1 D o you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

2 N o, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.

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

4 T heir poison is like the poison of a snake; like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

5 w hich doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

6 B reak their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh.

7 L et them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

8 L et them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

9 B efore your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

10 T he righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;

11 s o that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”