Psalm 57

David reproves the wicked, and foretells their punishment.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 58, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 57.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title.

2 If in very deed ye speak justice: judge right things, ye sons of men.
3 For in your heart you work iniquity: your hands forge injustice in the earth.
4 The wicked are alienated from the womb; they have gone astray from the womb: they have spoken false things.
5 Their madness is according to the likeness of a serpent: like the deaf asp that stoppeth her ears:
6 Which will not hear the voice of the charmers; nor of the wizard that charmeth wisely.
7 God shall break in pieces their teeth in their mouth: the Lord shall break the grinders of the lions.
8 They shall come to nothing, like water running down; he hath bent his bow till they be weakened.
9 Like wax that melteth they shall be taken away: fire hath fallen on them, and they shall not see the sun.
10 Before your thorns could know the brier; he swalloweth them up, as alive, in his wrath. Before your thorns, etc... That is, before your thorns grow up, so as to become strong briers, they shall be overtaken and consumed by divine justice, swallowing them up, as it were, alive in his wrath.
11 The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner. Shall wash his hands, etc... Shall applaud the justice of God, and take occasion from the consideration of the punishment of the wicked to wash and cleanse his hands from sin.
12 And man shall say: If indeed there be fruit to the just: there is indeed a God that judgeth them on the earth.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 In finem, ne disperdas. David in tituli inscriptionem.

2 Si vere utique justitiam loquimini,
recta judicate, filii hominum.
3 Etenim in corde iniquitates operamini;
in terra injustitias manus vestræ concinnant.
4 Alienati sunt peccatores a vulva;
erraverunt ab utero:
locuti sunt falsa.
5 Furor illis secundum similitudinem serpentis,
sicut aspidis surdæ et obturantis aures suas,
6 quæ non exaudiet vocem incantantium,
et venefici incantantis sapienter.
7 Deus conteret dentes eorum in ore ipsorum;
molas leonum confringet Dominus.
8 Ad nihilum devenient tamquam aqua decurrens;
intendit arcum suum donec infirmentur.
9 Sicut cera quæ fluit auferentur;
supercecidit ignis, et non viderunt solem.
10 Priusquam intelligerent spinæ vestræ rhamnum,
sicut viventes sic in ira absorbet eos.
11 Lætabitur justus cum viderit vindictam;
manus suas lavabit in sanguine peccatoris.
12 Et dicet homo: Si utique est fructus justo,
utique est Deus judicans eos in terra.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition