truth and right, praising you all day long!
