Previous Book (JOB) PSA 57 OET Book index, Intro, and Key PSA 59 Next Book (PRO) FAQs Glossary
Note: This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public. Some things (like capitalisation of ‘him’ referring to Jesus or ‘father’ referring to God) in the RV haven’t been decided yet so we’re still testing both ways.
Note: The Readers’ Version on the left is a translation into contemporary English aimed at the person on the street who hasn’t necessarily been brought up with exposure to Biblical jargon and/or 500-year old English. It’s designed to be used alongside the Literal Version on the right which gives the English reader a window into what’s actually written in the original languages. (See the introduction for more details—we recommend that you read the introduction first if you’re wanting to fully understand the Literal Version.) By comparing the left and right columns, you should be able to easily get the message of the text, while at the same time keeping an eye on what it was actually translated from.
Note that greyed words in the RV are words that the translators consider were most probably in the mind of the writer, but as none of us can double-check with the original speakers or writers, the reader is free to disagree. They are clearly marked because we’ve tried to be as honest and transparent as possible.
The lighter coloured words in the LV are words which aren’t needed in the grammar of the original languages but are required or implied in English. You can read the Key to learn more about them. The underlines joining words in the LV show when one original language word needs to be translated into two or more English words. (Just hide them with the button if you don’t need that information and find it distracting.) Also, the majority of sentences in the LV don’t have the words put into a sensible English order yet. (This should be completed by the end of 2023.)
See also the FAQs and the Glossary.
58:1 Punishment for the wicked
A Prayer for God to Punish the Wicked; Prayer for Vengeance
For the musical director: a song[fn] by David. To be sung to the tune of ‘Don’t destroy’.
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. Amiktam.; For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”; To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam.; For the leader: set to ‘Destroy not’: for David: a miktam
58 ≈When you rulers speak, do you actually say what is right?
≈Do you ≈give justice, you people?
2 No, you plan ≈wicked schemes in your mind.
≈You use your hands to distribute violence throughout the land.
3 From the womb, the wicked turn from what’s right.
≈They go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like snake venom.
≈They’re like a deaf cobra that blocks its own ears
5 then pays no attention to the snake-charmer’s voice
no matter how skillful they are.
6 Break their teeth in their mouths, God.
≈Yahweh, break off the fangs of the young lions.
7 Let them ≈melt away like water.
When #they shoot their arrows, let them be as though they ≈were cut in half.
8 Let them be like a snail that ≈quietly disappears.
≈Like a woman’s still-born child that never sees the sunlight.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the burning thorn twigs,
he’ll sweep the branches away.
10 The ≈godly people will celebrate when #they see God’s vengeance.
≈#They’ll wash #their feet in the blood of the wicked
11 so that people will say, “There’s definitely a reward for the righteous >person.
↑ 58 For_the_director al- tashcheth of_Dāvid a_miktam.
2 \f + \fr 58:2 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
1\f* indeed silence righteousness speak uprightness(es) do_you_all_judge the_children_of humankind.
3 \f + \fr 58:3 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
2\f* also in/on/at/with_heart injustice(s) devise on_the_earth the_violence_of hands_of_your_all’s weigh_out.
4 \f + \fr 58:4 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
3\f* they_turn_aside wicked_people from_womb they_go_astray from_birth those_who_speak_of (of)_falsehood.
5 \f + \fr 58:5 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
4\f* venom_of their_they like_likeness_of the_venom_of a_snake like a_cobra deaf which_it_shuts ear_of_its.
6 \f + \fr 58:6 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
5\f* which not it_listens to_sound/voice charmers one_who_throws_of spells skillful.
7 \f + \fr 58:7 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
6\f* Oh_god break_away teeth_of_their in/on/at/with_mouths_of_their the_teeth_of young_lions break_off Oh_YHWH.
8 \f + \fr 58:8 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
7\f* may_they_flow like waters which_they_go_about of_themselves may_he_bend arrows_of_his\f + \fr 58:8 \ft OSHB variant note: חצ/ו: (x-qere) ’חִ֝צָּ֗י/ו’: lemma_2671 n_0.
0 morph_HNcmpc/Sp3ms id_19oxz חִ֝צָּ֗י/ו\f* like let_them_be_cut_off.
9 \f + \fr 58:9 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
8\f* like a_snail_of which_melting_away it_goes a_miscarriage_of a_woman_of (of)_which_not they_have_seen the_sun.
10 \f + \fr 58:10 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
9\f* in/on/at/with_before they_will_perceive pots_of_your_all’s a_thorn_bush like alive like burning sweep_away_them.
11 \f + \fr 58:11 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
10\f* he_will_rejoice the_righteous if/because he_has_seen vengeance feet_of_his he_will_bathe in/on/at/with_blood_of the_wicked.
12 \f + \fr 58:12 \ft Note: KJB: Ps.
58.
11\f* and_ anyone _say surely fruit for_the_righteous surely there_is a_god who_judges on_the_earth.
Previous Book (JOB) PSA 57 OET Book index, Intro, and Key PSA 59 Next Book (PRO) FAQs Glossary