Canticum Psalmi Asaph.

A canticle of a psalm for Asaph.

(A song. A psalm. Of Asaph.)

Deus, quis similis erit tibi? ne taceas, neque compescaris, Deus:

O God, who shall be like to thee? hold not thy peace, neither be thou still, O God.

Be silent, Lord, no longer. O God, do not keep still now, do not hold back now!

quoniam ecce inimici tui sonuerunt, et qui oderunt te extulerunt caput.

For lo, thy enemies have made a noise: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.

What turmoil among thy enemies; how their malice lifts its head!

Super populum tuum malignaverunt consilium, et cogitaverunt adversus sanctos tuos.

They have taken a malicious counsel against thy people, and have consulted against thy saints.

Busily they plot against thy people, compass the ruin of the men thou hast in thy keeping.

Dixerunt: Venite, et disperdamus eos de gente, et non memoretur nomen Israël ultra.

They have said: Come and let us destroy them, so that they be not a nation: and let the name of Israel be remembered no more.

Come, they whisper, let us put an end to their sovereignty, so that the very name of Israel will be remembered no more.

Quoniam cogitaverunt unanimiter; simul adversum te testamentum disposuerunt:

For they have contrived with one consent: they have made a covenant together against thee,

All are agreed, all alike are ranged in confederacy against thee;

tabernacula Idumæorum et Ismahelitæ, Moab et Agareni,

the tabernacles of the Edomites, and the Ishmahelites: Moab, and the Agarens,

here Edom lies encamped, there Ismael; Moab, too, and the Agarenes;

Gebal, et Ammon, et Amalec; alienigenæ cum habitantibus Tyrum.

Gebal, and Ammon and Amalec: the Philistines, with the inhabitants of Tyre.

Gebal, Ammon and Amelec, the Philistines, and the folk that dwell at Tyre.

Etenim Assur venit cum illis: facti sunt in adjutorium filiis Lot.

Yea, and the Assyrian also is joined with them: they are come to the aid of the sons of Lot.

Even Assyria has made common cause with them, lends her aid to these children of Lot.

Fac illis sicut Madian et Sisaræ, sicut Jabin in torrente Cisson.

Do to them as thou didst to Madian and to Sisara: as to Jabin at the brook of Cisson.

Do to these what thou didst to Madian, to Sisara and Jabin at the brook of Cison;

Disperierunt in Endor; facti sunt ut stercus terræ.

Who perished at Endor: and became as dung for the earth.

the men who died at Endor, rotted there like dung on the ground.

Pone principes eorum sicut Oreb, et Zeb, et Zebee, et Salmana: omnes principes eorum,

Make their princes like Oreb, and Zeb, and Zebee, and Salmana. All their princes,

May their princes fare as Oreb fared, and Zeb; may the doom of Zebee and Salmana be the doom of all their chieftains.

qui dixerunt: Hæreditate possideamus sanctuarium Dei.

who have said: Let us possess the sanctuary of God for an inheritance.

And did they think to make God’s chosen portion their spoil?

Deus meus, pone illos ut rotam, et sicut stipulam ante faciem venti.

O my God, make them like a wheel; and as stubble before the wind.

My God, send them whirling this way and that, like leaves, like straws before the wind.

Sicut ignis qui comburit silvam, et sicut flamma comburens montes,

As fire which burneth the wood: and as a flame burning mountains:

See how the fire burns up the forest, how its flames scorch the mountain-side!

ita persequeris illos in tempestate tua, et in ira tua turbabis eos.

So shalt thou pursue them with thy tempest: and shalt trouble them in thy wrath.

So let the fury of thy onset rout them, thy fury dismay them.

Imple facies eorum ignominia, et quærent nomen tuum, Domine.

Fill their faces with shame; and they shall seek thy name, O Lord.

Let their cheeks blush crimson with shame, Lord, till they come to sue for thy favour;

Erubescant, et conturbentur in sæculum sæculi, et confundantur, et pereant.

Let them be ashamed and troubled for ever and ever: and let them be confounded and perish.

confusion and dismay be theirs for ever, for ever let them be abashed and brought to nothing,

Et cognoscant quia nomen tibi Dominus: tu solus Altissimus in omni terra.

And let them know that the Lord is thy name: thou alone art the most High over all the earth.

till they, too, know the meaning of the divine name, acknowledge thee as the most high God, the Overlord of earth.