(To the choir-master. A psalm. Of David.)

In finem. Psalmus David.

Unto the end, a psalm of David.

Rescue me, Lord, from human malice, save me from the lovers of oppression,

Eripe me, Domine, ab homine malo; a viro iniquo eripe me.

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.

always plotting treachery in their hearts, always at their quarrelling,

Qui cogitaverunt iniquitates in corde, tota die constituebant prælia.

Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.

tongues sharp as the tongues of serpents, lips that hide the poison of adders.

Acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentis; venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum.

They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.

Preserve me Lord, from the power of sinful men, save me from these lovers of oppression who are plotting to trip my feet.

Custodi me, Domine, de manu peccatoris, et ab hominibus iniquis eripe me. Qui cogitaverunt supplantare gressus meos:

Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me. Who have proposed to supplant my steps:

What hidden snares they set for me, these tyrants, what nets they spread to catch me, what traps they lay in my path!

absconderunt superbi laqueum mihi. Et funes extenderunt in laqueum; juxta iter, scandalum posuerunt mihi.

the proud have hidden a net for me. And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling-block by the wayside.

To the Lord I make my appeal, Thou art my God, listen, Lord, to the voice that pleads with thee.

Dixi Domino: Deus meus es tu; exaudi, Domine, vocem deprecationis meæ.

I said to the Lord: Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.

My Lord, my Master, my strong deliverer, it is thou that shieldest my head in the day of battle.

Domine, Domine, virtus salutis meæ, obumbrasti super caput meum in die belli.

O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle.

Lord, do not let malice have its way with me, do not prosper its evil designs.

Ne tradas me, Domine, a desiderio meo peccatori: cogitaverunt contra me; ne derelinquas me, ne forte exaltentur.

Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not thou forsake me, lest they should triumph.

They carry their heads high as they close in around me; let their conspiracy prove its own undoing;

Caput circuitus eorum: labor labiorum ipsorum operiet eos.

The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.

let burning coals rain down on them, be they cast into a pit whence they shall rise no more.

Cadent super eos carbones; in ignem dejicies eos: in miseriis non subsistent.

Burning coals shall fall upon them; thou wilt cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.

Not long the blasphemer’s time on earth: misfortune will overtake the oppressor unawares.

Vir linguosus non dirigetur in terra; virum injustum mala capient in interitu.

A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.

Can I doubt that the Lord will avenge the helpless, will grant the poor redress?

Cognovi quia faciet Dominus judicium inopis, et vindictam pauperum.

I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.

Honest men will yet live to praise thy name; upright hearts to enjoy the smile of thy favour.

Verumtamen justi confitebuntur nomini tuo, et habitabunt recti cum vultu tuo.

But as for the just, they shall give glory to thy name: and the upright shall dwell with thy countenance.