# verses

text:
<t>‘If he comes along and confines you in prison </t><t>and convenes a court, who can oppose him? </t>


text:
<t>But the witless can no more become wise </t><t>than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human. <f>[16]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>if you put away the sin that is in your hand </t><t>and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, </t>


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<t>then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; </t><t>you will stand firm and without fear. </t>


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<t>You will be secure, because there is hope; </t><t>you will look about you and take your rest in safety. </t>


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<t>But the eyes of the wicked will fail, </t><t>and escape will elude them; </t><t>their hope will become a dying gasp.’</t>


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<t>But I have a mind as well as you; </t><t>I am not inferior to you. </t><t>Who does not know all these things? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘I have become a laughing-stock to my friends, </t><t>though I called on God and he answered — </t><t>a mere laughing-stock, though righteous and blameless! </t>


text:
<t>Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune </t><t>as the fate of those whose feet are slipping. </t>


text:
<t>The tents of marauders are undisturbed, </t><t>and those who provoke God are secure — </t><t>those whom God has in his hand. <f>[17]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘But ask the animals, and they will teach you, </t><t>or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; </t>


text:
<t>If he holds back the waters, there is drought; </t><t>if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. </t>


text:
<t>He takes off the shackles put on by kings </t><t>and ties a loincloth <f>[18]</f> round their waist. </t>


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<t>He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; </t><t>he makes them wander in a trackless waste. </t>


text:
<t>Would it turn out well if he examined you? </t><t>Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal? </t>


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<t>Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; </t><t>I will surely <f>[19]</f> defend my ways to his face. </t>


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<t>Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, </t><t>for no godless person would dare come before him! </t>


text:
<t>You fasten my feet in shackles; </t><t>you keep close watch on all my paths </t><t>by putting marks on the soles of my feet. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They spring up like flowers and wither away; </t><t>like fleeting shadows, they do not endure. </t>


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<t>Do you fix your eye on them? </t><t>Will you bring them <f>[20]</f> before you for judgment? </t>


text:
<t>A person’s days are determined; </t><t>you have decreed the number of his months </t><t>and have set limits he cannot exceed. </t>


text:
<t>So look away from him and let him alone, </t><t>till he has put in his time like a hired labourer. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘At least there is hope for a tree: </t><t>if it is cut down, it will sprout again, </t><t>and its new shoots will not fail. </t>


text:
<t>so he lies down and does not rise; </t><t>till the heavens are no more, people will not awake </t><t>or be roused from their sleep. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘If only you would hide me in the grave </t><t>and conceal me till your anger has passed! </t><t>If only you would set me a time </t><t>and then remember me! </t>


text:
<t>If someone dies, will they live again? </t><t>All the days of my hard service </t><t>I will wait for my renewal <f>[21]</f> to come. </t>


text:
<t>You will call and I will answer you; </t><t>you will long for the creature your hands have made. </t>


text:
<t>as water wears away stones </t><t>and torrents wash away the soil, </t><t>so you destroy a person’s hope. </t>


text:
<t>You overpower them once for all, and they are gone; </t><t>you change their countenance and send them away. </t>


text:
<t>If their children are honoured, they do not know it; </t><t>if their children are brought low, they do not see it. </t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Would a wise person answer with empty notions </t><t>or fill their belly with the hot east wind? </t>


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<t>so that you vent your rage against God </t><t>and pour out such words from your mouth? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘What are mortals, that they could be pure, </t><t>or those born of woman, that they could be righteous? </t>


text:
<t>If God places no trust in his holy ones, </t><t>if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes, </t>


text:
<t>all his days the wicked man suffers torment, </t><t>the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him. </t>


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<t>Distress and anguish fill him with terror; </t><t>troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack, </t>


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<t>he will inhabit ruined towns </t><t>and houses where no-one lives, </t><t>houses crumbling to rubble. </t>


text:
<t>He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure, </t><t>nor will his possessions spread over the land. </t>


text:
<t>He will not escape the darkness; </t><t>a flame will wither his shoots, </t><t>and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away. </t>


text:
<t>Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, </t><t>for he will get nothing in return. </t>


text:
<t>He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, </t><t>like an olive tree shedding its blossoms. </t>


text:
<t>For the company of the godless will be barren, </t><t>and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes. </t>


text:
<t>I also could speak like you, </t><t>if you were in my place; </t><t>I could make fine speeches against you </t><t>and shake my head at you. </t>


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<t>You have shrivelled me up — and it has become a witness; </t><t>my gauntness rises up and testifies against me. </t>


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<t>God assails me and tears me in his anger </t><t>and gnashes his teeth at me; </t><t>my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes. </t>


text:
<t>People open their mouths to jeer at me; </t><t>they strike my cheek in scorn </t><t>and unite together against me. </t>


text:
<t>All was well with me, but he shattered me; </t><t>he seized me by the neck and crushed me. </t><t>He has made me his target; </t>


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<t>his archers surround me. </t><t>Without pity, he pierces my kidneys </t><t>and spills my gall on the ground. </t>


text:
<t>You have closed their minds to understanding; </t><t>therefore you will not let them triumph. </t>


text:
<t>If anyone denounces their friends for reward, </t><t>the eyes of their children will fail. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, </t><t>and those with clean hands will grow stronger. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If the only home I hope for is the grave, </t><t>if I spread out my bed in the realm of darkness, </t>


text:
<t>if I say to corruption, “You are my father,” </t><t>and to the worm, “My mother” or “My sister”, </t>


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<t>You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, </t><t>is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? </t><t>Or must the rocks be moved from their place? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Fire resides <f>[23]</f> in his tent; </t><t>burning sulphur is scattered over his dwelling. </t>


text:
<t>He has no offspring or descendants among his people, </t><t>no survivor where once he lived. </t>


text:
<t>People of the west are appalled at his fate; </t><t>those of the east are seized with horror. </t>


text:
<t>Surely such is the dwelling of an evil man; </t><t>such is the place of one who does not know God.’</t>


text:
<t>‘Though I cry, “Violence!” I get no response; </t><t>though I call for help, there is no justice. </t>


text:
<t>His troops advance in force; </t><t>they build a siege ramp against me </t><t>and encamp around my tent. <pb/> </t>


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<t>‘He has alienated my family from me; </t><t>my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. </t>


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<t>My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner; </t><t>they look upon me as a stranger. </t>


text:
<t>I am nothing but skin and bones; </t><t>I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. <f>[24]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>that they were inscribed with an iron tool on <f>[25]</f> lead, </t><t>or engraved in rock for ever! </t>


text:
<t>I know that my redeemer <f>[26]</f> lives, </t><t>and that in the end he will stand on the earth. <f>[27]</f> </t>


text:
<t>And after my skin has been destroyed, </t><t>yet <f>[28]</f> in <f>[29]</f> my flesh I will see God; </t>


text:
<t>I myself will see him </t><t>with my own eyes — I, and not another. </t><t>How my heart yearns within me! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘If you say, “How we will hound him, </t><t>since the root of the trouble lies in him, <f>[30]</f>” </t>


text:
<t>you should fear the sword yourselves; </t><t>for wrath will bring punishment by the sword, </t><t>and then you will know that there is judgment. <f>[31]</f>’</t>


text:
<t>‘Surely you know how it has been from of old, </t><t>ever since mankind <f>[32]</f> was placed on the earth, </t>


text:
<t>Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens </t><t>and his head touches the clouds, </t>


text:
<t>he will perish for ever, like his own dung; </t><t>those who have seen him will say, “Where is he?” </t>


text:
<t>Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found, </t><t>banished like a vision of the night. </t>


text:
<t>yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; </t><t>it will become the venom of serpents within him. </t>


text:
<t>What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; </t><t>he will not enjoy the profit from his trading. </t>


text:
<t>For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; </t><t>he has seized houses he did not build. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Surely he will have no respite from his craving; </t><t>he cannot save himself by his treasure. </t>


text:
<t>In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; </t><t>the full force of misery will come upon him. </t>


text:
<t>When he has filled his belly, </t><t>God will vent his burning anger against him </t><t>and rain down his blows on him. </t>


text:
<t>He pulls it out of his back, </t><t>the gleaming point out of his liver. </t><t>Terrors will come over him; </t>


text:
<t>total darkness lies in wait for his treasures. </t><t>A fire unfanned will consume him </t><t>and devour what is left in his tent. </t>


text:
<t>A flood will carry off his house, </t><t>rushing waters <f>[33]</f> on the day of God’s wrath. </t>


text:
<t>They sing to the music of tambourine and lyre; </t><t>they make merry to the sound of the pipe. </t>


text:
<t>Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? </t><t>What would we gain by praying to him?” </t>


text:
<t>But their prosperity is not in their own hands, </t><t>so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? </t><t>How often does calamity come upon them, </t><t>the fate God allots in his anger? </t>


text:
<t>It is said, “God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.” </t><t>Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it! </t>


text:
<t>Let their own eyes see their destruction; </t><t>let them drink the cup of the wrath of the Almighty. </t>


text:
<t>For what do they care about the families they leave behind </t><t>when their allotted months come to an end? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Have you never questioned those who travel? </t><t>Have you paid no regard to their accounts — </t>


text:
<t>that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity, </t><t>that they are delivered from <f>[36]</f> the day of wrath? </t>


text:
<t>The soil in the valley is sweet to them; </t><t>everyone follows after them, </t><t>and a countless throng goes <f>[37]</f> before them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘So how can you console me with your nonsense? </t><t>Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!’</t>


text:
<t>What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? </t><t>What would he gain if your ways were blameless? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You demanded security from your relatives for no reason; </t><t>you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked. </t>


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<t>Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us </t><t>as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.” </t>


text:
<t>Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, </t><t>so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. </t>


text:
<t>If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: </t><t>if you remove wickedness far from your tent </t>


text:
<t>When people are brought low and you say, “Lift them up!” </t><t>then he will save the downcast. </t>


text:
<t>He will deliver even one who is not innocent, </t><t>who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.’</t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Even today my complaint is bitter; </t><t>his hand <f>[38]</f> is heavy in spite of <f>[39]</f> my groaning. </t>


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<t>Would he vigorously oppose me with great power? </t><t>No, he would not press charges against me. </t>


text:
<t>There the upright can establish their innocence before him, </t><t>and there I would be delivered for ever from my judge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; </t><t>when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. </t>


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<t>My feet have closely followed his steps; </t><t>I have kept to his way without turning aside. </t>


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<t>I have not departed from the commands of his lips; </t><t>I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? </t><t>Why must those who know him look in vain for such days? </t>


text:
<t>Like wild donkeys in the desert, </t><t>the poor go about their labour of foraging food; </t><t>the wasteland provides food for their children. </t>


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<t>Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; </t><t>they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. </t>


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<t>The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; </t><t>the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. </t>


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<t>They crush olives among the terraces <f>[40]</f>; </t><t>they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst. </t>


text:
<t>The groans of the dying rise from the city, </t><t>and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. </t><t>But God charges no-one with wrongdoing. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘There are those who rebel against the light, </t><t>who do not know its ways </t><t>or stay in its paths. </t>


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<t>When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up, </t><t>kills the poor and needy, </t><t>and in the night steals forth like a thief. </t>


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<t>The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; </t><t>he thinks, “No eye will see me,” </t><t>and he keeps his face concealed. </t>


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<t>In the dark, thieves break into houses, </t><t>but by day they shut themselves in; </t><t>they want nothing to do with the light. </t>


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<t>For all of them, midnight is their morning; </t><t>they make friends with the terrors of darkness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Yet they are foam on the surface of the water; </t><t>their portion of the land is cursed, </t><t>so that no-one goes to the vineyards. </t>


text:
<t>As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, </t><t>so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. </t>


text:
<t>The womb forgets them, </t><t>the worm feasts on them; </t><t>the wicked are no longer remembered </t><t>but are broken like a tree. </t>


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<t>But God drags away the mighty by his power; </t><t>though they become established, they have no assurance of life. </t>


text:
<t>For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; </t><t>they are brought low and gathered up like all others; </t><t>they are cut off like ears of corn. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! </t><t>And what great insight you have displayed! </t>


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<t>He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; </t><t>he suspends the earth over nothing. </t>


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<t>He wraps up the waters in his clouds, </t><t>yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. </t>


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<t>He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters </t><t>for a boundary between light and darkness. </t>


text:
<t>And these are but the outer fringe of his works; </t><t>how faint the whisper we hear of him! </t><t>Who then can understand the thunder of his power?’</t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, </t><t>the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, </t>


text:
<t>I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it; </t><t>my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For what hope have the godless when they are cut off, </t><t>when God takes away their life? </t>


text:
<t>‘I will teach you about the power of God; </t><t>the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal. </t>


text:
<t>‘Here is the fate God allots to the wicked, </t><t>the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty: </t>


text:
<t>However many his children, their fate is the sword; </t><t>his offspring will never have enough to eat. </t>


text:
<t>Mortals put an end to the darkness; </t><t>they search out the farthest recesses </t><t>for ore in the blackest darkness. </t>


text:
<t>Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, </t><t>in places untouched by human feet; </t><t>far from other people they dangle and sway. </t>


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<t>People assault the flinty rock with their hands </t><t>and lay bare the roots of the mountains. </t>


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<t>They search <f>[42]</f> the sources of the rivers </t><t>and bring hidden things to light. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It cannot be bought with the finest gold, </t><t>nor can its price be weighed out in silver. </t>


text:
<t>It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, </t><t>concealed even from the birds in the sky. </t>


text:
<t>And he said to the human race, </t><t>‘The fear of the Lord — that is wisdom, </t><t>and to shun evil is understanding.’</t>


text:
<t>Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, </t><t>when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, </t>


text:
<t>when my path was drenched with cream </t><t>and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil. <pb/> </t>


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<t>the voices of the nobles were hushed, </t><t>and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. </t>


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<t>because I rescued the poor who cried for help, </t><t>and the fatherless who had none to assist them. </t>


text:
<t>When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; </t><t>the light of my face was precious to them. <f>[44]</f> </t>


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<t>I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; </t><t>I dwelt as a king among his troops; </t><t>I was like one who comforts mourners.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘But now they mock me, </t><t>men younger than I, </t><t>whose fathers I would have disdained </t><t>to put with my sheep dogs. </t>


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<t>Of what use was the strength of their hands to me, </t><t>since their vigour had gone from them? </t>


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<t>Haggard from want and hunger, </t><t>they roamed <f>[45]</f> the parched land </t><t>in desolate wastelands at night. </t>


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<t>In the brush they gathered salt herbs, </t><t>and their food <f>[46]</f> was the root of the broom bush. </t>


text:
<t>They were forced to live in the dry stream beds, </t><t>among the rocks and in holes in the ground. </t>


text:
<t>Now that God has unstrung my bow and afflicted me, </t><t>they throw off restraint in my presence. </t>


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<t>On my right the tribe <f>[47]</f> attacks; </t><t>they lay snares for my feet, </t><t>they build their siege ramps against me. </t>


text:
<t>They break up my road; </t><t>they succeed in destroying me. </t><t>“No-one can help him,” they say. </t>


text:
<t>Terrors overwhelm me; </t><t>my dignity is driven away as by the wind, </t><t>my safety vanishes like a cloud. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In his great power God becomes like clothing to me <f>[48]</f>; </t><t>he binds me like the neck of my garment. </t>


text:
<t>‘I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; </t><t>I stand up, but you merely look at me. </t>


text:
<t>I know you will bring me down to death, </t><t>to the place appointed for all the living. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I go about blackened, but not by the sun; </t><t>I stand up in the assembly and cry for help. </t>


text:
<t>if my steps have turned from the path, </t><t>if my heart has been led by my eyes, </t><t>or if my hands have been defiled, </t>


text:
<t>‘If my heart has been enticed by a woman, </t><t>or if I have lurked at my neighbour’s door, </t>


text:
<t>It is a fire that burns to Destruction <f>[49]</f>; </t><t>it would have uprooted my harvest. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘If I have denied justice to any of my servants, </t><t>whether male or female, </t><t>when they had a grievance against me, </t>


text:
<t>Did not he who made me in the womb make them? </t><t>Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>but from my youth I reared them as a father would, </t><t>and from my birth I guided the widow — </t>


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<t>if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, </t><t>knowing that I had influence in court, </t>


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<t>For I dreaded destruction from God, </t><t>and for fear of his splendour I could not do such things. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>then these also would be sins to be judged, </t><t>for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune </t><t>or gloated over the trouble that came to him — </t>


text:
<t>if those of my household have never said, </t><t>“Who has not been filled with Job’s meat?” — </t>


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<t>but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, </t><t>for my door was always open to the traveller — </t>


text:
<t>because I so feared the crowd </t><t>and so dreaded the contempt of the clans </t><t>that I kept silent and would not go outside — <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>(‘Oh, that I had someone to hear me! </t><t>I sign now my defence — let the Almighty answer me; </t><t>let my accuser put his indictment in writing. </t>


text:
<t>I would give him an account of my every step; </t><t>I would present it to him as to a ruler.) — <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>then let briers come up instead of wheat </t><t>and stinkweed instead of barley.’ </t> <pb/>The words of Job are ended.


text:
But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.


text:
He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. <f>[51]</f>


text:
<pb/>So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: <pb/><t>‘I am young in years, </t><t>and you are old; </t><t>that is why I was fearful, </t><t>not daring to tell you what I know. </t>


text:
<t>But it is the spirit <f>[52]</f> in a person, </t><t>the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. </t>


text:
<t>It is not only the old <f>[53]</f> who are wise, </t><t>not only the aged who understand what is right. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I waited while you spoke, </t><t>I listened to your reasoning; </t><t>while you were searching for words, </t>


text:
<t>I gave you my full attention. </t><t>But not one of you has proved Job wrong; </t><t>none of you has answered his arguments. </t>


text:
<t>But Job has not marshalled his words against me, </t><t>and I will not answer him with your arguments. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In a dream, in a vision of the night, </t><t>when deep sleep falls on people </t><t>as they slumber in their beds, </t>


text:
<t>to preserve them from the pit, </t><t>their lives from perishing by the sword. <f>[55]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Yet if there is an angel at their side, </t><t>a messenger, one out of a thousand, </t><t>sent to tell them how to be upright, </t>


text:
<t>and he is gracious to that person and says to God, </t><t>“Spare them from going down to the pit; </t><t>I have found a ransom for them — </t>


text:
<t>let their flesh be renewed like a child’s; </t><t>let them be restored as in the days of their youth” — </t>


text:
<t>then that person can pray to God and find favour with him, </t><t>they will see God’s face and shout for joy; </t><t>he will restore them to full well-being. </t>


text:
<t>And they will go to others and say, </t><t>“I have sinned, and I have perverted what is right, </t><t>but I did not get what I deserved. </t>


text:
<t>God has delivered me from going down to the pit, </t><t>and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.” <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let us discern for ourselves what is right; </t><t>let us learn together what is good. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Although I am right, </t><t>I am considered a liar; </t><t>although I am guiltless, </t><t>his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.” </t>


text:
<t>‘So listen to me, you men of understanding. </t><t>Far be it from God to do evil, </t><t>from the Almighty to do wrong. </t>


text:
<t>He repays everyone for what they have done; </t><t>he brings on them what their conduct deserves. </t>


text:
<t>Is he not the One who says to kings, “You are worthless,” </t><t>and to nobles, “You are wicked,” </t>


text:
<t>who shows no partiality to princes </t><t>and does not favour the rich over the poor, </t><t>for they are all the work of his hands? </t>


text:
<t>They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; </t><t>the people are shaken and they pass away; </t><t>the mighty are removed without human hand. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>God has no need to examine men further, </t><t>that they should come before him for judgment. </t>


text:
<t>Because he takes note of their deeds, </t><t>he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. </t>


text:
<t>They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, </t><t>so that he heard the cry of the needy. </t>


text:
<t>But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? </t><t>If he hides his face, who can see him? </t><t>Yet he is over individual and nation alike, </t>


text:
<t>Should God then reward you on your terms, </t><t>when you refuse to repent? </t><t>You must decide, not I; </t><t>so tell me what you know. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>To his sin he adds rebellion; </t><t>scornfully he claps his hands among us </t><t>and multiplies his words against God.’</t>


text:
<t>Yet you ask him, “What profit is it to me, <f>[58]</f> </t><t>and what do I gain by not sinning?” <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If you sin, how does that affect him? </t><t>If your sins are many, what does that do to him? </t>


text:
<t>If you are righteous, what do you give to him, </t><t>or what does he receive from your hand? </t>


text:
<t>Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, </t><t>and your righteousness only other people. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘People cry out under a load of oppression; </t><t>they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. </t>


text:
<t>who teaches us more than he teaches <f>[59]</f> the beasts of the earth </t><t>and makes us wiser than <f>[60]</f> the birds in the sky?” </t>


text:
<t>Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; </t><t>the Almighty pays no attention to it. </t>


text:
<t>How much less, then, will he listen </t><t>when you say that you do not see him, </t><t>that your case is before him </t><t>and you must wait for him, </t>


text:
<t>and further, that his anger never punishes </t><t>and he does not take the least notice of wickedness. <f>[61]</f> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Bear with me a little longer and I will show you </t><t>that there is more to be said on God’s behalf. </t>


text:
<t>Be assured that my words are not false; </t><t>one who has perfect knowledge is with you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He does not take his eyes off the righteous; </t><t>he enthrones them with kings </t><t>and exalts them for ever. </t>


text:
<t>If they obey and serve him, </t><t>they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity </t><t>and their years in contentment. </t>


text:
<t>But if they do not listen, </t><t>they will perish by the sword <f>[62]</f> </t><t>and die without knowledge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘The godless in heart harbour resentment; </t><t>even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. </t>


text:
<t>But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; </t><t>he speaks to them in their affliction. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘He is wooing you from the jaws of distress </t><t>to a spacious place free from restriction, </t><t>to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. </t>


text:
<t>But now you are laden with the judgment due to the wicked; </t><t>judgment and justice have taken hold of you. </t>


text:
<t>Be careful that no-one entices you by riches; </t><t>do not let a large bribe turn you aside. </t>


text:
<t>Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts </t><t>sustain you so you would not be in distress? </t>


text:
<t>How great is God — beyond our understanding! </t><t>The number of his years is past finding out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>His thunder announces the coming storm; </t><t>even the cattle make known its approach. <f>[66]</f></t>


text:
<t>He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven </t><t>and sends it to the ends of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>After that comes the sound of his roar; </t><t>he thunders with his majestic voice. </t><t>When his voice resounds, </t><t>he holds nothing back. </t>


text:
<t>God’s voice thunders in marvellous ways; </t><t>he does great things beyond our understanding. </t>


text:
<t>He says to the snow, “Fall on the earth,” </t><t>and to the rain shower, “Be a mighty downpour.” </t>


text:
<t>So that everyone he has made may know his work, </t><t>he stops all people from their labour. <f>[67]</f> </t>


text:
<t>At his direction they swirl around </t><t>over the face of the whole earth </t><t>to do whatever he commands them. </t>


text:
<t>He brings the clouds to punish people, </t><t>or to water his earth and show his love. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do you know how the clouds hang poised, </t><t>those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge? </t>


text:
<t>‘Tell us what we should say to him; </t><t>we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness. </t>


text:
<t>Now no-one can look at the sun, </t><t>bright as it is in the skies </t><t>after the wind has swept them clean. </t>


text:
<t>The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; </t><t>in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore, people revere him, </t><t>for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? <f>[68]</f>’</t>


text:
<t>Brace yourself like a man; </t><t>I will question you, </t><t>and you shall answer me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! </t><t>Who stretched a measuring line across it? </t>


text:
<t>while the morning stars sang together </t><t>and all the angels <f>[69]</f> shouted for joy? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>when I said, “This far you may come and no farther; </t><t>here is where your proud waves halt”? <pb/> </t>


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<t>The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; </t><t>its features stand out like those of a garment. </t>


text:
<t>Have the gates of death been shown to you? </t><t>Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness? </t>


text:
<t>Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? </t><t>Tell me, if you know all this. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, </t><t>or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? </t>


text:
<t>Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons <f>[71]</f> </t><t>or lead out the Bear <f>[72]</f> with its cubs? </t>


text:
<t>Do you know the laws of the heavens? </t><t>Can you set up God’s <f>[73]</f> dominion over the earth? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Who gives the ibis wisdom <f>[74]</f> </t><t>or gives the cockerel understanding? <f>[75]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? </t><t>Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens </t>


text:
<t>Who provides food for the raven </t><t>when its young cry out to God </t><t>and wander about for lack of food?</t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? </t><t>Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? </t>


text:
<t>‘The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, </t><t>though they cannot compare </t><t>with the wings and feathers of the stork. </t>


text:
<t>She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; </t><t>she cares not that her labour was in vain, </t>


text:
<t>In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; </t><t>it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. </t>


text:
<t>At the blast of the trumpet it snorts, “Aha!” </t><t>It catches the scent of battle from afar, </t><t>the shout of commanders and the battle cry. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? </t><t>Let him who accuses God answer him!’ </t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Brace yourself like a man; </t><t>I will question you, </t><t>and you shall answer me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then adorn yourself with glory and splendour, </t><t>and clothe yourself in honour and majesty. </t>


text:
<t>‘Look at Behemoth, </t><t>which I made along with you </t><t>and which feeds on grass like an ox. </t>


text:
<t>A raging river does not alarm it; </t><t>it is secure, though the Jordan should surge against its mouth. </t>


text:
<pb/><t> <f>[76]</f> <n>[1]</n> ‘Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook </t><t>or tie down its tongue with a rope? </t>


text:
<t>Can you make a pet of it like a bird </t><t>or put it on a leash for the young women in your house? </t>


text:
<t>Who has a claim against me that I must pay? </t><t>Everything under heaven belongs to me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Who can strip off its outer coat? </t><t>Who can penetrate its double coat of armour <f>[77]</f>? </t>


text:
<t>The sword that reaches it has no effect, </t><t>nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin. </t>


text:
<t>Its undersides are jagged potsherds, </t><t>leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing-sledge. </t>


text:
<t>It makes the depths churn like a boiling cauldron </t><t>and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment. </t>


text:
<t>You asked, “Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?” </t><t>Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, </t><t>things too wonderful for me to know. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘You said, “Listen now, and I will speak; </t><t>I will question you, </t><t>and you shall answer me.” </t>


text:
<pb/>After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.


text:
So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.’


text:
So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job’s prayer.


text:
<pb/>After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.


text:
All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver <f>[79]</f> and a gold ring.


text:
<pb/>The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.


text:
Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.


text:
<pb/>After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.


text:
<pb/><t>Blessed is the one </t><t>who does not walk in step with the wicked </t><t>or stand in the way that sinners take </t><t>or sit in the company of mockers, </t>


text:
<t>but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, </t><t>and who meditates on his law day and night. </t>


text:
<t>That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, </t><t>which yields its fruit in season </t><t>and whose leaf does not wither — </t><t>whatever they do prospers. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, </t><t>nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, </t><t>but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.</t>


text:
<t>The kings of the earth rise up </t><t>and the rulers band together </t><t>against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, </t>


text:
<pb/>I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: <pb/><t>He said to me, ‘You are my son; </t><t>today I have become your father. </t>


text:
<t>Ask me, </t><t>and I will make the nations your inheritance, </t><t>the ends of the earth your possession. </t>


text:
<t>You will break them with a rod of iron <f>[2]</f>; </t><t>you will dash them to pieces like pottery.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Kiss his son, or he will be angry </t><t>and your way will lead to your destruction, </t><t>for his wrath can flare up in a moment. </t><t>Blessed are all who take refuge in him.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, how many are my foes! </t><t>How many rise up against me! </t>


text:
<t>Arise, LORD! </t><t>Deliver me, my God! </t><t>Strike all my enemies on the jaw; </t><t>break the teeth of the wicked. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Answer me when I call to you, </t><t>my righteous God. </t><t>Give me relief from my distress; </t><t>have mercy on me and hear my prayer. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How long will you people turn my glory into shame? </t><t>How long will you love delusions and seek false gods <f>[4]</f>, <f>[5]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; </t><t>the LORD hears when I call to him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Tremble and <f>[6]</f> do not sin; </t><t>when you are on your beds, </t><t>search your hearts and be silent. </t>


text:
<t>Many, LORD, are asking, ‘Who will bring us prosperity?’ </t><t>Let the light of your face shine on us. </t>


text:
<t>In peace I will lie down and sleep, </t><t>for you alone, LORD, </t><t>make me dwell in safety.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Listen to my words, LORD, </t><t>consider my lament. </t>


text:
<t>In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; </t><t>in the morning I lay my requests before you </t><t>and wait expectantly. </t>


text:
<t>For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; </t><t>with you, evil people are not welcome. </t>


text:
<t>you destroy those who tell lies. </t><t>The bloodthirsty and deceitful </t><t>you, LORD, detest. </t>


text:
<t>But I, by your great love, </t><t>can come into your house; </t><t>in reverence I bow down </t><t>towards your holy temple. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness </t><t>because of my enemies — </t><t>make your way straight before me. </t>


text:
<t>Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; </t><t>their heart is filled with malice. </t><t>Their throat is an open grave; </t><t>with their tongues they tell lies. </t>


text:
<t>Declare them guilty, O God! </t><t>Let their intrigues be their downfall. </t><t>Banish them for their many sins, </t><t>for they have rebelled against you. </t>


text:
<t>But let all who take refuge in you be glad; </t><t>let them ever sing for joy. </t><t>Spread your protection over them, </t><t>that those who love your name may rejoice in you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; </t><t>you surround them with your favour as with a shield.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.</e> <f>[7]</f> A psalm of David. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger </t><t>or discipline me in your wrath. </t>


text:
<t>I am worn out from my groaning. <pb/>All night long I flood my bed with weeping </t><t>and drench my couch with tears. </t>


text:
<t>All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; </t><t>they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A shiggaion</e> <f>[8]</f> of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjaminite. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD my God, I take refuge in you; </t><t>save and deliver me from all who pursue me, </t>


text:
<t>or they will tear me apart like a lion </t><t>and rip me to pieces with no-one to rescue me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; </t><t>let him trample my life to the ground </t><t>and make me sleep in the dust. <f>[9]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Arise, LORD, in your anger; </t><t>rise up against the rage of my enemies. </t><t>Awake, my God; decree justice. </t>


text:
<t>Let the assembled peoples gather round you, </t><t>while you sit enthroned over them on high. </t>


text:
<t>Let the LORD judge the peoples. </t><t>Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness, </t><t>according to my integrity, O Most High. </t>


text:
<t>Bring to an end the violence of the wicked </t><t>and make the righteous secure — </t><t>you, the righteous God </t><t>who probes minds and hearts. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If he does not relent, </t><t>he <f>[11]</f> will sharpen his sword; </t><t>he will bend and string his bow. </t>


text:
<t>The trouble they cause recoils on them; </t><t>their violence comes down on their own heads. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; </t><t>I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. According to gittith.</e> <f>[12]</f> A psalm of David. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, our Lord, </t><t>how majestic is your name in all the earth! <pb/>You have set your glory </t><t>in the heavens. </t>


text:
<t>Through the praise of children and infants </t><t>you have established a stronghold against your enemies, </t><t>to silence the foe and the avenger. </t>


text:
<t>When I consider your heavens, </t><t>the work of your fingers, </t><t>the moon and the stars, </t><t>which you have set in place, </t>


text:
<t>what is mankind that you are mindful of them, </t><t>human beings that you care for them? <f>[13]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You have made them <f>[14]</f> a little lower than the angels <f>[15]</f> </t><t>and crowned them <f>[16]</f> with glory and honour. </t>


text:
<t>You made them rulers over the works of your hands; </t><t>you put everything under their <f>[17]</f> feet: </t>


text:
<t>the birds in the sky, </t><t>and the fish in the sea, </t><t>all that swim the paths of the seas. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Death of the Son.’ A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; </t><t>I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. </t>


text:
<t>I will be glad and rejoice in you; </t><t>I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; </t><t>you have blotted out their name for ever and ever. </t>


text:
<t>Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies, </t><t>you have uprooted their cities; </t><t>even the memory of them has perished. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who know your name trust in you, </t><t>for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion; </t><t>proclaim among the nations what he has done. </t>


text:
<t>For he who avenges blood remembers; </t><t>he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! </t><t>Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, </t>


text:
<t>that I may declare your praises </t><t>in the gates of Daughter Zion, </t><t>and there rejoice in your salvation. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; </t><t>their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is known by his acts of justice; </t><t>the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. <f>[18]</f> </t>


text:
<t>But God will never forget the needy; </t><t>the hope of the afflicted will never perish. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Why, LORD, do you stand far off? </t><t>Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, </t><t>who are caught in the schemes he devises. </t>


text:
<t>He boasts about the cravings of his heart; </t><t>he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; </t><t>in all his thoughts there is no room for God. </t>


text:
<t>His ways are always prosperous; </t><t>your laws are rejected by <f>[19]</f> him; </t><t>he sneers at all his enemies. </t>


text:
<t>He says to himself, ‘Nothing will ever shake me.’ </t><t>He swears, ‘No-one will ever do me harm.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He lies in wait near the villages; </t><t>from ambush he murders the innocent. </t><t>His eyes watch in secret for his victims; </t>


text:
<t>like a lion in cover he lies in wait. </t><t>He lies in wait to catch the helpless; </t><t>he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. </t>


text:
<t>He says to himself, ‘God will never notice; </t><t>he covers his face and never sees.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Why does the wicked man revile God? </t><t>Why does he say to himself, </t><t>‘He won’t call me to account’? </t>


text:
<t>But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; </t><t>you consider their grief and take it in hand. </t><t>The victims commit themselves to you; </t><t>you are the helper of the fatherless. </t>


text:
<t>Break the arm of the wicked man; </t><t>call the evildoer to account for his wickedness </t><t>that would not otherwise be found out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; </t><t>you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, </t>


text:
<t>defending the fatherless and the oppressed, </t><t>so that mere earthly mortals </t><t>will never again strike terror.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> In the LORD I take refuge. </t><t>How then can you say to me: </t><t>‘Flee like a bird to your mountain. </t>


text:
<t>For look, the wicked bend their bows; </t><t>they set their arrows against the strings </t><t>to shoot from the shadows </t><t>at the upright in heart. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is in his holy temple; </t><t>the LORD is on his heavenly throne. </t><t>He observes everyone on earth; </t><t>his eyes examine them. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD examines the righteous, </t><t>but the wicked, those who love violence, </t><t>he hates with a passion. </t>


text:
<t>On the wicked he will rain </t><t>fiery coals and burning sulphur; </t><t>a scorching wind will be their lot. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. According to sheminith.</e> <f>[20]</f> A psalm of David. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Help, LORD, for no-one is faithful anymore; </t><t>those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. </t>


text:
<t>Everyone lies to their neighbour; </t><t>they flatter with their lips </t><t>but harbour deception in their hearts. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>those who say, </t><t>‘By our tongues we will prevail; </t><t>our own lips will defend us — who is lord over us?’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, </t><t>I will now arise,’ says the LORD. </t><t>‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’ </t>


text:
<t>And the words of the LORD are flawless, </t><t>like silver purified in a crucible, </t><t>like gold <f>[21]</f> refined seven times. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> How long, LORD? Will you forget me for ever? </t><t>How long will you hide your face from me? </t>


text:
<t>How long must I wrestle with my thoughts </t><t>and day after day have sorrow in my heart? </t><t>How long will my enemy triumph over me? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ </t><t>and my foes will rejoice when I fall. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The fool <f>[22]</f> says in his heart, </t><t>‘There is no God.’ </t><t>They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; </t><t>there is no-one who does good. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD looks down from heaven </t><t>on all mankind </t><t>to see if there are any who understand, </t><t>any who seek God. </t>


text:
<t>All have turned away, all have become corrupt; </t><t>there is no-one who does good, </t><t>not even one. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do all these evildoers know nothing? <pb/>They devour my people as though eating bread; </t><t>they never call on the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, </t><t>for God is present in the company of the righteous. </t>


text:
<t>Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! </t><t>When the LORD restores his people, </t><t>let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent? </t><t>Who may live on your holy mountain? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The one whose way of life is blameless, </t><t>who does what is righteous, </t><t>who speaks the truth from their heart; </t>


text:
<t>whose tongue utters no slander, </t><t>who does no wrong to a neighbour, </t><t>and casts no slur on others; </t>


text:
<t>who despises a vile person </t><t>but honours those who fear the LORD; </t><t>who keeps an oath even when it hurts, </t><t>and does not change their mind; </t>


text:
<t>who lends money to the poor without interest; </t><t>who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. <pb/>Whoever does these things </t><t>will never be shaken.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A miktam</e> <f>[23]</f> of David. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Keep me safe, my God, </t><t>for in you I take refuge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I say of the holy people who are in the land, </t><t>‘They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.’ </t>


text:
<t>Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. </t><t>I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods </t><t>or take up their names on my lips. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; </t><t>surely I have a delightful inheritance. </t>


text:
<t>I keep my eyes always on the LORD. </t><t>With him at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, </t><t>nor will you let your faithful <f>[24]</f> one see decay. </t>


text:
<t>You make known to me the path of life; </t><t>you will fill me with joy in your presence, </t><t>with eternal pleasures at your right hand.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A prayer of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear me, LORD, my plea is just; </t><t>listen to my cry. </t><t>Hear my prayer — </t><t>it does not rise from deceitful lips. </t>


text:
<t>Though you probe my heart, </t><t>though you examine me at night and test me, </t><t>you will find that I have planned no evil; </t><t>my mouth has not transgressed. </t>


text:
<t>Though people tried to bribe me, </t><t>I have kept myself from the ways of the violent </t><t>through what your lips have commanded. </t>


text:
<t>I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; </t><t>turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. </t>


text:
<t>Show me the wonders of your great love, </t><t>you who save by your right hand </t><t>those who take refuge in you from their foes. </t>


text:
<t>from the wicked who are out to destroy me, </t><t>from my mortal enemies who surround me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They have tracked me down, they now surround me, </t><t>with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground. </t>


text:
<t>Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down; </t><t>with your sword rescue me from the wicked. </t>


text:
<t>By your hand save me from such people, LORD, </t><t>from those of this world whose reward is in this life. </t><t>May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; </t><t>may their children gorge themselves on it, </t><t>and may there be leftovers for their little ones. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>As for me, I shall be vindicated and shall see your face; </t><t>when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I love you, LORD, my strength. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; </t><t>my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, </t><t>my shield <f>[25]</f> and the horn <f>[26]</f> of my salvation, my stronghold. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, </t><t>and I have been saved from my enemies. </t>


text:
<t>In my distress I called to the LORD; </t><t>I cried to my God for help. </t><t>From his temple he heard my voice; </t><t>my cry came before him, into his ears. </t>


text:
<t>The earth trembled and quaked, </t><t>and the foundations of the mountains shook; </t><t>they trembled because he was angry. </t>


text:
<t>He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him — </t><t>the dark rain clouds of the sky. </t>


text:
<t>Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, </t><t>with hailstones and bolts of lightning. </t>


text:
<t>The valleys of the sea were exposed </t><t>and the foundations of the earth laid bare </t><t>at your rebuke, LORD, </t><t>at the blast of breath from your nostrils. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; </t><t>according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, </t><t>according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>To the faithful you show yourself faithful, </t><t>to the blameless you show yourself blameless, </t>


text:
<t>With your help I can advance against a troop <f>[28]</f>; </t><t>with my God I can scale a wall. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>As for God, his way is perfect: </t><t>the LORD’s word is flawless; </t><t>he shields all who take refuge in him. </t>


text:
<t>You make your saving help my shield, </t><t>and your right hand sustains me; </t><t>your help has made me great. </t>


text:
<t>I pursued my enemies and overtook them; </t><t>I did not turn back till they were destroyed. </t>


text:
<t>I beat them as fine as windblown dust; </t><t>I trampled them <f>[29]</f> like mud in the streets. </t>


text:
<t>You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; </t><t>you have made me the head of nations. </t><t>People I did not know now serve me, </t>


text:
<t>who saves me from my enemies. </t><t>You exalted me above my foes; </t><t>from a violent man you rescued me. </t>


text:
<t>He gives his king great victories; </t><t>he shows unfailing love to his anointed, </t><t>to David and to his descendants for ever.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The heavens declare the glory of God; </t><t>the skies proclaim the work of his hands. </t>


text:
<t>Yet their voice <f>[30]</f> goes out into all the earth, </t><t>their words to the ends of the world. </t><t>In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. </t>


text:
<t>It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, </t><t>like a champion rejoicing to run his course. </t>


text:
<t>It rises at one end of the heavens </t><t>and makes its circuit to the other; </t><t>nothing is deprived of its warmth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The law of the LORD is perfect, </t><t>refreshing the soul. </t><t>The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, </t><t>making wise the simple. </t>


text:
<t>The precepts of the LORD are right, </t><t>giving joy to the heart. </t><t>The commands of the LORD are radiant, </t><t>giving light to the eyes. </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD is pure, </t><t>enduring for ever. </t><t>The decrees of the LORD are firm, </t><t>and all of them are righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They are more precious than gold, </t><t>than much pure gold; </t><t>they are sweeter than honey, </t><t>than honey from the honeycomb. </t>


text:
<t>Keep your servant also from wilful sins; </t><t>may they not rule over me. </t><t>Then I will be blameless, </t><t>innocent of great transgression. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart </t><t>be pleasing in your sight, </t><t> LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; </t><t>may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. </t>


text:
<t>May we shout for joy over your victory </t><t>and lift up our banners in the name of our God. <pb/>May the LORD grant all your requests. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Now this I know: </t><t>the LORD gives victory to his anointed. </t><t>He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary </t><t>with the victorious power of his right hand. </t>


text:
<t>Some trust in chariots and some in horses, </t><t>but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The king rejoices in your strength, LORD. </t><t>How great is his joy in the victories you give! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You have granted him his heart’s desire </t><t>and have not withheld the request of his lips. <f>[32]</f> </t>


text:
<t>You came to greet him with rich blessings </t><t>and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. </t>


text:
<t>Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; </t><t>you have bestowed on him splendour and majesty. </t>


text:
<t>Surely you have granted him unending blessings </t><t>and made him glad with the joy of your presence. </t>


text:
<t>For the king trusts in the LORD; </t><t>through the unfailing love of the Most High </t><t>he will not be shaken. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When you appear for battle, </t><t>you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. </t><t>The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, </t><t>and his fire will consume them. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Doe of the Morning.’ A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? </t><t>Why are you so far from saving me, </t><t>so far from my cries of anguish? </t>


text:
<t>My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, </t><t>by night, but I find no rest. <f>[33]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>To you they cried out and were saved; </t><t>in you they trusted and were not put to shame. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘He trusts in the LORD,’ they say, </t><t>‘let the LORD rescue him. </t><t>Let him deliver him, </t><t>since he delights in him.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Yet you brought me out of the womb; </t><t>you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. </t>


text:
<t>I am poured out like water, </t><t>and all my bones are out of joint. </t><t>My heart has turned to wax; </t><t>it has melted within me. </t>


text:
<t>My mouth <f>[35]</f> is dried up like a potsherd, </t><t>and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; </t><t>you lay me in the dust of death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Dogs surround me, </t><t>a pack of villains encircles me; </t><t>they pierce <f>[36]</f> my hands and my feet. </t>


text:
<t>Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; </t><t>save me from the horns of the wild oxen. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You who fear the LORD, praise him! </t><t>All you descendants of Jacob, honour him! </t><t>Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! </t>


text:
<t>For he has not despised or scorned </t><t>the suffering of the afflicted one; </t><t>he has not hidden his face from him </t><t>but has listened to his cry for help. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; </t><t>before those who fear you <f>[37]</f> I will fulfil my vows. </t>


text:
<t>The poor will eat and be satisfied; </t><t>those who seek the LORD will praise him — </t><t>may your hearts live for ever! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>All the ends of the earth </t><t>will remember and turn to the LORD, </t><t>and all the families of the nations </t><t>will bow down before him, </t>


text:
<t>All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; </t><t>all who go down to the dust will kneel before him — </t><t>those who cannot keep themselves alive. </t>


text:
<t>They will proclaim his righteousness, </t><t>declaring to a people yet unborn: </t><t>He has done it!</t>


text:
<t>Even though I walk </t><t>through the darkest valley, <f>[38]</f> </t><t>I will fear no evil, </t><t>for you are with me; </t><t>your rod and your staff, </t><t>they comfort me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You prepare a table before me </t><t>in the presence of my enemies. </t><t>You anoint my head with oil; </t><t>my cup overflows. </t>


text:
<t>Surely your goodness and love will follow me </t><t>all the days of my life, </t><t>and I will dwell in the house of the LORD </t><t>for ever.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, </t><t>the world, and all who live in it; </t>


text:
<t>The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, </t><t>who does not trust in an idol </t><t>or swear by a false god. <f>[39]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Such is the generation of those who seek him, </t><t>who seek your face, God of Jacob. <f>[40]</f>, <f>[41]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Lift up your heads, you gates; </t><t>be lifted up, you ancient doors, </t><t>that the King of glory may come in. </t>


text:
<t>Who is this King of glory? </t><t>The LORD strong and mighty, </t><t>the LORD mighty in battle. </t>


text:
<t>Lift up your heads, you gates; </t><t>lift them up, you ancient doors, </t><t>that the King of glory may come in. </t>


text:
<t>I trust in you; </t><t>do not let me be put to shame, </t><t>nor let my enemies triumph over me. </t>


text:
<t>No-one who hopes in you </t><t>will ever be put to shame, </t><t>but shame will come on those </t><t>who are treacherous without cause. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Guide me in your truth and teach me, </t><t>for you are God my Saviour, </t><t>and my hope is in you all day long. </t>


text:
<t>Do not remember the sins of my youth </t><t>and my rebellious ways; </t><t>according to your love remember me, </t><t>for you, LORD, are good. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful </t><t>towards those who keep the demands of his covenant. </t>


text:
<t>Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? </t><t>He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. <f>[42]</f> </t>


text:
<t>They will spend their days in prosperity, </t><t>and their descendants will inherit the land. </t>


text:
<t>Guard my life and rescue me; </t><t>do not let me be put to shame, </t><t>for I take refuge in you. </t>


text:
<t>May integrity and uprightness protect me, </t><t>because my hope, LORD, <f>[43]</f> is in you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Vindicate me, LORD, </t><t>for I have led a blameless life; </t><t>I have trusted in the LORD </t><t>and have not faltered. </t>


text:
<t>for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love </t><t>and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not take away my soul along with sinners, </t><t>my life with those who are bloodthirsty, </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The LORD is my light and my salvation — </t><t>whom shall I fear? </t><t>The LORD is the stronghold of my life — </t><t>of whom shall I be afraid? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the wicked advance against me </t><t>to devour <f>[44]</f> me, </t><t>it is my enemies and my foes </t><t>who will stumble and fall. </t>


text:
<t>Though an army besiege me, </t><t>my heart will not fear; </t><t>though war break out against me, </t><t>even then I will be confident. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One thing I ask from the LORD, </t><t>this only do I seek: </t><t>that I may dwell in the house of the LORD </t><t>all the days of my life, </t><t>to gaze on the beauty of the LORD </t><t>and to seek him in his temple. </t>


text:
<t>For in the day of trouble </t><t>he will keep me safe in his dwelling; </t><t>he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent </t><t>and set me high upon a rock. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then my head will be exalted </t><t>above the enemies who surround me; </t><t>at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; </t><t>I will sing and make music to the LORD. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not hide your face from me, </t><t>do not turn your servant away in anger; </t><t>you have been my helper. </t><t>Do not reject me or forsake me, </t><t>God my Saviour. </t>


text:
<t>Do not hand me over to the desire of my foes, </t><t>for false witnesses rise up against me, </t><t>spouting malicious accusations. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I remain confident of this: </t><t>I will see the goodness of the LORD </t><t>in the land of the living. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> To you, LORD, I call; </t><t>you are my Rock, </t><t>do not turn a deaf ear to me. </t><t>For if you remain silent, </t><t>I shall be like those who go down to the pit. </t>


text:
<t>Hear my cry for mercy </t><t>as I call to you for help, </t><t>as I lift up my hands </t><t>towards your Most Holy Place. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not drag me away with the wicked, </t><t>with those who do evil, </t><t>who speak cordially with their neighbours </t><t>but harbour malice in their hearts. </t>


text:
<t>Repay them for their deeds </t><t>and for their evil work; </t><t>repay them for what their hands have done </t><t>and bring back on them what they deserve. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD </t><t>and what his hands have done, </t><t>he will tear them down </t><t>and never build them up again. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is my strength and my shield; </t><t>my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. </t><t>My heart leaps for joy, </t><t>and with my song I praise him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is the strength of his people, </t><t>a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. </t>


text:
<t>Save your people and bless your inheritance; </t><t>be their shepherd and carry them for ever.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, </t><t>ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. </t>


text:
<t>Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name; </t><t>worship the LORD in the splendour of his <f>[45]</f> holiness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The voice of the LORD is over the waters; </t><t>the God of glory thunders, </t><t>the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. </t>


text:
<t>The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; </t><t>the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. </t>


text:
<t>The voice of the LORD twists the oaks <f>[47]</f> </t><t>and strips the forests bare. </t><t>And in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. <f>[48]</f> Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will exalt you, LORD, </t><t>for you lifted me out of the depths </t><t>and did not let my enemies gloat over me. </t>


text:
<t>You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; </t><t>you spared me from going down to the pit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For his anger lasts only a moment, </t><t>but his favour lasts a lifetime; </t><t>weeping may stay for the night, </t><t>but rejoicing comes in the morning. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD, when you favoured me, </t><t>you made my royal mountain <f>[49]</f> stand firm; </t><t>but when you hid your face, </t><t>I was dismayed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘What is gained if I am silenced, </t><t>if I go down to the pit? </t><t>Will the dust praise you? </t><t>Will it proclaim your faithfulness? </t>


text:
<t>You turned my wailing into dancing; </t><t>you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, </t>


text:
<t>that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. </t><t> LORD my God, I will praise you for ever.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; </t><t>let me never be put to shame; </t><t>deliver me in your righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>Turn your ear to me, </t><t>come quickly to my rescue; </t><t>be my rock of refuge, </t><t>a strong fortress to save me. </t>


text:
<t>I will be glad and rejoice in your love, </t><t>for you saw my affliction </t><t>and knew the anguish of my soul. </t>


text:
<t>You have not given me into the hands of the enemy </t><t>but have set my feet in a spacious place. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; </t><t>my eyes grow weak with sorrow, </t><t>my soul and body with grief. </t>


text:
<t>My life is consumed by anguish </t><t>and my years by groaning; </t><t>my strength fails because of my affliction, <f>[50]</f> </t><t>and my bones grow weak. </t>


text:
<t>Because of all my enemies, </t><t>I am the utter contempt of my neighbours </t><t>and an object of dread to my closest friends — </t><t>those who see me on the street flee from me. </t>


text:
<t>For I hear many whispering, </t><t>‘Terror on every side!’ </t><t>They conspire against me </t><t>and plot to take my life. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My times are in your hands; </t><t>deliver me from the hands of my enemies, </t><t>from those who pursue me. </t>


text:
<t>Let me not be put to shame, LORD, </t><t>for I have cried out to you; </t><t>but let the wicked be put to shame </t><t>and be silent in the realm of the dead. </t>


text:
<t>Let their lying lips be silenced, </t><t>for with pride and contempt </t><t>they speak arrogantly against the righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How abundant are the good things </t><t>that you have stored up for those who fear you, </t><t>that you bestow in the sight of all, </t><t>on those who take refuge in you. </t>


text:
<t>In the shelter of your presence you hide them </t><t>from all human intrigues; </t><t>you keep them safe in your dwelling </t><t>from accusing tongues. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Praise be to the LORD, </t><t>for he showed me the wonders of his love </t><t>when I was in a city under siege. </t>


text:
<t>In my alarm I said, </t><t>‘I am cut off from your sight!’ </t><t>Yet you heard my cry for mercy </t><t>when I called to you for help. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Love the LORD, all his faithful people! </t><t>The LORD preserves those who are true to him, </t><t>but the proud he pays back in full. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David. A maskil.</e> <f>[51]</f> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Blessed is the one </t><t>whose transgressions are forgiven, </t><t>whose sins are covered. </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is the one </t><t>whose sin the LORD does not count against them </t><t>and in whose spirit is no deceit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For day and night </t><t>your hand was heavy on me; </t><t>my strength was sapped </t><t>as in the heat of summer. <f>[52]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then I acknowledged my sin to you </t><t>and did not cover up my iniquity. </t><t>I said, ‘I will confess </t><t>my transgressions to the LORD.’ </t><t>And you forgave </t><t>the guilt of my sin. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Therefore let all the faithful pray to you </t><t>while you may be found; </t><t>surely the rising of the mighty waters </t><t>will not reach them. </t>


text:
<t>You are my hiding-place; </t><t>you will protect me from trouble </t><t>and surround me with songs of deliverance. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; </t><t>I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. </t>


text:
<t>Do not be like the horse or the mule, </t><t>which have no understanding </t><t>but must be controlled by bit and bridle </t><t>or they will not come to you. </t>


text:
<t>Many are the woes of the wicked, </t><t>but the LORD’s unfailing love </t><t>surrounds the one who trusts in him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; </t><t>sing, all you who are upright in heart!</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; </t><t>it is fitting for the upright to praise him. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD loves righteousness and justice; </t><t>the earth is full of his unfailing love. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, </t><t>their starry host by the breath of his mouth. </t>


text:
<t>He gathers the waters of the sea into jars <f>[53]</f>; </t><t>he puts the deep into storehouses. </t>


text:
<t>But the plans of the LORD stand firm for ever, </t><t>the purposes of his heart through all generations. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, </t><t>the people he chose for his inheritance. </t>


text:
<t>A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; </t><t>despite all its great strength it cannot save. </t>


text:
<t>But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, </t><t>on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will extol the LORD at all times; </t><t>his praise will always be on my lips. </t>


text:
<t>but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, </t><t>to blot out their name from the earth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; </t><t>he delivers them from all their troubles. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is close to the broken-hearted </t><t>and saves those who are crushed in spirit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous person may have many troubles, </t><t>but the LORD delivers him from them all; </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me; </t><t>fight against those who fight against me. </t>


text:
<t>Brandish spear and javelin <f>[54]</f> </t><t>against those who pursue me. </t><t>Say to me, </t><t>‘I am your salvation.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May those who seek my life </t><t>be disgraced and put to shame; </t><t>may those who plot my ruin </t><t>be turned back in dismay. </t>


text:
<t>May they be like chaff before the wind, </t><t>with the angel of the LORD driving them away; </t>


text:
<t>may ruin overtake them by surprise — </t><t>may the net they hid entangle them, </t><t>may they fall into the pit, to their ruin. </t>


text:
<t>My whole being will exclaim, </t><t>‘Who is like you, LORD? </t><t>You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, </t><t>the poor and needy from those who rob them.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth </t><t>and humbled myself with fasting. </t><t>When my prayers returned to me unanswered, </t>


text:
<t>I went about mourning </t><t>as though for my friend or brother. </t><t>I bowed my head in grief </t><t>as though weeping for my mother. </t>


text:
<t>But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; </t><t>assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. </t><t>They slandered me without ceasing. </t>


text:
<t>Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; <f>[55]</f> </t><t>they gnashed their teeth at me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How long, Lord, will you look on? </t><t>Rescue me from their ravages, </t><t>my precious life from these lions. </t>


text:
<t>Do not let those gloat over me </t><t>who are my enemies without cause; </t><t>do not let those who hate me without reason </t><t>maliciously wink the eye. </t>


text:
<t>They do not speak peaceably, </t><t>but devise false accusations </t><t>against those who live quietly in the land. </t>


text:
<t>Do not let them think, ‘Aha, just what we wanted!’ </t><t>or say, ‘We have swallowed him up.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May all who gloat over my distress </t><t>be put to shame and confusion; </t><t>may all who exalt themselves over me </t><t>be clothed with shame and disgrace. </t>


text:
<t>May those who delight in my vindication </t><t>shout for joy and gladness; </t><t>may they always say, ‘The LORD be exalted, </t><t>who delights in the well-being of his servant.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I have a message from God in my heart </t><t>concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: <f>[56]</f> </t><t>There is no fear of God </t><t>before their eyes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; </t><t>they fail to act wisely or do good. </t>


text:
<t>Even on their beds they plot evil; </t><t>they commit themselves to a sinful course </t><t>and do not reject what is wrong. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, </t><t>your justice like the great deep. </t><t>You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. </t>


text:
<t>How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! </t><t>People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. </t>


text:
<t>They feast in the abundance of your house; </t><t>you give them drink from your river of delights. </t>


text:
<t>Continue your love to those who know you, </t><t>your righteousness to the upright in heart. </t>


text:
<t>May the foot of the proud not come against me, </t><t>nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Do not fret because of those who are evil </t><t>or be envious of those who do wrong; </t>


text:
<t>for like the grass they will soon wither, </t><t>like green plants they will soon die away. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, </t><t>your vindication like the noonday sun. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be still before the LORD </t><t>and wait patiently for him; </t><t>do not fret when people succeed in their ways, </t><t>when they carry out their wicked schemes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For those who are evil will be destroyed, </t><t>but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A little while, and the wicked will be no more; </t><t>though you look for them, they will not be found. </t>


text:
<t>The wicked draw the sword </t><t>and bend the bow </t><t>to bring down the poor and needy, </t><t>to slay those whose ways are upright. </t>


text:
<t>for the power of the wicked will be broken, </t><t>but the LORD upholds the righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, </t><t>and their inheritance will endure for ever. </t>


text:
<t>In times of disaster they will not wither; </t><t>in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But the wicked will perish: </t><t>though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, </t><t>they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, </t><t>but those he curses will be destroyed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>though he may stumble, he will not fall, </t><t>for the LORD upholds him with his hand. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I was young and now I am old, </t><t>yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken </t><t>or their children begging bread. </t>


