A canticle of a psalm for Asaph.

Canticum Psalmi Asaph.

(A song. A psalm. Of Asaph.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Quoniam cogitaverunt unanimiter; simul adversum te testamentum disposuerunt:

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

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

tabernacula Idumæorum et Ismahelitæ, Moab et Agareni,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Disperierunt in Endor; facti sunt ut stercus terræ.

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

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

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

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

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

qui dixerunt: Hæreditate possideamus sanctuarium Dei.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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