1 I s righteousness indeed silent? Do ye speak it? Do ye judge with equity, ye sons of men?

Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?

2 Y ea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.

Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.

3 T he wicked go astray from the womb; they err as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

4 T heir poison is like the poison of a serpent: like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

5 W hich doth not hearken to the voice of enchanters, of one charming ever so wisely.

Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Jehovah.

Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.

7 L et them melt away as waters that flow off; when he aimeth his arrows, let them be as blunted:

Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

8 L et them be as a snail that melteth as it passeth away; the untimely birth of a woman, let them not see the sun.

As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

9 B efore your pots feel the thorns, green or burning,—they shall be whirled away.

Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

10 T he righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked:

The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 A nd men shall say, Verily there is fruit for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth.

So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.