text:
<t>They are always generous and lend freely; </t><t>their children will be a blessing. <f>[57]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD loves the just </t><t>and will not forsake his faithful ones. <pb/>Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed <f>[58]</f>; </t><t>the offspring of the wicked will perish. </t>


text:
<t>but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked </t><t>or let them be condemned when brought to trial. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Hope in the LORD </t><t>and keep his way. </t><t>He will exalt you to inherit the land; </t><t>when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>but he soon passed away and was no more; </t><t>though I looked for him, he could not be found. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Consider the blameless, observe the upright; </t><t>a future awaits those who seek peace. <f>[59]</f> </t>


text:
<t>But all sinners will be destroyed; </t><t>there will be no future <f>[60]</f> for the wicked. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; </t><t>he is their stronghold in time of trouble. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD helps them and delivers them; </t><t>he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, </t><t>because they take refuge in him.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David. A petition.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger </t><t>or discipline me in your wrath. </t>


text:
<t>Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; </t><t>there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. </t>


text:
<t>My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; </t><t>my neighbours stay far away. </t>


text:
<t>Those who want to kill me set their traps, </t><t>those who would harm me talk of my ruin; </t><t>all day long they scheme and lie. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For I said, ‘Do not let them gloat </t><t>or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Many have become my enemies without cause <f>[61]</f>; </t><t>those who hate me without reason are numerous. </t>


text:
<t>Those who repay my good with evil </t><t>lodge accusations against me, </t><t>though I seek only to do what is good. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I said, ‘I will watch my ways </t><t>and keep my tongue from sin; </t><t>I will put a muzzle on my mouth </t><t>while in the presence of the wicked.’ </t>


text:
<t>So I remained utterly silent, </t><t>not even saying anything good. </t><t>But my anguish increased; </t>


text:
<t>my heart grew hot within me. </t><t>While I meditated, the fire burned; </t><t>then I spoke with my tongue: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Show me, LORD, my life’s end </t><t>and the number of my days; </t><t>let me know how fleeting my life is. </t>


text:
<t>You have made my days a mere handbreadth; </t><t>the span of my years is as nothing before you. </t><t>Everyone is but a breath, </t><t>even those who seem secure. <f>[62]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; </t><t>in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth </t><t>without knowing whose it will finally be. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin, </t><t>you consume their wealth like a moth — </t><t>surely everyone is but a breath. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Hear my prayer, LORD, </t><t>listen to my cry for help; </t><t>do not be deaf to my weeping. </t><t>I dwell with you as a foreigner, </t><t>a stranger, as all my ancestors were. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I waited patiently for the LORD; </t><t>he turned to me and heard my cry. </t>


text:
<t>He lifted me out of the slimy pit, </t><t>out of the mud and mire; </t><t>he set my feet on a rock </t><t>and gave me a firm place to stand. </t>


text:
<t>He put a new song in my mouth, </t><t>a hymn of praise to our God. </t><t>Many will see and fear the LORD </t><t>and put their trust in him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is the one </t><t>who trusts in the LORD, </t><t>who does not look to the proud, </t><t>to those who turn aside to false gods. <f>[63]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Many, LORD my God, </t><t>are the wonders you have done, </t><t>the things you planned for us. </t><t>None can compare with you; </t><t>were I to speak and tell of your deeds, </t><t>they would be too many to declare. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Sacrifice and offering you did not desire — </t><t>but my ears you have opened <f>[64]</f> — </t><t>burnt offerings and sin offerings <f>[65]</f> you did not require. </t>


text:
<t>Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come — </t><t>it is written about me in the scroll. <f>[66]</f> </t>


text:
<t>I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; </t><t>I do not seal my lips, LORD, </t><t>as you know. </t>


text:
<t>I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; </t><t>I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. </t><t>I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness </t><t>from the great assembly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not withhold your mercy from me, LORD; </t><t>may your love and faithfulness always protect me. </t>


text:
<t>For troubles without number surround me; </t><t>my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. </t><t>They are more than the hairs of my head, </t><t>and my heart fails within me. </t>


text:
<t>May all who want to take my life </t><t>be put to shame and confusion; </t><t>may all who desire my ruin </t><t>be turned back in disgrace. </t>


text:
<t>But may all who seek you </t><t>rejoice and be glad in you; </t><t>may those who long for your saving help always say, </t><t>‘The LORD is great!’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But as for me, I am poor and needy; </t><t>may the Lord think of me. </t><t>You are my help and my deliverer; </t><t>you are my God, do not delay.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; </t><t>the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD protects and preserves them — </t><t>they are counted among the blessed in the land — </t><t>he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD sustains them on their sick-bed </t><t>and restores them from their bed of illness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When one of them comes to see me, </t><t>he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; </t><t>then he goes out and spreads it around. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘A vile disease has afflicted him; </t><t>he will never get up from the place where he lies.’ </t>


text:
<t>Even my close friend, </t><t>someone I trusted, </t><t>one who shared my bread, </t><t>has turned <f>[67]</f> against me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, </t><t>from everlasting to everlasting. <pb/>Amen and Amen.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A maskil</e> <f>[68]</f> of the Sons of Korah. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> As the deer pants for streams of water, </t><t>so my soul pants for you, my God. </t>


text:
<t>My tears have been my food </t><t>day and night, </t><t>while people say to me all day long, </t><t>‘Where is your God?’ </t>


text:
<t>These things I remember </t><t>as I pour out my soul: </t><t>how I used to go to the house of God </t><t>under the protection of the Mighty One <f>[69]</f> </t><t>with shouts of joy and praise </t><t>among the festive throng. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Why, my soul, are you downcast? </t><t>Why so disturbed within me? </t><t>Put your hope in God, </t><t>for I will yet praise him, </t><t>my Saviour and my God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My soul is downcast within me; </t><t>therefore I will remember you </t><t>from the land of the Jordan, </t><t>the heights of Hermon — from Mount Mizar. </t>


text:
<t>Deep calls to deep </t><t>in the roar of your waterfalls; </t><t>all your waves and breakers </t><t>have swept over me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>By day the LORD directs his love, </t><t>at night his song is with me — </t><t>a prayer to the God of my life. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I say to God my Rock, </t><t>‘Why have you forgotten me? </t><t>Why must I go about mourning, </t><t>oppressed by the enemy?’ </t>


text:
<t>My bones suffer mortal agony </t><t>as my foes taunt me, </t><t>saying to me all day long, </t><t>‘Where is your God?’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Why, my soul, are you downcast? </t><t>Why so disturbed within me? </t><t>Put your hope in God, </t><t>for I will yet praise him, </t><t>my Saviour and my God.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Vindicate me, my God, </t><t>and plead my cause </t><t>against an unfaithful nation. </t><t>Rescue me from those who are </t><t>deceitful and wicked. </t>


text:
<t>You are God my stronghold. </t><t>Why have you rejected me? </t><t>Why must I go about mourning, </t><t>oppressed by the enemy? </t>


text:
<t>Send me your light and your faithful care, </t><t>let them lead me; </t><t>let them bring me to your holy mountain, </t><t>to the place where you dwell. </t>


text:
<t>Then I will go to the altar of God, </t><t>to God, my joy and my delight. </t><t>I will praise you with the lyre, </t><t>O God, my God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.</e> <f>[70]</f> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> We have heard it with our ears, O God; </t><t>our ancestors have told us </t><t>what you did in their days, </t><t>in days long ago. </t>


text:
<t>With your hand you drove out the nations </t><t>and planted our ancestors; </t><t>you crushed the peoples </t><t>and made our ancestors flourish. </t>


text:
<t>It was not by their sword that they won the land, </t><t>nor did their arm bring them victory; </t><t>it was your right hand, your arm, </t><t>and the light of your face, for you loved them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In God we make our boast all day long, </t><t>and we will praise your name for ever. <f>[72]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You have made us a reproach to our neighbours, </t><t>the scorn and derision of those around us. </t>


text:
<t>at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, </t><t>because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>All this came upon us, </t><t>though we had not forgotten you; </t><t>we had not been false to your covenant. </t>


text:
<t>But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals; </t><t>you covered us over with deep darkness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Yet for your sake we face death all day long; </t><t>we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Lilies’. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.</e> <f>[73]</f> A wedding song. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> My heart is stirred by a noble theme </t><t>as I recite my verses for the king; </t><t>my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You are the most excellent of men </t><t>and your lips have been anointed with grace, </t><t>since God has blessed you for ever. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one; </t><t>clothe yourself with splendour and majesty. </t>


text:
<t>In your majesty ride forth victoriously </t><t>in the cause of truth, humility and justice; </t><t>let your right hand achieve awesome deeds. </t>


text:
<t>Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; </t><t>let the nations fall beneath your feet. </t>


text:
<t>Your throne, O God, <f>[74]</f> will last for ever and ever; </t><t>a sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of your kingdom. </t>


text:
<t>You love righteousness and hate wickedness; </t><t>therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions </t><t>by anointing you with the oil of joy. </t>


text:
<t>All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; </t><t>from palaces adorned with ivory </t><t>the music of the strings makes you glad. </t>


text:
<t>Daughters of kings are among your honoured women; </t><t>at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: </t><t>Forget your people and your father’s house. </t>


text:
<t>The city of Tyre will come with a gift, <f>[75]</f> </t><t>people of wealth will seek your favour. </t>


text:
<t>In embroidered garments she is led to the king; </t><t>her virgin companions follow her — </t><t>those brought to be with her. </t>


text:
<t>Your sons will take the place of your fathers; </t><t>you will make them princes throughout the land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; </t><t>therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.</e> <f>[76]</f> A song. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> God is our refuge and strength, </t><t>an ever-present help in trouble. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way </t><t>and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, </t>


text:
<t>though its waters roar and foam </t><t>and the mountains quake with their surging. <f>[77]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, </t><t>the holy place where the Most High dwells. </t>


text:
<t>He makes wars cease </t><t>to the ends of the earth. </t><t>He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; </t><t>he burns the shields <f>[78]</f> with fire. </t>


text:
<t>He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; </t><t>I will be exalted among the nations, </t><t>I will be exalted in the earth.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Clap your hands, all you nations; </t><t>shout to God with cries of joy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He chose our inheritance for us, </t><t>the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. <f>[79]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The nobles of the nations assemble </t><t>as the people of the God of Abraham, </t><t>for the kings <f>[80]</f> of the earth belong to God; </t><t>he is greatly exalted.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, </t><t>in the city of our God, his holy mountain. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Beautiful in its loftiness, </t><t>the joy of the whole earth, </t><t>like the heights of Zaphon <f>[81]</f> is Mount Zion, </t><t>the city of the Great King. </t>


text:
<t>As we have heard, </t><t>so we have seen </t><t>in the city of the LORD Almighty, </t><t>in the city of our God: </t><t>God makes her secure </t><t>for ever. <f>[82]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like your name, O God, </t><t>your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; </t><t>your right hand is filled with righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>Mount Zion rejoices, </t><t>the villages of Judah are glad </t><t>because of your judgments. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>consider well her ramparts, </t><t>view her citadels, </t><t>that you may tell of them </t><t>to the next generation. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear this, all you peoples; </t><t>listen, all who live in this world, </t>


text:
<t>My mouth will speak words of wisdom; </t><t>the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. </t>


text:
<t>For all can see that the wise die, </t><t>that the foolish and the senseless also perish, </t><t>leaving their wealth to others. </t>


text:
<t>Their tombs will remain their houses <f>[83]</f> for ever, </t><t>their dwellings for endless generations, </t><t>though they had <f>[84]</f> named lands after themselves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>People, despite their wealth, do not endure; </t><t>they are like the beasts that perish. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, </t><t>and of their followers, who approve their sayings. <f>[85]</f> </t>


text:
<t>They are like sheep and are destined to die; </t><t>death will be their shepherd </t><t>(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). </t><t>Their forms will decay in the grave, </t><t>far from their princely mansions. </t>


text:
<t>But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; </t><t>he will surely take me to himself. </t>


text:
<t>Do not be overawed when others grow rich, </t><t>when the splendour of their houses increases; </t>


text:
<t>for they will take nothing with them when they die, </t><t>their splendour will not descend with them. </t>


text:
<t>Though while they live they count themselves blessed — </t><t>and people praise you when you prosper — </t>


text:
<t>they will join those who have gone before them, </t><t>who will never again see the light of life. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of Asaph.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The Mighty One, God, the LORD, </t><t>speaks and summons the earth </t><t>from the rising of the sun to where it sets. </t>


text:
<t>Our God comes </t><t>and will not be silent; </t><t>a fire devours before him, </t><t>and around him a tempest rages. </t>


text:
<t>And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, </t><t>for he is a God of justice. <f>[86]</f>, <f>[87]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Listen, my people, and I will speak; </t><t>I will testify against you, Israel: </t><t>I am God, your God. </t>


text:
<t>I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices </t><t>or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. </t>


text:
<pb/>But to the wicked person, God says: <pb/><t>‘What right have you to recite my laws </t><t>or take my covenant on your lips? </t>


text:
<t>When you did these things and I kept silent, </t><t>you thought I was exactly <f>[88]</f> like you. </t><t>But I now arraign you </t><t>and set my accusations before you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Consider this, you who forget God, </t><t>or I will tear you to pieces, with no-one to rescue you: </t>


text:
<t>those who sacrifice thank-offerings honour me, </t><t>and to the blameless <f>[89]</f> I will show my salvation.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Have mercy on me, O God, </t><t>according to your unfailing love; </t><t>according to your great compassion </t><t>blot out my transgressions. </t>


text:
<t>Against you, you only, have I sinned </t><t>and done what is evil in your sight; </t><t>so you are right in your verdict </t><t>and justified when you judge. </t>


text:
<t>Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; </t><t>you taught me wisdom in that secret place. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; </t><t>wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. </t>


text:
<t>Restore to me the joy of your salvation </t><t>and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, </t><t>you who are God my Saviour, </t><t>and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; </t><t>you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. </t>


text:
<t>My sacrifice, O God, is <f>[90]</f> a broken spirit; </t><t>a broken and contrite heart </t><t>you, God, will not despise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, </t><t>in burnt offerings offered whole; </t><t>then bulls will be offered on your altar.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A maskil</e> <f>[91]</f> of David. When Doeg the Edomite had gone to Saul and told him: ‘David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.’ <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? </t><t>Why do you boast all day long, </t><t>you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? </t>


text:
<t>You who practise deceit, </t><t>your tongue plots destruction; </t><t>it is like a sharpened razor. </t>


text:
<t>You love evil rather than good, </t><t>falsehood rather than speaking the truth. <f>[92]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: </t><t>he will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; </t><t>he will uproot you from the land of the living. </t>


text:
<t>‘Here now is the man </t><t>who did not make God his stronghold </t><t>but trusted in his great wealth </t><t>and grew strong by destroying others!’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But I am like an olive tree </t><t>flourishing in the house of God; </t><t>I trust in God’s unfailing love </t><t>for ever and ever. </t>


text:
<t>For what you have done I will always praise you </t><t>in the presence of your faithful people. </t><t>And I will hope in your name, </t><t>for your name is good.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. According to mahalath.</e> <f>[93]</f> A <e>maskil</e> <f>[94]</f> of David. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The fool says in his heart, </t><t>‘There is no God.’ </t><t>They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; </t><t>there is no-one who does good. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>God looks down from heaven </t><t>on all mankind </t><t>to see if there are any who understand, </t><t>any who seek God. </t>


text:
<t>Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; </t><t>there is no-one who does good, </t><t>not even one. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do all these evildoers know nothing? <pb/>They devour my people as though eating bread; </t><t>they never call on God. </t>


text:
<t>But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, </t><t>where there was nothing to dread. </t><t>God scattered the bones of those who attacked you; </t><t>you put them to shame, for God despised them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! </t><t>When God restores his people, </t><t>let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil</e> <f>[95]</f> of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, ‘Is not David hiding among us?’ <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Save me, O God, by your name; </t><t>vindicate me by your might. </t>


text:
<t>Arrogant foes are attacking me; </t><t>ruthless people are trying to kill me — </t><t>people without regard for God. <f>[96]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; </t><t>I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good. </t>


text:
<t>You have delivered me from all my troubles, </t><t>and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil</e> <f>[97]</f> of David. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Listen to my prayer, O God, </t><t>do not ignore my plea; </t>


text:
<t>because of what my enemy is saying, </t><t>because of the threats of the wicked; </t><t>for they bring down suffering on me </t><t>and assail me in their anger. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, </t><t>for I see violence and strife in the city. </t>


text:
<t>Destructive forces are at work in the city; </t><t>threats and lies never leave its streets. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If an enemy were insulting me, </t><t>I could endure it; </t><t>if a foe were rising against me, </t><t>I could hide. </t>


text:
<t>with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship </t><t>at the house of God, </t><t>as we walked about </t><t>among the worshippers. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let death take my enemies by surprise; </t><t>let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, </t><t>for evil finds lodging among them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He rescues me unharmed </t><t>from the battle waged against me, </t><t>even though many oppose me. </t>


text:
<t>God, who is enthroned from of old, </t><t>who does not change — </t><t>he will hear them and humble them, </t><t>because they have no fear of God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>His talk is smooth as butter, </t><t>yet war is in his heart; </t><t>his words are more soothing than oil, </t><t>yet they are drawn swords. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Cast your cares on the LORD </t><t>and he will sustain you; </t><t>he will never let </t><t>the righteous be shaken. </t>


text:
<t>But you, God, will bring down the wicked </t><t>into the pit of decay; </t><t>the bloodthirsty and deceitful </t><t>will not live out half their days. <pb/>But as for me, I trust in you.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘A Dove on Distant Oaks.’ Of David. A miktam.</e> <f>[99]</f> When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Be merciful to me, my God, </t><t>for my enemies are in hot pursuit; </t><t>all day long they press their attack. </t>


text:
<t>In God, whose word I praise — </t><t>in God I trust and am not afraid. </t><t>What can mere mortals do to me? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Because of their wickedness do not <f>[100]</f> let them escape; </t><t>in your anger, God, bring the nations down. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Record my misery; </t><t>list my tears on your scroll <f>[101]</f> — </t><t>are they not in your record? </t>


text:
<t>Then my enemies will turn back </t><t>when I call for help. </t><t>By this I will know that God is for me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For you have delivered me from death </t><t>and my feet from stumbling, </t><t>that I may walk before God </t><t>in the light of life.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy.’ Of David. A miktam.</e> <f>[102]</f> When he had fled from Saul into the cave. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, </t><t>for in you I take refuge. </t><t>I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings </t><t>until the disaster has passed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He sends from heaven and saves me, </t><t>rebuking those who hotly pursue me — <f>[103]</f> </t><t>God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I am in the midst of lions; </t><t>I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts — </t><t>men whose teeth are spears and arrows, </t><t>whose tongues are sharp swords. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They spread a net for my feet — </t><t>I was bowed down in distress. </t><t>They dug a pit in my path — </t><t>but they have fallen into it themselves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My heart, O God, is steadfast, </t><t>my heart is steadfast; </t><t>I will sing and make music. </t>


text:
<t>For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; </t><t>your faithfulness reaches to the skies. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy.’ Of David. A miktam.</e> <f>[104]</f> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Do you rulers indeed speak justly? </t><t>Do you judge people with equity? </t>


text:
<t>No, in your heart you devise injustice, </t><t>and your hands mete out violence on the earth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Even from birth the wicked go astray; </t><t>from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies. </t>


text:
<t>Their venom is like the venom of a snake, </t><t>like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, </t>


