Psalms 10

1 Lord, whi hast thou go fer awei? thou dispisist `in couenable tymes in tribulacioun.

Why standest Thou afar off, O LORD? Why hidest Thou Thyself in times of trouble?

2 While the wickid is proud, the pore man is brent; thei ben taken in the counsels, bi whiche thei thenken.

Through the pride of the wicked the poor is hotly pursued, they are taken in the devices that they have imagined.

3 Forwhi the synnere is preisid in the desiris of his soule; and the wickid is blessid.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and the covetous vaunteth himself, though he contemn the LORD.

4 The synnere `wraththide the Lord; vp the multitude of his ire he schal not seke.

The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, saith: 'He will not require'; all his thoughts are: 'There is no God.'

5 God is not in his siyt; hise weies ben defoulid in al tyme. God, thi domes ben takun awei fro his face; he schal be lord of alle hise enemyes.

His ways prosper at all times; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight; as for all his adversaries, he puffeth at them.

6 For he seide in his herte, Y schal not be moued, fro generacioun in to generacioun without yuel.

He saith in his heart: 'I shall not be moved, I who to all generations shall not be in adversity.'

7 `Whos mouth is ful of cursyng, and of bitternesse, and of gyle; trauel and sorewe is vndur his tunge.

His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

8 He sittith in aspies with ryche men in priuytees; to sle the innocent man.

He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; in secret places doth he slay the innocent; his eyes are on the watch for the helpless.

9 Hise iyen biholden on a pore man; he settith aspies in hid place, as a lioun in his denne. He settith aspies, for to rauysche a pore man; for to rauysche a pore man, while he drawith the pore man.

He lieth in wait in a secret place as a lion in his lair, he lieth in wait to catch the poor; he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him up in his net.

10 In his snare he schal make meke the pore man; he schal bowe hym silf, and schal falle doun, whanne he hath be lord of pore men.

He croucheth, he boweth down, and the helpless fall into his mighty claws.

11 For he seide in his herte, God hath foryete; he hath turned awei his face, that he se not in to the ende.

He hath said in his heart: 'God hath forgotten; He hideth His face; He will never see.'

12 Lord God, rise thou vp, and thin hond be enhaunsid; foryete thou not pore men.

Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Thy hand; forget not the humble.

13 For what thing terride the wickid man God to wraththe? for he seide in his herte, God schal not seke.

Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, and say in his heart: 'Thou wilt not require'?

14 Thou seest, for thou biholdist trauel and sorewe; that thou take hem in to thin hondis. The pore man is left to thee; thou schalt be an helpere to the fadirles and modirles.

Thou hast seen; for Thou beholdest trouble and vexation, to requite them with Thy hand; unto Thee the helpless committeth himself; Thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

15 Al to-breke thou the arme of the synnere, and yuel willid; his synne schal be souyt, and it schal not be foundun.

Break Thou the arm of the wicked; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness, till none be found.

16 The Lord schal regne with outen ende, and in to the world of world; folkis, ye schulen perische fro the lond of hym.

The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations are perished out of His land.

17 The Lord hath herd the desir of pore men; thin eere hath herd the makyng redi of her herte.

LORD, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble: Thou wilt direct their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to attend;

18 To deme for the modirles `and meke; that a man `leie to no more to `magnyfie hym silf on erthe.

To right the fatherless and the oppressed, that man who is of the earth may be terrible no more.