| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1How is it that by remaining silent you can speak righteously? How can you judge people fairly? | 1For the choir director: "Do Not Destroy." A Davidic Miktam. Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones? Do you judge people fairly? |
| 2As a matter of fact, in your heart you plan iniquities! In the land your hands are violent! | 2No, you practice injustice in your hearts; with your hands you weigh out violence in the land. |
| 3The wicked go astray from the womb; they go astray, telling lies even from birth. | 3The wicked go astray from the womb; liars err from birth. |
| 4Their venom is like a poisonous snake; even like a deaf serpent that shuts its ears, | 4They have venom like the venom of a snake, like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears, |
| 5refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmer, the cunning enchanter. | 5that does not listen to the sound of the charmers who skillfully weave spells. |
| 6God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; LORD, break the fangs of the young lions! | 6God, knock the teeth out of their mouths; LORD, tear out the young lions' fangs. |
| 7May they flow away like rain water that runs off, may they become like someone who shoots broken arrows. | 7They will vanish like water that flows by; they will aim their useless arrows. |
| 8May they be like a snail that dries up as it crawls; like a woman's stillborn baby, who never saw the sun. | 8Like a slug that moves along in slime, like a woman's miscarried child, they will not see the sun. |
| 9Before your clay pots are placed on a fire of burning thorns— whether green or ablaze— wrath will sweep them away like a storm. | 9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns-- whether green or burning-- He will sweep them away. |
| 10The righteous person will rejoice when he sees your vengeance; when he washes his feet in the blood of the wicked. | 10The righteous one will rejoice when he sees the retribution; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. |
| 11A person will say, "Certainly, the righteous are rewarded; certainly there is a God who judges the earth." | 11Then people will say," Yes, there is a reward for the righteous! There is a God who judges on earth!" |
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