text:
<t>that will not heed the tune of the charmer, </t><t>however skilful the enchanter may be. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let them vanish like water that flows away; </t><t>when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short. </t>


text:
<t>May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along, </t><t>like a stillborn child that never sees the sun. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns — </t><t>whether they be green or dry — the wicked will be swept away. <f>[105]</f> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, </t><t>when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked. </t>


text:
<t>Then people will say, </t><t>‘Surely the righteous still are rewarded; </t><t>surely there is a God who judges the earth.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy.’ Of David. A miktam.</e> <f>[106]</f> When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Deliver me from my enemies, O God; </t><t>be my fortress against those who are attacking me. </t>


text:
<t>See how they lie in wait for me! </t><t>Fierce men conspire against me </t><t>for no offence or sin of mine, LORD. </t>


text:
<t>I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. </t><t>Arise to help me; look on my plight! </t>


text:
<t>You, LORD God Almighty, </t><t>you who are the God of Israel, </t><t>rouse yourself to punish all the nations; </t><t>show no mercy to wicked traitors. <f>[107]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>See what they spew from their mouths — </t><t>the words from their lips are sharp as swords, </t><t>and they think, ‘Who can hear us?’ </t>


text:
<t>my God on whom I can rely. <pb/>God will go before me </t><t>and will let me gloat over those who slander me. </t>


text:
<t>But do not kill them, Lord our shield, <f>[108]</f> </t><t>or my people will forget. </t><t>In your might uproot them </t><t>and bring them down. </t>


text:
<t>For the sins of their mouths, </t><t>for the words of their lips, </t><t>let them be caught in their pride. </t><t>For the curses and lies they utter, </t>


text:
<t>consume them in your wrath, </t><t>consume them till they are no more. </t><t>Then it will be known to the ends of the earth </t><t>that God rules over Jacob. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But I will sing of your strength, </t><t>in the morning I will sing of your love; </t><t>for you are my fortress, </t><t>my refuge in times of trouble. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You are my strength, I sing praise to you; </t><t>you, God, are my fortress, </t><t>my God on whom I can rely.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Lily of the Covenant.’ A miktam</e> <f>[109]</f> of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim <f>[110]</f> and Aram Zobah, <f>[111]</f> and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; </t><t>you have been angry — now restore us! </t>


text:
<t>You have shown your people desperate times; </t><t>you have given us wine that makes us stagger. </t>


text:
<t>But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner </t><t>to be unfurled against the bow. <f>[112]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>God has spoken from his sanctuary: </t><t>‘In triumph I will parcel out Shechem </t><t>and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth. </t>


text:
<t>Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; </t><t>Ephraim is my helmet, </t><t>Judah is my sceptre. </t>


text:
<t>Moab is my washbasin, </t><t>on Edom I toss my sandal; </t><t>over Philistia I shout in triumph.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us </t><t>and no longer go out with our armies? </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear my cry, O God; </t><t>listen to my prayer. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From the ends of the earth I call to you, </t><t>I call as my heart grows faint; </t><t>lead me to the rock that is higher than I. </t>


text:
<t>I long to dwell in your tent for ever </t><t>and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. <f>[113]</f> </t>


text:
<t>For you, God, have heard my vows; </t><t>you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May he be enthroned in God’s presence for ever; </t><t>appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Truly my soul finds rest in God; </t><t>my salvation comes from him. </t>


text:
<t>Truly he is my rock and my salvation; </t><t>he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How long will you assault me? </t><t>Would all of you throw me down — </t><t>this leaning wall, this tottering fence? </t>


text:
<t>Surely they intend to topple me </t><t>from my lofty place; </t><t>they take delight in lies. </t><t>With their mouths they bless, </t><t>but in their hearts they curse. <f>[114]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My salvation and my honour depend on God <f>[115]</f>; </t><t>he is my mighty rock, my refuge. </t>


text:
<t>Trust in him at all times, you people; </t><t>pour out your hearts to him, </t><t>for God is our refuge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Surely the lowborn are but a breath, </t><t>the highborn are but a lie. </t><t>If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; </t><t>together they are only a breath. </t>


text:
<t>Do not trust in extortion </t><t>or put vain hope in stolen goods; </t><t>though your riches increase, </t><t>do not set your heart on them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One thing God has spoken, </t><t>two things I have heard: </t><t>‘Power belongs to you, God, </t>


text:
<t>and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’; </t><t>and, ‘You reward everyone </t><t>according to what they have done.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> You, God, are my God, </t><t>earnestly I seek you; </t><t>I thirst for you, </t><t>my whole being longs for you, </t><t>in a dry and parched land </t><t>where there is no water. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; </t><t>with singing lips my mouth will praise you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; </t><t>they will go down to the depths of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>But the king will rejoice in God; </t><t>all who swear by God will glory in him, </t><t>while the mouths of liars will be silenced.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; </t><t>protect my life from the threat of the enemy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They encourage each other in evil plans, </t><t>they talk about hiding their snares; </t><t>they say, ‘Who will see it <f>[116]</f>?’ </t>


text:
<t>They plot injustice and say, </t><t>‘We have devised a perfect plan!’ </t><t>Surely the human mind and heart are cunning. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He will turn their own tongues against them </t><t>and bring them to ruin; </t><t>all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. </t>


text:
<t>All people will fear; </t><t>they will proclaim the works of God </t><t>and ponder what he has done. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous will rejoice in the LORD </t><t>and take refuge in him; </t><t>all the upright in heart will glory in him!</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David. A song.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Praise awaits <f>[117]</f> you, our God, in Zion; </t><t>to you our vows will be fulfilled. </t>


text:
<t>Blessed are those you choose </t><t>and bring near to live in your courts! </t><t>We are filled with the good things of your house, </t><t>of your holy temple. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, </t><t>God our Saviour, </t><t>the hope of all the ends of the earth </t><t>and of the farthest seas, </t>


text:
<t>who stilled the roaring of the seas, </t><t>the roaring of their waves, </t><t>and the turmoil of the nations. </t>


text:
<t>The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; </t><t>where morning dawns, where evening fades, </t><t>you call forth songs of joy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You care for the land and water it; </t><t>you enrich it abundantly. </t><t>The streams of God are filled with water </t><t>to provide the people with corn, </t><t>for so you have ordained it. <f>[119]</f> </t>


text:
<t>You drench its furrows and level its ridges; </t><t>you soften it with showers and bless its crops. </t>


text:
<t>The meadows are covered with flocks </t><t>and the valleys are mantled with corn; </t><t>they shout for joy and sing.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A song. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Shout for joy to God, all the earth! </t>


text:
<t>Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! </t><t>So great is your power </t><t>that your enemies cringe before you. </t>


text:
<t>All the earth bows down to you; </t><t>they sing praise to you, </t><t>they sing the praises of your name.’ <f>[120]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He turned the sea into dry land, </t><t>they passed through the waters on foot — </t><t>come, let us rejoice in him. </t>


text:
<t>He rules for ever by his power, </t><t>his eyes watch the nations — </t><t>let not the rebellious rise up against him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You let people ride over our heads; </t><t>we went through fire and water, </t><t>but you brought us to a place of abundance. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will sacrifice fat animals to you </t><t>and an offering of rams; </t><t>I will offer bulls and goats. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> May God be gracious to us and bless us </t><t>and make his face shine on us — <f>[121]</f> </t>


text:
<t>May the nations be glad and sing for joy, </t><t>for you rule the peoples with equity </t><t>and guide the nations of the earth. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; </t><t>may his foes flee before him. </t>


text:
<t>May you blow them away like smoke — </t><t>as wax melts before the fire, </t><t>may the wicked perish before God. </t>


text:
<t>But may the righteous be glad </t><t>and rejoice before God; </t><t>may they be happy and joyful. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, </t><t>extol him who rides on the clouds <f>[122]</f>; </t><t>rejoice before him — his name is the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>God sets the lonely in families, <f>[123]</f> </t><t>he leads out the prisoners with singing; </t><t>but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When you, God, went out before your people, </t><t>when you marched through the wilderness, <f>[124]</f> </t>


text:
<t>the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, </t><t>before God, the One of Sinai, </t><t>before God, the God of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>Your people settled in it, </t><t>and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Even while you sleep among the sheepfolds, <f>[125]</f> </t><t>the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, </t><t>its feathers with shining gold.’ </t>


text:
<t>When the Almighty <f>[126]</f> scattered the kings in the land, </t><t>it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, </t><t>at the mountain where God chooses to reign, </t><t>where the LORD himself will dwell for ever? </t>


text:
<t>The chariots of God are tens of thousands </t><t>and thousands of thousands; </t><t>the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. <f>[127]</f> </t>


text:
<t>When you ascended on high, </t><t>you took many captives; </t><t>you received gifts from people, </t><t>even from <f>[128]</f> the rebellious — </t><t>that you, <f>[129]</f> LORD God, might dwell there. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, </t><t>the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins. </t>


text:
<t>The Lord says, ‘I will bring them from Bashan; </t><t>I will bring them from the depths of the sea, </t>


text:
<t>that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes, </t><t>while the tongues of your dogs have their share.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your procession, God, has come into view, </t><t>the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary. </t>


text:
<t>In front are the singers, after them the musicians; </t><t>with them are the young women playing the tambourines. </t>


text:
<t>There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, </t><t>there the great throng of Judah’s princes, </t><t>and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Summon your power, God <f>[130]</f>; </t><t>show us your strength, our God, as you have done before. </t>


text:
<t>Rebuke the beast among the reeds, </t><t>the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. </t><t>Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. </t><t>Scatter the nations who delight in war. </t>


text:
<t>to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, </t><t>who thunders with mighty voice. </t>


text:
<t>Proclaim the power of God, </t><t>whose majesty is over Israel, </t><t>whose power is in the heavens. </t>


text:
<t>You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; </t><t>the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. <pb/>Praise be to God!</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Lilies’. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Save me, O God, </t><t>for the waters have come up to my neck. </t>


text:
<t>I sink in the miry depths, </t><t>where there is no foothold. </t><t>I have come into the deep waters; </t><t>the floods engulf me. </t>


text:
<t>I am worn out calling for help; </t><t>my throat is parched. </t><t>My eyes fail, </t><t>looking for my God. </t>


text:
<t>Those who hate me without reason </t><t>outnumber the hairs of my head; </t><t>many are my enemies without cause, </t><t>those who seek to destroy me. </t><t>I am forced to restore </t><t>what I did not steal. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Lord, the LORD Almighty, </t><t>may those who hope in you </t><t>not be disgraced because of me; </t><t>God of Israel, </t><t>may those who seek you </t><t>not be put to shame because of me. </t>


text:
<t>for zeal for your house consumes me, </t><t>and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. </t>


text:
<t>But I pray to you, LORD, </t><t>in the time of your favour; </t><t>in your great love, O God, </t><t>answer me with your sure salvation. </t>


text:
<t>Rescue me from the mire, </t><t>do not let me sink; </t><t>deliver me from those who hate me, </t><t>from the deep waters. </t>


text:
<t>Do not let the floodwaters engulf me </t><t>or the depths swallow me up </t><t>or the pit close its mouth over me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Scorn has broken my heart </t><t>and has left me helpless; </t><t>I looked for sympathy, but there was none, </t><t>for comforters, but I found none. </t>


text:
<t>May the table set before them become a snare; </t><t>may it become retribution and <f>[132]</f> a trap. </t>


text:
<t>May their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, </t><t>and their backs be bent for ever. </t>


text:
<t>May they be blotted out of the book of life </t><t>and not be listed with the righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>This will please the LORD more than an ox, </t><t>more than a bull with its horns and hooves. </t>


text:
<t>for God will save Zion </t><t>and rebuild the cities of Judah. </t><t>Then people will settle there and possess it; </t>


text:
<t>the children of his servants will inherit it, </t><t>and those who love his name will dwell there.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David. A petition.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hasten, O God, to save me; </t><t>come quickly, LORD, to help me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May those who want to take my life </t><t>be put to shame and confusion; </t><t>may all who desire my ruin </t><t>be turned back in disgrace. </t>


text:
<t>But as for me, I am poor and needy; </t><t>come quickly to me, O God. </t><t>You are my help and my deliverer; </t><t> LORD, do not delay.</t>


text:
<t>Be my rock of refuge, </t><t>to which I can always go; </t><t>give the command to save me, </t><t>for you are my rock and my fortress. </t>


text:
<t>Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, </t><t>from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From my birth I have relied on you; </t><t>you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. </t><t>I will ever praise you. </t>


text:
<t>They say, ‘God has forsaken him; </t><t>pursue him and seize him, </t><t>for no-one will rescue him.’ </t>


text:
<t>May my accusers perish in shame; </t><t>may those who want to harm me </t><t>be covered with scorn and disgrace. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, </t><t>of your saving acts all day long — </t><t>though I know not how to relate them all. </t>


text:
<t>I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; </t><t>I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. </t>


text:
<t>Since my youth, God, you have taught me, </t><t>and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds. </t>


text:
<t>Even when I am old and grey, </t><t>do not forsake me, my God, </t><t>till I declare your power to the next generation, </t><t>your mighty acts to all who are to come. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, </t><t>you who have done great things. </t><t>Who is like you, God? </t>


text:
<t>Though you have made me see troubles, </t><t>many and bitter, </t><t>you will restore my life again; </t><t>from the depths of the earth </t><t>you will again bring me up. </t>


text:
<t>I will praise you with the harp </t><t>for your faithfulness, my God; </t><t>I will sing praise to you with the lyre, </t><t>Holy One of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>My lips will shout for joy </t><t>when I sing praise to you — </t><t>I whom you have delivered. </t>


text:
<t>My tongue will tell of your righteous acts </t><t>all day long, </t><t>for those who wanted to harm me </t><t>have been put to shame and confusion.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of Solomon.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Endow the king with your justice, O God, </t><t>the royal son with your righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, </t><t>the hills the fruit of righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>May he defend the afflicted among the people </t><t>and save the children of the needy; </t><t>may he crush the oppressor. </t>


text:
<t>May he endure <f>[133]</f> as long as the sun, </t><t>as long as the moon, through all generations. </t>


text:
<t>In his days may the righteous flourish </t><t>and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May he rule from sea to sea </t><t>and from the River <f>[134]</f> to the ends of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores </t><t>bring tribute to him. </t><t>May the kings of Sheba and Seba </t><t>present him with gifts. </t>


text:
<t>He will rescue them from oppression and violence, </t><t>for precious is their blood in his sight. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Long may he live! </t><t>May gold from Sheba be given to him. </t><t>May people ever pray for him </t><t>and bless him all day long. </t>


text:
<t>May corn abound throughout the land; </t><t>on the tops of the hills may it sway. </t><t>May the crops flourish like Lebanon </t><t>and thrive <f>[135]</f> like the grass of the field. </t>


text:
<t>May his name endure for ever; </t><t>may it continue as long as the sun. <pb/>Then all nations will be blessed through him, <f>[136]</f> </t><t>and they will call him blessed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Praise be to his glorious name for ever; </t><t>may the whole earth be filled with his glory. <pb/>Amen and Amen. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of Asaph.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Surely God is good to Israel, </t><t>to those who are pure in heart. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From their callous hearts comes iniquity <f>[138]</f>; </t><t>their evil imaginations have no limits. </t>


text:
<t>This is what the wicked are like — </t><t>always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They are like a dream when one awakes; </t><t>when you arise, Lord, </t><t>you will despise them as fantasies. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My flesh and my heart may fail, </t><t>but God is the strength of my heart </t><t>and my portion for ever. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But as for me, it is good to be near God. </t><t>I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; </t><t>I will tell of all your deeds.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A maskil</e> <f>[140]</f> of Asaph. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> O God, why have you rejected us for ever? </t><t>Why does your anger smoulder against the sheep of your pasture? </t>


text:
<t>Remember the nation you purchased long ago, </t><t>the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed — </t><t>Mount Zion, where you dwelt. </t>


text:
<t>Turn your steps towards these everlasting ruins, </t><t>all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; </t><t>they set up their standards as signs. </t>


text:
<t>They burned your sanctuary to the ground; </t><t>they defiled the dwelling-place of your Name. </t>


text:
<t>They said in their hearts, ‘We will crush them completely!’ </t><t>They burned every place where God was worshipped in the land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>We are given no signs from God; </t><t>no prophets are left, </t><t>and none of us knows how long this will be. </t>


text:
<t>Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? </t><t>Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It was you who split open the sea by your power; </t><t>you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. </t>


text:
<t>It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan </t><t>and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. </t>


text:
<t>It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; </t><t>you made both summer and winter. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Remember how the enemy has mocked you, LORD, </t><t>how foolish people have reviled your name. </t>


text:
<t>Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; </t><t>do not forget the lives of your afflicted people for ever. </t>


text:
<t>Have regard for your covenant, </t><t>because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. </t>


text:
<t>Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; </t><t>may the poor and needy praise your name. </t>


text:
<t>Do not ignore the clamour of your adversaries, </t><t>the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy.’ A psalm of Asaph. A song.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> We praise you, God, </t><t>we praise you, for your Name is near; </t><t>people tell of your wonderful deeds. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the earth and all its people quake, </t><t>it is I who hold its pillars firm. <f>[141]</f> </t>


text:
<t>To the arrogant I say, “Boast no more,” </t><t>and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horns. <f>[142]</f> </t>


text:
<t>In the hand of the LORD is a cup </t><t>full of foaming wine mixed with spices; </t><t>he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth </t><t>drink it down to its very dregs. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>who says, ‘I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, </t><t>but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> God is renowned in Judah; </t><t>in Israel his name is great. </t>


text:
<t>There he broke the flashing arrows, </t><t>the shields and the swords, the weapons of war. <f>[143]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The valiant lie plundered, </t><t>they sleep their last sleep; </t><t>not one of the warriors </t><t>can lift his hands. </t>


text:
<t>Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, </t><t>and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. <f>[144]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfil them; </t><t>let all the neighbouring lands </t><t>bring gifts to the One to be feared. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I cried out to God for help; </t><t>I cried out to God to hear me. </t>


text:
<t>When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; </t><t>at night I stretched out untiring hands, </t><t>and I would not be comforted. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I remembered you, God, and I groaned; </t><t>I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. <f>[145]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal: </t><t>the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. </t>


text:
<t>I will remember the deeds of the LORD; </t><t>yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. </t>


text:
<t>With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, </t><t>the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The waters saw you, God, </t><t>the waters saw you and writhed; </t><t>the very depths were convulsed. </t>


text:
<t>The clouds poured down water, </t><t>the heavens resounded with thunder; </t><t>your arrows flashed back and forth. </t>


text:
<t>Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, </t><t>your lightning lit up the world; </t><t>the earth trembled and quaked. </t>


text:
<t>Your path led through the sea, </t><t>your way through the mighty waters, </t><t>though your footprints were not seen. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A maskil</e> <f>[146]</f> of Asaph. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> My people, hear my teaching; </t><t>listen to the words of my mouth. </t>


text:
<t>I will open my mouth with a parable; </t><t>I will utter hidden things, things from of old — </t>


text:
<t>We will not hide them from their descendants; </t><t>we will tell the next generation </t><t>the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, </t><t>his power, and the wonders he has done. </t>


text:
<t>He decreed statutes for Jacob </t><t>and established the law in Israel, </t><t>which he commanded our ancestors </t><t>to teach their children, </t>


text:
<t>so that the next generation would know them, </t><t>even the children yet to be born, </t><t>and they in turn would tell their children. </t>


text:
<t>Then they would put their trust in God </t><t>and would not forget his deeds </t><t>but would keep his commands. </t>


