God Judges the Earth

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ (For the one directing): אַל־ (Do not) תַּשְׁחֵ֗ת (Destroy). לְדָוִ֥ד (Of David) מִכְתָּֽם׃ (a Miktam).

1הַֽאֻמְנָ֗ם (Truly) אֵ֣לֶם (O silent ones), צֶ֭דֶק (is it righteousness) תְּדַבֵּר֑וּן (you⁺ speak)?

מֵישָׁרִ֥ים (Uprightly) תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּ (do you⁺ judge), בְּנֵ֣י (O sons) אָדָֽם׃ (of man)?

2  אַף־ (Even) בְּלֵב֮ (in the heart) עוֹלֹ֪ת (iniquities) תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּן (you⁺ work);

בָּאָ֡רֶץ (in the earth) חֲמַ֥ס (the violence) יְ֝דֵיכֶ֗ם (of your⁺ hands) תְּפַלֵּֽסֽוּן׃ (you⁺ weigh out).

3  זֹ֣רוּ (Are estranged) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (the wicked) מֵרָ֑חֶם (from the womb);

תָּע֥וּ (they have gone astray) מִ֝בֶּ֗טֶן (from the belly), דֹּבְרֵ֥י (speaking) כָזָֽב׃ (lies).

4  חֲמַת־ (The venom) לָ֗מוֹ (of them) כִּדְמ֥וּת (is like) חֲמַת־ (the venom) נָחָ֑שׁ (of a snake);

כְּמוֹ־ (like) פֶ֥תֶן (the cobra) חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ (deaf) יַאְטֵ֥ם (that stops up) אָזְנֽוֹ׃ (its ear),

5  אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) לֹא־ (not) יִ֭שְׁמַע (will listen) לְק֣וֹל (to the voice) מְלַחֲשִׁ֑ים (of those whispering)

חוֹבֵ֖ר (charming)— חֲבָרִ֣ים (charmers) מְחֻכָּֽם׃ (most skillfully).

6  אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים (O God), הֲרָס־ (may You break) שִׁנֵּ֥ימוֹ (their teeth) בְּפִ֑ימוֹ (in their mouths);

מַלְתְּע֥וֹת (the great teeth) כְּ֝פִירִ֗ים (of the young lions) נְתֹ֣ץ׀ (tear out), יְהוָֽה׃ (O YHWH).

7  יִמָּאֲס֣וּ (Let them flow away) כְמוֹ־ (like) מַ֭יִם (waters)

יִתְהַלְּכוּ־ (running continually) לָ֑מוֹ (to themselves);

יִדְרֹ֥ךְ (he treads the bow),

חִצּוֹ (his arrows) כְּמ֣וֹ (as though) יִתְמֹלָֽלוּ׃ (cut in pieces).

8  כְּמ֣וֹ (Like) שַׁ֭בְּלוּל (a snail) תֶּ֣מֶס (melting) יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ (as it goes),

נֵ֥פֶל (the stillborn child) אֵ֝֗שֶׁת (of a woman),

בַּל־ (not) חָ֥זוּ (may they see) שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun).

9  בְּטֶ֤רֶם (Before) יָבִ֣ינוּ (can discern) סִּֽירֹתֵיכֶ֣ם (your⁺ pots) אָטָ֑ד (the thorn),

כְּמוֹ־ (as) חַ֥י (those living),

כְּמוֹ־ (as) חָ֝ר֗וֹן (burning wrath) יִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ׃ (He sweeps them away).

10  יִשְׂמַ֣ח (Will rejoice) צַ֭דִּיק (the righteous)

כִּי־ (when) חָזָ֣ה (he has seen) נָקָ֑ם (vengeance);

פְּעָמָ֥יו (his feet) יִ֝רְחַ֗ץ (he will wash)

בְּדַ֣ם (in the blood) הָרָשָֽׁע׃ (of the wicked).

11  וְיֹאמַ֣ר (And will say) אָ֭דָם (man),

אַךְ־ (Surely) פְּרִ֣י (fruit is) לַצַּדִּ֑יק (for the righteous);

אַ֥ךְ (surely) יֵשׁ־ (there is) אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים (a God) שֹׁפְטִ֥ים (judging) בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (the earth).