text:
<t>They would not be like their ancestors — </t><t>a stubborn and rebellious generation, </t><t>whose hearts were not loyal to God, </t><t>whose spirits were not faithful to him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He did miracles in the sight of their ancestors </t><t>in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan. </t>


text:
<t>But they continued to sin against him, </t><t>rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. </t>


text:
<t>They spoke against God; </t><t>they said, ‘Can God really </t><t>spread a table in the wilderness? </t>


text:
<t>True, he struck the rock, </t><t>and water gushed out, </t><t>streams flowed abundantly, </t><t>but can he also give us bread? </t><t>Can he supply meat for his people?’ </t>


text:
<t>When the LORD heard them, he was furious; </t><t>his fire broke out against Jacob, </t><t>and his wrath rose against Israel, </t>


text:
<t>He let loose the east wind from the heavens </t><t>and by his power made the south wind blow. </t>


text:
<t>But before they turned from what they craved, </t><t>even while the food was still in their mouths, </t>


text:
<t>God’s anger rose against them; </t><t>he put to death the sturdiest among them, </t><t>cutting down the young men of Israel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; </t><t>in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. </t>


text:
<t>Yet he was merciful; </t><t>he forgave their iniquities </t><t>and did not destroy them. </t><t>Time after time he restrained his anger </t><t>and did not stir up his full wrath. </t>


text:
<t>How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness </t><t>and grieved him in the wasteland! </t>


text:
<t>He unleashed against them his hot anger, </t><t>his wrath, indignation and hostility — </t><t>a band of destroying angels. </t>


text:
<t>He prepared a path for his anger; </t><t>he did not spare them from death </t><t>but gave them over to the plague. </t>


text:
<t>He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, </t><t>the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham. </t>


text:
<t>But he brought his people out like a flock; </t><t>he led them like sheep through the wilderness. </t>


text:
<t>And so he brought them to the border of his holy land, </t><t>to the hill country his right hand had taken. </t>


text:
<t>He drove out nations before them </t><t>and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; </t><t>he settled the tribes of Israel in their homes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But they put God to the test </t><t>and rebelled against the Most High; </t><t>they did not keep his statutes. </t>


text:
<t>Like their ancestors they were disloyal and faithless, </t><t>as unreliable as a faulty bow. </t>


text:
<t>He sent the ark of his might into captivity, </t><t>his splendour into the hands of the enemy. </t>


text:
<t>He built his sanctuary like the heights, </t><t>like the earth that he established for ever. </t>


text:
<t>from tending the sheep he brought him </t><t>to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, </t><t>of Israel his inheritance. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of Asaph.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; </t><t>they have defiled your holy temple, </t><t>they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. </t>


text:
<t>They have left the dead bodies of your servants </t><t>as food for the birds of the sky, </t><t>the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild. </t>


text:
<t>They have poured out blood like water </t><t>all around Jerusalem, </t><t>and there is no-one to bury the dead. </t>


text:
<t>We are objects of contempt to our neighbours, </t><t>of scorn and derision to those around us. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How long, LORD? Will you be angry for ever? </t><t>How long will your jealousy burn like fire? </t>


text:
<t>Pour out your wrath on the nations </t><t>that do not acknowledge you, </t><t>on the kingdoms </t><t>that do not call on your name; </t>


text:
<t>Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; </t><t>may your mercy come quickly to meet us, </t><t>for we are in desperate need. </t>


text:
<t>Help us, God our Saviour, </t><t>for the glory of your name; </t><t>deliver us and forgive our sins </t><t>for your name’s sake. </t>


text:
<t>Why should the nations say, </t><t>‘Where is their God?’ <pb/>Before our eyes, make known among the nations </t><t>that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. </t>


text:
<t>May the groans of the prisoners come before you; </t><t>with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die. </t>


text:
<t>Pay back into the laps of our neighbours seven times </t><t>the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord. </t>


text:
<t>Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, </t><t>will praise you for ever; </t><t>from generation to generation </t><t>we will proclaim your praise.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. To the tune of ‘The Lilies of the Covenant.’ Of Asaph. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, </t><t>you who lead Joseph like a flock. </t><t>You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, </t><t>shine forth </t>


text:
<t>before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. </t><t>Awaken your might; </t><t>come and save us. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How long, LORD God Almighty, </t><t>will your anger smoulder </t><t>against the prayers of your people? </t>


text:
<t>You have fed them with the bread of tears; </t><t>you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. </t>


text:
<t>You have made us an object of derision <f>[147]</f> to our neighbours, </t><t>and our enemies mock us. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Restore us, God Almighty; </t><t>make your face shine on us, </t><t>that we may be saved. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Its branches reached as far as the Sea, <f>[148]</f> </t><t>its shoots as far as the River. <f>[149]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Return to us, God Almighty! </t><t>Look down from heaven and see! </t><t>Watch over this vine, </t>


text:
<t>the root your right hand has planted, </t><t>the son <f>[150]</f> you have raised up for yourself. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, </t><t>the son of man you have raised up for yourself. </t>


text:
<t>Restore us, LORD God Almighty; </t><t>make your face shine on us, </t><t>that we may be saved.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. According to gittith.</e> <f>[151]</f> Of Asaph. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Sing for joy to God our strength; </t><t>shout aloud to the God of Jacob! </t>


text:
<t>Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, </t><t>and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast; </t>


text:
<t>When God went out against Egypt, </t><t>he established it as a statute for Joseph. <pb/>I heard an unknown voice say: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘I removed the burden from their shoulders; </t><t>their hands were set free from the basket. </t>


text:
<t>In your distress you called and I rescued you, </t><t>I answered you out of a thundercloud; </t><t>I tested you at the waters of Meribah. <f>[152]</f> </t>


text:
<t>You shall have no foreign god among you; </t><t>you shall not worship any god other than me. </t>


text:
<t>I am the LORD your God, </t><t>who brought you up out of Egypt. </t><t>Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, </t><t>and their punishment would last for ever. </t>


text:
<t>But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; </t><t>with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of Asaph.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> God presides in the great assembly; </t><t>he renders judgment among the ‘gods’: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘How long will you <f>[153]</f> defend the unjust </t><t>and show partiality to the wicked? <f>[154]</f> </t>


text:
<t>‘The “gods” know nothing, they understand nothing. </t><t>They walk about in darkness; </t><t>all the foundations of the earth are shaken. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song. A psalm of Asaph.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> O God, do not remain silent; </t><t>do not turn a deaf ear, </t><t>do not stand aloof, O God. </t>


text:
<t>‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, </t><t>so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD — </t><t>that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. According to gittith.</e> <f>[156]</f> Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> How lovely is your dwelling-place, </t><t> LORD Almighty! </t>


text:
<t>My soul yearns, even faints, </t><t>for the courts of the LORD; </t><t>my heart and my flesh cry out </t><t>for the living God. </t>


text:
<t>Even the sparrow has found a home, </t><t>and the swallow a nest for herself, </t><t>where she may have her young — </t><t>a place near your altar, </t><t> LORD Almighty, my King and my God. </t>


text:
<t>Blessed are those who dwell in your house; </t><t>they are ever praising you. <f>[157]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>As they pass through the Valley of Baka, </t><t>they make it a place of springs; </t><t>the autumn rains also cover it with pools. <f>[158]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Better is one day in your courts </t><t>than a thousand elsewhere; </t><t>I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God </t><t>than dwell in the tents of the wicked. </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD God is a sun and shield; </t><t>the LORD bestows favour and honour; </t><t>no good thing does he withhold </t><t>from those whose way of life is blameless. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> You, LORD, showed favour to your land; </t><t>you restored the fortunes of Jacob. </t>


text:
<t>Will you be angry with us for ever? </t><t>Will you prolong your anger through all generations? </t>


text:
<t>I will listen to what God the LORD says; </t><t>he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants — </t><t>but let them not turn to folly. </t>


text:
<t>Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, </t><t>that his glory may dwell in our land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A prayer of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear me, LORD, and answer me, </t><t>for I am poor and needy. </t>


text:
<t>Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; </t><t>save your servant who trusts in you. </t><t>You are my God; </t>


text:
<t>All the nations you have made </t><t>will come and worship before you, Lord; </t><t>they will bring glory to your name. </t>


text:
<t>Teach me your way, LORD, </t><t>that I may rely on your faithfulness; </t><t>give me an undivided heart, </t><t>that I may fear your name. </t>


text:
<t>I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; </t><t>I will glorify your name for ever. </t>


text:
<t>For great is your love towards me; </t><t>you have delivered me from the depths, </t><t>from the realm of the dead. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; </t><t>ruthless people are trying to kill me — </t><t>they have no regard for you. </t>


text:
<t>But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, </t><t>slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. </t>


text:
<t>Turn to me and have mercy on me; </t><t>show your strength on behalf of your servant; </t><t>save me, because I serve you </t><t>just as my mother did. </t>


text:
<t>Give me a sign of your goodness, </t><t>that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, </t><t>for you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> He has founded his city on the holy mountain. </t>


text:
<t>‘I will record Rahab <f>[162]</f> and Babylon </t><t>among those who acknowledge me — </t><t>Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush <f>[163]</f> — </t><t>and will say, “This one was born in Zion.” ’ <f>[164]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Indeed, of Zion it will be said, </t><t>‘This one and that one were born in her, </t><t>and the Most High himself will establish her.’ </t>


text:
<t>The LORD will write in the register of the peoples: </t><t>‘This one was born in Zion.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.</e> <f>[165]</f> A <e>maskil</e> <f>[166]</f> of Heman the Ezrahite. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, you are the God who saves me; </t><t>day and night I cry out to you. </t>


text:
<t>I am set apart with the dead, </t><t>like the slain who lie in the grave, </t><t>whom you remember no more, </t><t>who are cut off from your care. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your wrath lies heavily on me; </t><t>you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. <f>[167]</f> </t>


text:
<t>You have taken from me my closest friends </t><t>and have made me repulsive to them. </t><t>I am confined and cannot escape; </t>


text:
<t>my eyes are dim with grief. <pb/>I call to you, LORD, every day; </t><t>I spread out my hands to you. </t>


text:
<t>Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, </t><t>or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From my youth I have suffered and been close to death; </t><t>I have borne your terrors and am in despair. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A maskil</e> <f>[169]</f> of Ethan the Ezrahite. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will sing of the LORD’s great love for ever; </t><t>with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known </t><t>through all generations. </t>


text:
<t>I will declare that your love stands firm for ever, </t><t>that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. </t>


text:
<t>You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, </t><t>I have sworn to David my servant, </t>


text:
<t>“I will establish your line for ever </t><t>and make your throne firm through all generations.” ’ <f>[170]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, </t><t>your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. </t>


text:
<t>For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? </t><t>Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? </t>


text:
<t>In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; </t><t>he is more awesome than all who surround him. </t>


text:
<t>Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? </t><t>You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; </t><t>with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. </t>


text:
<t>The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; </t><t>you founded the world and all that is in it. </t>


text:
<t>Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; </t><t>love and faithfulness go before you. </t>


text:
<t>Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, </t><t>who walk in the light of your presence, LORD. </t>


text:
<t>For you are their glory and strength, </t><t>and by your favour you exalt our horn. <f>[171]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Indeed, our shield <f>[172]</f> belongs to the LORD, </t><t>our king to the Holy One of Israel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Once you spoke in a vision, </t><t>to your faithful people you said: </t><t>‘I have bestowed strength on a warrior; </t><t>I have raised up a young man from among the people. </t>


text:
<t>My faithful love will be with him, </t><t>and through my name his horn <f>[173]</f> will be exalted. </t>


text:
<t>And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, </t><t>the most exalted of the kings of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>it will be established for ever like the moon, </t><t>the faithful witness in the sky.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But you have rejected, you have spurned, </t><t>you have been very angry with your anointed one. </t>


text:
<t>You have renounced the covenant with your servant </t><t>and have defiled his crown in the dust. </t>


text:
<t>Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword </t><t>and have not supported him in battle. </t>


text:
<t>You have cut short the days of his youth; </t><t>you have covered him with a mantle of shame. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself for ever? </t><t>How long will your wrath burn like fire? </t>


text:
<t>Lord, where is your former great love, </t><t>which in your faithfulness you swore to David? </t>


text:
<t>Remember, Lord, how your servant has <f>[174]</f> been mocked, </t><t>how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, </t>


text:
<t>the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked, </t><t>with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A prayer of Moses the man of God.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Lord, you have been our dwelling-place </t><t>throughout all generations. </t>


text:
<t>Before the mountains were born </t><t>or you brought forth the whole world, </t><t>from everlasting to everlasting you are God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A thousand years in your sight </t><t>are like a day that has just gone by, </t><t>or like a watch in the night. </t>


text:
<t>Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death — </t><t>they are like the new grass of the morning: </t>


text:
<t>You have set our iniquities before you, </t><t>our secret sins in the light of your presence. </t>


text:
<t>Our days may come to seventy years, </t><t>or eighty, if our strength endures; </t><t>yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, </t><t>for they quickly pass, and we fly away. </t>


text:
<t>If only we knew the power of your anger! </t><t>Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. </t>


text:
<t>Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, </t><t>that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. </t>


text:
<t>Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, </t><t>for as many years as we have seen trouble. </t>


text:
<t>May the favour <f>[175]</f> of the Lord our God rest on us; </t><t>establish the work of our hands for us — </t><t>yes, establish the work of our hands.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High </t><t>will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. <f>[176]</f> </t>


text:
<t>I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, </t><t>my God, in whom I trust.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Surely he will save you </t><t>from the fowler’s snare </t><t>and from the deadly pestilence. </t>


text:
<t>He will cover you with his feathers, </t><t>and under his wings you will find refuge; </t><t>his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. </t>


text:
<t>nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, </t><t>nor the plague that destroys at midday. </t>


text:
<t>A thousand may fall at your side, </t><t>ten thousand at your right hand, </t><t>but it will not come near you. </t>


text:
<t>they will lift you up in their hands, </t><t>so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. </t>


text:
<t>You will tread on the lion and the cobra; </t><t>you will trample the great lion and the serpent. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Because he <f>[177]</f> loves me,’ says the LORD, ‘I will rescue him; </t><t>I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. </t>


text:
<t>He will call on me, and I will answer him; </t><t>I will be with him in trouble, </t><t>I will deliver him and honour him. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> It is good to praise the LORD </t><t>and make music to your name, O Most High, </t>


text:
<t>For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; </t><t>I sing for joy at what your hands have done. </t>


text:
<t>that though the wicked spring up like grass </t><t>and all evildoers flourish, </t><t>they will be destroyed for ever. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For surely your enemies, LORD, </t><t>surely your enemies will perish; </t><t>all evildoers will be scattered. </t>


text:
<t>You have exalted my horn <f>[178]</f> like that of a wild ox; </t><t>fine oils have been poured on me. </t>


text:
<t>My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; </t><t>my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, </t><t>they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; </t>


text:
<pb/><t>The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; </t><t>the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength; </t><t>indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. </t>


text:
<t>The seas have lifted up, LORD, </t><t>the seas have lifted up their voice; </t><t>the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. </t>


text:
<t>Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, </t><t>mightier than the breakers of the sea — </t><t>the LORD on high is mighty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; </t><t>you fools, when will you become wise? </t>


text:
<t>Does he who disciplines nations not punish? </t><t>Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? </t>


text:
<t>Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, </t><t>and all the upright in heart will follow it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Who will rise up for me against the wicked? </t><t>Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? </t>


text:
<t>Can a corrupt throne be allied with you — </t><t>a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? </t>


text:
<t>He will repay them for their sins </t><t>and destroy them for their wickedness; </t><t>the LORD our God will destroy them.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; </t><t>let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. </t>


text:
<t>for he is our God </t><t>and we are the people of his pasture, </t><t>the flock under his care. <pb/>Today, if only you would hear his voice, </t>


text:
<t>‘Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, <f>[179]</f> </t><t>as you did that day at Massah <f>[180]</f> in the wilderness, </t>


text:
<t>For forty years I was angry with that generation; </t><t>I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, </t><t>and they have not known my ways.” </t>


text:
<t>Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to his name; </t><t>bring an offering and come into his courts. </t>


text:
<t>Worship the LORD in the splendour of his <f>[181]</f> holiness; </t><t>tremble before him, all the earth. </t>


text:
<t>Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns.’ </t><t>The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; </t><t>he will judge the peoples with equity. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; </t><t>let the sea resound, and all that is in it. </t>


text:
<t>Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; </t><t>let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. </t>


text:
<t>Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, </t><t>he comes to judge the earth. </t><t>He will judge the world in righteousness </t><t>and the peoples in his faithfulness.</t>


text:
<t>Clouds and thick darkness surround him; </t><t>righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. </t>


text:
<t>All who worship images are put to shame, </t><t>those who boast in idols — </t><t>worship him, all you gods! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Zion hears and rejoices </t><t>and the villages of Judah are glad </t><t>because of your judgments, LORD. </t>


text:
<t>For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; </t><t>you are exalted far above all gods. </t>


text:
<t>Let those who love the LORD hate evil, </t><t>for he guards the lives of his faithful ones </t><t>and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Sing to the LORD a new song, </t><t>for he has done marvellous things; </t><t>his right hand and his holy arm </t><t>have worked salvation for him. </t>


text:
<t>He has remembered his love </t><t>and his faithfulness to Israel; </t><t>all the ends of the earth have seen </t><t>the salvation of our God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn — </t><t>shout for joy before the LORD, the King. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>let them sing before the LORD, </t><t>for he comes to judge the earth. </t><t>He will judge the world in righteousness </t><t>and the peoples with equity.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>The LORD reigns, </t><t>let the nations tremble; </t><t>he sits enthroned between the cherubim, </t><t>let the earth shake. </t>


text:
<t>The King is mighty, he loves justice — </t><t>you have established equity; </t><t>in Jacob you have done </t><t>what is just and right. </t>


text:
<t>Moses and Aaron were among his priests, </t><t>Samuel was among those who called on his name; </t><t>they called on the LORD </t><t>and he answered them. </t>


text:
<t>He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; </t><t>they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD our God, </t><t>you answered them; </t><t>you were to Israel a forgiving God, </t><t>though you punished their misdeeds. <f>[183]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Exalt the LORD our God </t><t>and worship at his holy mountain, </t><t>for the LORD our God is holy.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm. For giving grateful praise.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. </t>


text:
<t>Know that the LORD is God. </t><t>It is he who made us, and we are his <f>[184]</f>; </t><t>we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Enter his gates with thanksgiving </t><t>and his courts with praise; </t><t>give thanks to him and praise his name. </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD is good and his love endures for ever; </t><t>his faithfulness continues through all generations.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will sing of your love and justice; </t><t>to you, LORD, I will sing praise. </t>


text:
<t>I will be careful to lead a blameless life — </t><t>when will you come to me? <pb/>I will conduct the affairs of my house </t><t>with a blameless heart. </t>


text:
<t>I will not look with approval </t><t>on anything that is vile. <pb/>I hate what faithless people do; </t><t>I will have no part in it. </t>


text:
<t>The perverse of heart shall be far from me; </t><t>I will have nothing to do with what is evil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever slanders their neighbour in secret, </t><t>I will put to silence; </t><t>whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, </t><t>I will not tolerate. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, </t><t>that they may dwell with me; </t><t>the one whose way of life is blameless </t><t>will minister to me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>No-one who practises deceit </t><t>will dwell in my house; </t><t>no-one who speaks falsely </t><t>will stand in my presence. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Every morning I will put to silence </t><t>all the wicked in the land; </t><t>I will cut off every evildoer </t><t>from the city of the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the LORD.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Hear my prayer, LORD; </t><t>let my cry for help come to you. </t>


text:
<t>Do not hide your face from me </t><t>when I am in distress. </t><t>Turn your ear to me; </t><t>when I call, answer me quickly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You will arise and have compassion on Zion, </t><t>for it is time to show favour to her; </t><t>the appointed time has come. </t>


text:
<t>The nations will fear the name of the LORD, </t><t>all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. </t>


text:
<t>He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; </t><t>he will not despise their plea. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let this be written for a future generation, </t><t>that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: </t>


text:
<t>So I said: </t><t>‘Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; </t><t>your years go on through all generations. </t>


text:
<t>In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, </t><t>and the heavens are the work of your hands. </t>


text:
<t>They will perish, but you remain; </t><t>they will all wear out like a garment. </t><t>Like clothing you will change them </t><t>and they will be discarded. </t>


text:
<t>The children of your servants will live in your presence; </t><t>their descendants will be established before you.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Praise the LORD, my soul; </t><t>all my inmost being, praise his holy name. </t>


text:
<t>who satisfies your desires with good things </t><t>so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For as high as the heavens are above the earth, </t><t>so great is his love for those who fear him; </t>


text:
<t>as far as the east is from the west, </t><t>so far has he removed our transgressions from us. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>As a father has compassion on his children, </t><t>so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; </t>


text:
<t>But from everlasting to everlasting </t><t>the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, </t><t>and his righteousness with their children’s children — </t>


text:
<t>Praise the LORD, you his angels, </t><t>you mighty ones who do his bidding, </t><t>who obey his word. </t>


text:
<t>Praise the LORD, all his works </t><t>everywhere in his dominion. <pb/>Praise the LORD, my soul.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD, my soul. <pb/> LORD my God, you are very great; </t><t>you are clothed with splendour and majesty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; </t><t>he stretches out the heavens like a tent </t>


text:
<t>and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. </t><t>He makes the clouds his chariot </t><t>and rides on the wings of the wind. </t>


text:
<t>You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; </t><t>the waters stood above the mountains. </t>


text:
<t>But at your rebuke the waters fled, </t><t>at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; </t>


text:
<t>they flowed over the mountains, </t><t>they went down into the valleys, </t><t>to the place you assigned for them. </t>


text:
<t>They give water to all the beasts of the field; </t><t>the wild donkeys quench their thirst. </t>


text:
<t>He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; </t><t>the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. </t>


text:
<t>He makes grass grow for the cattle, </t><t>and plants for people to cultivate — </t><t>bringing forth food from the earth: </t>


text:
<t>wine that gladdens human hearts, </t><t>oil to make their faces shine, </t><t>and bread that sustains their hearts. </t>


text:
<t>The high mountains belong to the wild goats; </t><t>the crags are a refuge for the hyrax. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How many are your works, LORD! </t><t>In wisdom you made them all; </t><t>the earth is full of your creatures. </t>


text:
<t>There is the sea, vast and spacious, </t><t>teeming with creatures beyond number — </t><t>living things both large and small. </t>


text:
<t>There the ships go to and fro, </t><t>and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When you give it to them, </t><t>they gather it up; </t><t>when you open your hand, </t><t>they are satisfied with good things. </t>


text:
<t>When you hide your face, </t><t>they are terrified; </t><t>when you take away their breath, </t><t>they die and return to the dust. </t>


text:
<t>When you send your Spirit, </t><t>they are created, </t><t>and you renew the face of the ground. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, </t><t>who touches the mountains, and they smoke. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But may sinners vanish from the earth </t><t>and the wicked be no more. <pb/>Praise the LORD, my soul. <pb/>Praise the LORD. <f>[187]</f></t>


text:
<t>you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, </t><t>his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. </t>


text:
<t>He sent darkness and made the land dark — </t><t>for had they not rebelled against his words? </t>


text:
<t>Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, </t><t>the firstfruits of all their manhood. </t>


text:
<t>He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, </t><t>and from among their tribes no-one faltered. </t>


text:
<t>He opened the rock, and water gushed out; </t><t>it flowed like a river in the desert. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>he gave them the lands of the nations, </t><t>and they fell heir to what others had toiled for — </t>


text:
<t>that they might keep his precepts </t><t>and observe his laws. <pb/>Praise the LORD. <f>[188]</f></t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[189]</f> <pb/>Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; </t><t>his love endures for ever. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Remember me, LORD, when you show favour to your people, </t><t>come to my aid when you save them, </t>


text:
<t>that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, </t><t>that I may share in the joy of your nation </t><t>and join your inheritance in giving praise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When our ancestors were in Egypt, </t><t>they gave no thought to your miracles; </t><t>they did not remember your many kindnesses, </t><t>and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea. <f>[190]</f> </t>


text:
<t>He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; </t><t>he led them through the depths as through a desert. </t>


text:
<t>In the desert they gave in to their craving; </t><t>in the wilderness they put God to the test. </t>


text:
<t>In the camp they grew envious of Moses </t><t>and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>So he said he would destroy them — </t><t>had not Moses, his chosen one, </t><t>stood in the breach before him </t><t>to keep his wrath from destroying them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>So he swore to them with uplifted hand </t><t>that he would make them fall in the wilderness, </t>


text:
<t>make their descendants fall among the nations </t><t>and scatter them throughout the lands. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor </t><t>and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods; </t>


text:
<t>they aroused the LORD’s anger by their wicked deeds, </t><t>and a plague broke out among them. </t>


text:
<t>By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, </t><t>and trouble came to Moses because of them; </t>


text:
<t>for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, </t><t>and rash words came from Moses’ lips. <f>[191]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They shed innocent blood, </t><t>the blood of their sons and daughters, </t><t>whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, </t><t>and the land was desecrated by their blood. </t>


text:
<t>They defiled themselves by what they did; </t><t>by their deeds they prostituted themselves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Many times he delivered them, </t><t>but they were bent on rebellion </t><t>and they wasted away in their sin. </t>


text:
<t>Save us, LORD our God, </t><t>and gather us from the nations, </t><t>that we may give thanks to your holy name </t><t>and glory in your praise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, </t><t>from everlasting to everlasting. <pb/>Let all the people say, ‘Amen!’ <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<t>Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story — </t><t>those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, </t>


text:
<t>those he gathered from the lands, </t><t>from east and west, from north and south. <f>[192]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Some wandered in desert wastelands, </t><t>finding no way to a city where they could settle. </t>


text:
<t>Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, </t><t>and he delivered them from their distress. </t>


text:
<t>Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love </t><t>and his wonderful deeds for mankind, </t>


text:
<t>because they rebelled against God’s commands </t><t>and despised the plans of the Most High. </t>


text:
<t>Some became fools through their rebellious ways </t><t>and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. </t>


text:
<t>Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love </t><t>and his wonderful deeds for mankind. </t>


text:
<t>They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; </t><t>in their peril their courage melted away. </t>


text:
<t>Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, </t><t>and he brought them out of their distress. </t>


text:
<t>Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people </t><t>and praise him in the council of the elders. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>and fruitful land into a salt waste, </t><t>because of the wickedness of those who lived there. </t>


text:
<t>He turned the desert into pools of water </t><t>and the parched ground into flowing springs; </t>


text:
<t>there he brought the hungry to live, </t><t>and they founded a city where they could settle. </t>


text:
<t>he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, </t><t>and he did not let their herds diminish. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled </t><t>by oppression, calamity and sorrow; </t>


text:
<t>But he lifted the needy out of their affliction </t><t>and increased their families like flocks. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> My heart, O God, is steadfast; </t><t>I will sing and make music with all my soul. </t>


text:
<t>For great is your love, higher than the heavens; </t><t>your faithfulness reaches to the skies. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> My God, whom I praise, </t><t>do not remain silent, </t>


text:
<t>for people who are wicked and deceitful </t><t>have opened their mouths against me; </t><t>they have spoken against me with lying tongues. </t>


text:
<t>May his children be wandering beggars; </t><t>may they be driven <f>[194]</f> from their ruined homes. </t>


text:
<t>May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; </t><t>may the sin of his mother never be blotted out. </t>


text:
<t>May their sins always remain before the LORD, </t><t>that he may blot out their name from the earth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For he never thought of doing a kindness, </t><t>but hounded to death the poor </t><t>and the needy and the broken-hearted. </t>


text:
<t>He loved to pronounce a curse — </t><t>may it come back on him. </t><t>He found no pleasure in blessing — </t><t>may it be far from him. </t>


text:
<t>He wore cursing as his garment; </t><t>it entered into his body like water, </t><t>into his bones like oil. </t>


text:
<t>But you, Sovereign LORD, </t><t>help me for your name’s sake; </t><t>out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. </t>


text:
<t>I am an object of scorn to my accusers; </t><t>when they see me, they shake their heads. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>While they curse, may you bless; </t><t>may those who attack me be put to shame, </t><t>but may your servant rejoice. </t>


text:
<t>With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD; </t><t>in the great throng of worshippers I will praise him. </t>


text:
<t>For he stands at the right hand of the needy, </t><t>to save their lives from those who would condemn them.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> The LORD says to my lord: <f>[195]</f> <pb/>‘Sit at my right hand </t><t>until I make your enemies </t><t>a footstool for your feet.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD will extend your mighty sceptre from Zion, saying, </t><t>‘Rule in the midst of your enemies!’ </t>


text:
<t>Your troops will be willing </t><t>on your day of battle. </t><t>Arrayed in holy splendour, </t><t>your young men will come to you </t><t>like dew from the morning’s womb. <f>[196]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD has sworn </t><t>and will not change his mind: </t><t>‘You are a priest for ever, </t><t>in the order of Melchizedek.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The Lord is at your right hand <f>[197]</f>; </t><t>he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. </t>


text:
<t>He will judge nations, heaping up the dead </t><t>and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. </t>


text:
<t>He will drink from a brook along the way; <f>[198]</f> </t><t>and so he will lift his head high.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[199]</f> <pb/>I will extol the LORD with all my heart </t><t>in the council of the upright and in the assembly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He has shown his people the power of his works, </t><t>giving them the lands of other nations. </t>


text:
<t>He provided redemption for his people; </t><t>he ordained his covenant for ever — </t><t>holy and awesome is his name. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; </t><t>all who follow his precepts have good understanding. </t><t>To him belongs eternal praise.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[200]</f> <pb/>Blessed are those who fear the LORD, </t><t>who find great delight in his commands. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Their children will be mighty in the land; </t><t>the generation of the upright will be blessed. </t>


text:
<t>Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, </t><t>for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. </t>


text:
<t>Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, </t><t>who conduct their affairs with justice. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They will have no fear of bad news; </t><t>their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; </t><t>in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. </t>


text:
<t>They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, </t><t>their righteousness endures for ever; </t><t>their horn <f>[201]</f> will be lifted high in honour. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wicked will see and be vexed, </t><t>they will gnash their teeth and waste away; </t><t>the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[202]</f> <pb/>Praise the LORD, you his servants; </t><t>praise the name of the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, </t><t>the name of the LORD is to be praised. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He settles the childless woman in her home </t><t>as a happy mother of children. <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Not to us, LORD, not to us </t><t>but to your name be the glory, </t><t>because of your love and faithfulness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They have hands, but cannot feel, </t><t>feet, but cannot walk, </t><t>nor can they utter a sound with their throats. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD remembers us and will bless us: </t><t>he will bless his people Israel, </t><t>he will bless the house of Aaron, </t>


text:
<t>The highest heavens belong to the LORD, </t><t>but the earth he has given to the human race. </t>


text:
<t>it is we who extol the LORD, </t><t>both now and for evermore. <pb/>Praise the LORD. <f>[203]</f></t>


text:
<t>The cords of death entangled me, </t><t>the anguish of the grave came over me; </t><t>I was overcome by distress and sorrow. </t>


text:
<t>For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, </t><t>my eyes from tears, </t><t>my feet from stumbling, </t>


text:
<t>Truly I am your servant, LORD; </t><t>I serve you just as my mother did; </t><t>you have freed me from my chains. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>in the courts of the house of the LORD — </t><t>in your midst, Jerusalem. <pb/>Praise the LORD. <f>[204]</f></t>


text:
<t>For great is his love towards us, </t><t>and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever. <pb/>Praise the LORD. <f>[205]</f></t>


text:
<t>They swarmed around me like bees, </t><t>but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; </t><t>in the name of the LORD I cut them down. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is my strength and my defence <f>[206]</f>; </t><t>he has become my salvation. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Shouts of joy and victory </t><t>resound in the tents of the righteous: </t><t>‘The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. </t><t>From the house of the LORD we bless you. <f>[207]</f> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is God, </t><t>and he has made his light shine on us. </t><t>With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession </t><t>up <f>[208]</f> to the horns of the altar. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, </t><t>who walk according to the law of the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>Though rulers sit together and slander me, </t><t>your servant will meditate on your decrees. </t>


text:
<t>Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, </t><t>that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. </t>


text:
<t>Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, </t><t>that I may follow it to the end. <f>[209]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Turn my eyes away from worthless things; </t><t>preserve my life according to your word. <f>[210]</f> </t>


text:
<t>I have sought your face with all my heart; </t><t>be gracious to me according to your promise. </t>


text:
<t>Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, </t><t>I keep your precepts with all my heart. </t>


text:
<t>The law from your mouth is more precious to me </t><t>than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. </t>


text:
<t>May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, </t><t>for I have put my hope in your word. </t>


text:
<t>I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous, </t><t>and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. </t>


text:
<t>May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; </t><t>but I will meditate on your precepts. </t>


text:
<t>Your faithfulness continues through all generations; </t><t>you established the earth, and it endures. </t>


text:
<t>Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I shall live; </t><t>do not let my hopes be dashed. </t>


text:
<t>My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, </t><t>that I may meditate on your promises. </t>


text:
<t>Hear my voice in accordance with your love; </t><t>preserve my life, LORD, according to your laws. </t>


text:
<t>I have strayed like a lost sheep. </t><t>Seek your servant, </t><t>for I have not forgotten your commands.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I call on the LORD in my distress, </t><t>and he answers me. </t>


text:
<t>He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, </t><t>with burning coals of the broom bush. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I lift up my eyes to the mountains — </t><t>where does my help come from? </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I rejoiced with those who said to me, </t><t>‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’ </t>


text:
<t>That is where the tribes go up — </t><t>the tribes of the LORD — </t><t>to praise the name of the LORD </t><t>according to the statute given to Israel. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I lift up my eyes to you, </t><t>to you who sit enthroned in heaven. </t>


text:
<t>As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, </t><t>as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, </t><t>so our eyes look to the LORD our God, </t><t>till he shows us his mercy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>We have endured no end </t><t>of ridicule from the arrogant, </t><t>of contempt from the proud.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> If the LORD had not been on our side — </t><t>let Israel say — </t>


text:
<t>We have escaped like a bird </t><t>from the fowler’s snare; </t><t>the snare has been broken, </t><t>and we have escaped. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, </t><t>which cannot be shaken but endures for ever. </t>


text:
<t>As the mountains surround Jerusalem, </t><t>so the LORD surrounds his people </t><t>both now and for evermore. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The sceptre of the wicked will not remain </t><t>over the land allotted to the righteous, </t><t>for then the righteous might use </t><t>their hands to do evil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But those who turn to crooked ways </t><t>the LORD will banish with the evildoers. <pb/>Peace be on Israel.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> When the LORD restored the fortunes of <f>[212]</f> Zion, </t><t>we were like those who dreamed. <f>[213]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Our mouths were filled with laughter, </t><t>our tongues with songs of joy. </t><t>Then it was said among the nations, </t><t>‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ </t>


text:
<t>Those who go out weeping, </t><t>carrying seed to sow, </t><t>will return with songs of joy, </t><t>carrying sheaves with them.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents. Of Solomon.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Unless the LORD builds the house, </t><t>the builders labour in vain. </t><t>Unless the LORD watches over the city, </t><t>the guards stand watch in vain. </t>


text:
<t>In vain you rise early </t><t>and stay up late, </t><t>toiling for food to eat — </t><t>for he grants sleep to <f>[215]</f> those he loves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is the man </t><t>whose quiver is full of them. </t><t>They will not be put to shame </t><t>when they contend with their opponents in court.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Blessed are all who fear the LORD, </t><t>who walk in obedience to him. </t>


text:
<t>Your wife will be like a fruitful vine </t><t>within your house; </t><t>your children will be like olive shoots </t><t>round your table. </t>


text:
<t>May the LORD bless you from Zion; </t><t>may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem </t><t>all the days of your life. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> ‘They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,’ </t><t>let Israel say; </t>


text:
<t>‘they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, </t><t>but they have not gained the victory over me. </t>


text:
<t>May those who pass by not say to them, </t><t>‘The blessing of the LORD be on you; </t><t>we bless you in the name of the LORD.’</t>


text:
<t>I wait for the Lord </t><t>more than watchmen wait for the morning, </t><t>more than watchmen wait for the morning. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Israel, put your hope in the LORD, </t><t>for with the LORD is unfailing love </t><t>and with him is full redemption. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> My heart is not proud, LORD, </t><t>my eyes are not haughty; </t><t>I do not concern myself with great matters </t><t>or things too wonderful for me. </t>


text:
<t>But I have calmed and quietened myself, </t><t>I am like a weaned child with its mother; </t><t>like a weaned child I am content. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, remember David </t><t>and all his self-denial. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May your priests be clothed with your righteousness; </t><t>may your faithful people sing for joy.” ’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD swore an oath to David, </t><t>a sure oath he will not revoke: </t><t>‘One of your own descendants </t><t>I will place on your throne. </t>


text:
<t>If your sons keep my covenant </t><t>and the statutes I teach them, </t><t>then their sons shall sit </t><t>on your throne for ever and ever.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘This is my resting-place for ever and ever; </t><t>here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. </t>


text:
<t>I will clothe her priests with salvation, </t><t>and her faithful people shall ever sing for joy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Here I will make a horn <f>[217]</f> grow for David </t><t>and set up a lamp for my anointed one. </t>


text:
<t>I will clothe his enemies with shame, </t><t>but his head shall be adorned with a radiant crown.’</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> How good and pleasant it is </t><t>when God’s people live together in unity! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It is like precious oil poured on the head, </t><t>running down on the beard, </t><t>running down on Aaron’s beard, </t><t>down on the collar of his robe. </t>


text:
<t>It is as if the dew of Hermon </t><t>were falling on Mount Zion. </t><t>For there the LORD bestows his blessing, </t><t>even life for evermore.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A song of ascents.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD </t><t>who minister by night in the house of the LORD. </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[218]</f> <pb/>Praise the name of the LORD; </t><t>praise him, you servants of the LORD, </t>


text:
<t>you who minister in the house of the LORD, </t><t>in the courts of the house of our God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; </t><t>sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, </t><t>Israel to be his treasured possession. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD does whatever pleases him, </t><t>in the heavens and on the earth, </t><t>in the seas and all their depths. </t>


text:
<t>He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; </t><t>he sends lightning with the rain </t><t>and brings out the wind from his storehouses. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt, </t><t>against Pharaoh and all his servants. </t>


text:
<t>Praise be to the LORD from Zion, </t><t>to him who dwells in Jerusalem. <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<t>for there our captors asked us for songs, </t><t>our tormentors demanded songs of joy; </t><t>they said, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth </t><t>if I do not remember you, </t><t>if I do not consider Jerusalem </t><t>my highest joy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Remember, LORD, what the Edomites did </t><t>on the day Jerusalem fell. </t><t>‘Tear it down,’ they cried, </t><t>‘tear it down to its foundations!’ </t>


text:
<t>Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction, </t><t>happy is the one who repays you </t><t>according to what you have done to us. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; </t><t>before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise. </t>


text:
<t>I will bow down towards your holy temple </t><t>and will praise your name </t><t>for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, </t><t>for you have so exalted your solemn decree </t><t>that it surpasses your fame. </t>


text:
<t>May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD, </t><t>when they hear what you have decreed. </t>


text:
<t>Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; </t><t>though lofty, he sees them from afar. </t>


text:
<t>Though I walk in the midst of trouble, </t><t>you preserve my life. </t><t>You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; </t><t>with your right hand you save me. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD will vindicate me; </t><t>your love, LORD, endures for ever — </t><t>do not abandon the works of your hands.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> You have searched me, LORD, </t><t>and you know me. </t>


text:
<t>If I go up to the heavens, you are there; </t><t>if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. </t>


text:
<t>even the darkness will not be dark to you; </t><t>the night will shine like the day, </t><t>for darkness is as light to you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; </t><t>your works are wonderful, </t><t>I know that full well. </t>


text:
<t>My frame was not hidden from you </t><t>when I was made in the secret place, </t><t>when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>Your eyes saw my unformed body; </t><t>all the days ordained for me were written in your book </t><t>before one of them came to be. </t>


text:
<t>Were I to count them, </t><t>they would outnumber the grains of sand — </t><t>when I awake, I am still with you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, </t><t>and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? </t>


text:
<pb/><e>For the director of music. A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Rescue me, LORD, from evildoers; </t><t>protect me from the violent, </t>


text:
<t>They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s; </t><t>the poison of vipers is on their lips. <f>[221]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked; </t><t>protect me from the violent, </t><t>who devise ways to trip my feet. </t>


text:
<t>The arrogant have hidden a snare for me; </t><t>they have spread out the cords of their net </t><t>and have set traps for me along my path. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who surround me proudly rear their heads; </t><t>may the mischief of their lips engulf them. </t>


text:
<t>May burning coals fall on them; </t><t>may they be thrown into the fire, </t><t>into miry pits, never to rise. </t>


text:
<t>May slanderers not be established in the land; </t><t>may disaster hunt down the violent. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor </t><t>and upholds the cause of the needy. </t>


text:
<t>Surely the righteous will praise your name, </t><t>and the upright will live in your presence.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me; </t><t>hear me when I call to you. </t>


text:
<t>May my prayer be set before you like incense; </t><t>may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil </t><t>so that I take part in wicked deeds </t><t>along with those who are evildoers; </t><t>do not let me eat their delicacies. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let a righteous man strike me — that is a kindness; </t><t>let him rebuke me — that is oil on my head. </t><t>My head will not refuse it, </t><t>for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, </t><t>and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken. </t>


text:
<t>They will say, ‘As one ploughs and breaks up the earth, </t><t>so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign LORD; </t><t>in you I take refuge — do not give me over to death. </t>


text:
<pb/><e>A maskil</e> <f>[222]</f> of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I cry aloud to the LORD; </t><t>I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. </t>


text:
<t>When my spirit grows faint within me, </t><t>it is you who watch over my way. </t><t>In the path where I walk </t><t>people have hidden a snare for me. </t>


text:
<t>Look and see, there is no-one at my right hand; </t><t>no-one is concerned for me. </t><t>I have no refuge; </t><t>no-one cares for my life. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I cry to you, LORD; </t><t>I say, ‘You are my refuge, </t><t>my portion in the land of the living.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Listen to my cry, </t><t>for I am in desperate need; </t><t>rescue me from those who pursue me, </t><t>for they are too strong for me. </t>


text:
<t>Set me free from my prison, </t><t>that I may praise your name. </t><t>Then the righteous will gather about me </t><t>because of your goodness to me.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> LORD, hear my prayer, </t><t>listen to my cry for mercy; </t><t>in your faithfulness and righteousness </t><t>come to my relief. </t>


text:
<t>The enemy pursues me, </t><t>he crushes me to the ground; </t><t>he makes me dwell in the darkness </t><t>like those long dead. </t>


text:
<t>I remember the days of long ago; </t><t>I meditate on all your works </t><t>and consider what your hands have done. </t>


text:
<t>I spread out my hands to you; </t><t>I thirst for you like a parched land. <f>[223]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Answer me quickly, LORD; </t><t>my spirit fails. </t><t>Do not hide your face from me </t><t>or I will be like those who go down to the pit. </t>


text:
<t>Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, </t><t>for I have put my trust in you. </t><t>Show me the way I should go, </t><t>for to you I entrust my life. </t>


text:
<t>Teach me to do your will, </t><t>for you are my God; </t><t>may your good Spirit </t><t>lead me on level ground. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For your name’s sake, LORD, preserve my life; </t><t>in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. </t>


text:
<t>In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; </t><t>destroy all my foes, </t><t>for I am your servant.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> Praise be to the LORD my Rock, </t><t>who trains my hands for war, </t><t>my fingers for battle. </t>


text:
<t>He is my loving God and my fortress, </t><t>my stronghold and my deliverer, </t><t>my shield, in whom I take refuge, </t><t>who subdues peoples <f>[224]</f> under me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, </t><t>mere mortals that you think of them? </t>


text:
<t>Reach down your hand from on high; </t><t>deliver me and rescue me </t><t>from the mighty waters, </t><t>from the hands of foreigners </t>


text:
<t>I will sing a new song to you, my God; </t><t>on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you, </t>


text:
<t>to the One who gives victory to kings, </t><t>who delivers his servant David. <pb/>From the deadly sword </t>


text:
<t>deliver me; </t><t>rescue me from the hands of foreigners </t><t>whose mouths are full of lies, </t><t>whose right hands are deceitful. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then our sons in their youth </t><t>will be like well-nurtured plants, </t><t>and our daughters will be like pillars </t><t>carved to adorn a palace. </t>


text:
<t>Our barns will be filled </t><t>with every kind of provision. </t><t>Our sheep will increase by thousands, </t><t>by tens of thousands in our fields; </t>


text:
<t>our oxen will draw heavy loads. <f>[225]</f> </t><t>There will be no breaching of walls, </t><t>no going into captivity, </t><t>no cry of distress in our streets. </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is the people of whom this is true; </t><t>blessed is the people whose God is the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><e>A psalm of praise. Of David.</e> <pb/><t> <n>[1]</n> I will exalt you, my God the King; </t><t>I will praise your name for ever and ever. </t>


text:
<t>They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty — </t><t>and I will meditate on your wonderful works. <f>[226]</f> </t>


text:
<t>so that all people may know of your mighty acts </t><t>and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. </t>


text:
<t>Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, </t><t>and your dominion endures through all generations. <pb/>The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises </t><t>and faithful in all he does. <f>[227]</f> </t>


text:
<t>My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. </t><t>Let every creature praise his holy name </t><t>for ever and ever.</t>


text:
<t>When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; </t><t>on that very day their plans come to nothing. </t>


text:
<t>Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, </t><t>whose hope is in the LORD their God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He is the Maker of heaven and earth, </t><t>the sea, and everything in them — </t><t>he remains faithful for ever. </t>


text:
<t>He upholds the cause of the oppressed </t><t>and gives food to the hungry. </t><t>The LORD sets prisoners free, </t>


text:
<t>the LORD gives sight to the blind, </t><t>the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, </t><t>the LORD loves the righteous. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD watches over the foreigner </t><t>and sustains the fatherless and the widow, </t><t>but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD reigns for ever, </t><t>your God, O Zion, for all generations. <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[229]</f> <pb/>How good it is to sing praises to our God, </t><t>how pleasant and fitting to praise him! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He covers the sky with clouds; </t><t>he supplies the earth with rain </t><t>and makes grass grow on the hills. </t>


text:
<t>His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, </t><t>nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; </t>


text:
<t>the LORD delights in those who fear him, </t><t>who put their hope in his unfailing love. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He sends his word and melts them; </t><t>he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He has done this for no other nation; </t><t>they do not know his laws. <f>[230]</f> <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[231]</f> <pb/>Praise the LORD from the heavens; </t><t>praise him in the heights above. </t>


text:
<t>and he established them for ever and ever — </t><t>he issued a decree that will never pass away. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let them praise the name of the LORD, </t><t>for his name alone is exalted; </t><t>his splendour is above the earth and the heavens. </t>


text:
<t>And he has raised up for his people a horn, <f>[232]</f> </t><t>the praise of all his faithful servants, </t><t>of Israel, the people close to his heart. <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[233]</f> <pb/>Sing to the LORD a new song, </t><t>his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Let them praise his name with dancing </t><t>and make music to him with tambourine and harp. </t>


text:
<t>to carry out the sentence written against them — </t><t>this is the glory of all his faithful people. <pb/>Praise the LORD.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Praise the LORD. <f>[234]</f> <pb/>Praise God in his sanctuary; </t><t>praise him in his mighty heavens. </t>


text:
<t>for receiving instruction in prudent behaviour, </t><t>doing what is right and just and fair; </t>


text:
<t>for giving prudence to those who are simple, <f>[1]</f> </t><t>knowledge and discretion to the young — </t>


text:
<t>for understanding proverbs and parables, </t><t>the sayings and riddles of the wise. <f>[2]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, </t><t>but fools <f>[3]</f> despise wisdom and instruction. </t>


text:
<t>Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction </t><t>and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. </t>


text:
<t>If they say, ‘Come along with us; </t><t>let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, </t><t>let’s ambush some harmless soul; </t>


text:
<t>let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, </t><t>and whole, like those who go down to the pit; </t>


text:
<t>Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; </t><t>it takes away the life of those who get it. </t>


text:
<t>on top of the wall <f>[4]</f> she cries out, </t><t>at the city gate she makes her speech: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? </t><t>How long will mockers delight in mockery </t><t>and fools hate knowledge? </t>


text:
<t>Repent at my rebuke! </t><t>Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, </t><t>I will make known to you my teachings. </t>


text:
<t>But since you refuse to listen when I call </t><t>and no-one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, </t>


text:
<t>I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; </t><t>I will mock when calamity overtakes you — </t>


text:
<t>when calamity overtakes you like a storm, </t><t>when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, </t><t>when distress and trouble overwhelm you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Then they will call to me but I will not answer; </t><t>they will look for me but will not find me, </t>


text:
<t>For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, </t><t>and the complacency of fools will destroy them; </t>


text:
<t>He holds success in store for the upright, </t><t>he is a shield to those whose way of life is blameless, </t>


text:
<t>for he guards the course of the just </t><t>and protects the way of his faithful ones. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, </t><t>from the wayward woman with her seductive words, </t>


text:
<t>who has left the partner of her youth </t><t>and ignored the covenant she made before God. <f>[5]</f> </t>


text:
<t>but the wicked will be cut off from the land, </t><t>and the unfaithful will be torn from it.</t>


text:
<t>Let love and faithfulness never leave you; </t><t>bind them round your neck, </t><t>write them on the tablet of your heart. </t>


text:
<t>in all your ways submit to him, </t><t>and he will make your paths straight. <f>[6]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>then your barns will be filled to overflowing, </t><t>and your vats will brim over with new wine. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>because the LORD disciplines those he loves, </t><t>as a father the son he delights in. <f>[7]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; </t><t>those who hold her fast will be blessed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, </t><t>by understanding he set the heavens in place; </t>


text:
<t>by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, </t><t>and the clouds let drop the dew. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, </t><t>preserve sound judgment and discretion; </t>


text:
<t>When you lie down, you will not be afraid; </t><t>when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. </t>


text:
<t>Do not say to your neighbour, </t><t>‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’ — </t><t>when you already have it with you. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, </t><t>but he blesses the home of the righteous. </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; </t><t>pay attention and gain understanding. </t>


text:
<t>Then he taught me, and he said to me, </t><t>‘Take hold of my words with all your heart; </t><t>keep my commands, and you will live. </t>


text:
<t>Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; </t><t>love her, and she will watch over you. </t>


text:
<t>The beginning of wisdom is this: get <f>[8]</f> wisdom. </t><t>Though it cost all you have, <f>[9]</f> get understanding. </t>


text:
<t>She will give you a garland to grace your head </t><t>and present you with a glorious crown.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For they cannot rest until they do evil; </t><t>they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. </t>


text:
<t>The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, </t><t>shining ever brighter till the full light of day. </t>


text:
<t>But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; </t><t>they do not know what makes them stumble. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Give careful thought to the <f>[10]</f> paths for your feet </t><t>and be steadfast in all your ways. </t>


text:
<t>For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, </t><t>and her speech is smoother than oil; </t>


text:
<t>She gives no thought to the way of life; </t><t>her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>lest you lose your honour to others </t><t>and your dignity <f>[11]</f> to one who is cruel, </t>


text:
<t>Should your springs overflow in the streets, </t><t>your streams of water in the public squares? </t>


text:
<t>A loving doe, a graceful deer — </t><t>may her breasts satisfy you always, </t><t>may you ever be intoxicated with her love. </t>


text:
<t>Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? </t><t>Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman? <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>My son, if you have put up security for your neighbour, </t><t>if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, </t>


text:
<t>So do this, my son, to free yourself, </t><t>since you have fallen into your neighbour’s hands: </t><t>go — to the point of exhaustion — <f>[12]</f> </t><t>and give your neighbour no rest! </t>


text:
<t>Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, </t><t>like a bird from the snare of the fowler. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>who winks maliciously with his eye, </t><t>signals with his feet </t><t>and motions with his fingers, </t>


text:
<t>Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; </t><t>he will suddenly be destroyed — without remedy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>a false witness who pours out lies <pb/>and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. </t>


text:
<t>When you walk, they will guide you; </t><t>when you sleep, they will watch over you; </t><t>when you awake, they will speak to you. </t>


text:
<t>For this command is a lamp, </t><t>this teaching is a light, </t><t>and correction and instruction </t><t>are the way to life, </t>


text:
<t>keeping you from your neighbour’s wife, </t><t>from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not lust in your heart after her beauty </t><t>or let her captivate you with her eyes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, </t><t>but another man’s wife preys on your very life. </t>


text:
<t>So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; </t><t>no-one who touches her will go unpunished. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>People do not despise a thief if he steals </t><t>to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. </t>


text:
<t>Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, </t><t>though it costs him all the wealth of his house. </t>


text:
<t>For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, </t><t>and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. </t>


text:
<t>They will keep you from the adulterous woman, </t><t>from the wayward woman with her seductive words. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I saw among the simple, </t><t>I noticed among the young men, </t><t>a youth who had no sense. </t>


text:
<t>He was going down the street near her corner, </t><t>walking along in the direction of her house </t>


text:
<t>All at once he followed her </t><t>like an ox going to the slaughter, </t><t>like a deer <f>[13]</f> stepping into a noose <f>[14]</f> </t>


text:
<t>till an arrow pierces his liver, </t><t>like a bird darting into a snare, </t><t>little knowing it will cost him his life. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You who are simple, gain prudence; </t><t>you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. <f>[15]</f> </t>


text:
<t>To the discerning all of them are right; </t><t>they are upright to those who have found knowledge. </t>


text:
<t>for wisdom is more precious than rubies, </t><t>and nothing you desire can compare with her. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>To fear the LORD is to hate evil; </t><t>I hate pride and arrogance, </t><t>evil behaviour and perverse speech. </t>


text:
<t>bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me </t><t>and making their treasuries full. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, <f>[17]</f>, <f>[18]</f> </t><t>before his deeds of old; </t>


text:
<t>When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, </t><t>when there were no springs overflowing with water; </t>


text:
<t>I was there when he set the heavens in place, </t><t>when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, </t>


text:
<t>when he gave the sea its boundary </t><t>so that the waters would not overstep his command, </t><t>and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>Then I was constantly <f>[19]</f> at his side. </t><t>I was filled with delight day after day, </t><t>rejoicing always in his presence, </t>


text:
<t>Blessed are those who listen to me, </t><t>watching daily at my doors, </t><t>waiting at my doorway. </t>


text:
<t>Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; </t><t>teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, </t><t>and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. </t>


text:
<t>For through wisdom <f>[21]</f> your days will be many, </t><t>and years will be added to your life. </t>


text:
<t>If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; </t><t>if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But little do they know that the dead are there, </t><t>that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.</t>


text:
<pb/>The proverbs of Solomon: <pb/><t>A wise son brings joy to his father, </t><t>but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, </t><t>but righteousness delivers from death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, </t><t>but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, </t><t>but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Blessings crown the head of the righteous, </t><t>but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. <f>[22]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The name of the righteous is used in blessings, <f>[23]</f> </t><t>but the name of the wicked will rot. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, </t><t>but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, </t><t>but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, </t><t>but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, </t><t>but poverty is the ruin of the poor. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wages of the righteous is life, </t><t>but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, </t><t>but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, </t><t>but the heart of the wicked is of little value. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, </t><t>but a person of understanding delights in wisdom. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>What the wicked dread will overtake them; </t><t>what the righteous desire will be granted. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, </t><t>but the righteous stand firm for ever. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, </t><t>so are sluggards to those who send them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD adds length to life, </t><t>but the years of the wicked are cut short. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The prospect of the righteous is joy, </t><t>but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless, </t><t>but it is the ruin of those who do evil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous will never be uprooted, </t><t>but the wicked will not remain in the land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, </t><t>but a perverse tongue will be silenced. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The lips of the righteous know what finds favour, </t><t>but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>The LORD detests dishonest scales, </t><t>but accurate weights find favour with him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The integrity of the upright guides them, </t><t>but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, </t><t>but righteousness delivers from death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, </t><t>but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteousness of the upright delivers them, </t><t>but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Hopes placed in mortals die with them; </t><t>all the promise of <f>[24]</f> their power comes to nothing. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous person is rescued from trouble, </t><t>and it falls on the wicked instead. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbours, </t><t>but through knowledge the righteous escape. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; </t><t>when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, </t><t>but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever derides their neighbour has no sense, </t><t>but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, </t><t>but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A wicked person earns deceptive wages, </t><t>but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD detests those whose hearts are perverse, </t><t>but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished, </t><t>but those who are righteous will go free. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout </t><t>is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The desire of the righteous ends only in good, </t><t>but the hope of the wicked only in wrath. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One person gives freely, yet gains even more; </t><t>another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>People curse the one who hoards grain, </t><t>but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who trust in their riches will fall, </t><t>but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, </t><t>and the fool will be servant to the wise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, </t><t>and the one who is wise saves lives. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If the righteous receive their due on earth, </t><t>how much more the ungodly and the sinner!</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, </t><t>but whoever hates correction is stupid. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Good people obtain favour from the LORD, </t><t>but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>No-one can be established through wickedness, </t><t>but the righteous cannot be uprooted. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, </t><t>but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The plans of the righteous are just, </t><t>but the advice of the wicked is deceitful. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, </t><t>but the speech of the upright rescues them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wicked are overthrown and are no more, </t><t>but the house of the righteous stands firm. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A person is praised according to their prudence, </t><t>and one with a warped mind is despised. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant </t><t>than pretend to be somebody and have no food. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous care for the needs of their animals, </t><t>but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who work their land will have abundant food, </t><t>but those who chase fantasies have no sense. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers, </t><t>but the root of the righteous endures. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, </t><t>and so the innocent escape trouble. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, </t><t>and the work of their hands brings them reward. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The words of the reckless pierce like swords, </t><t>but the tongue of the wise brings healing. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil, </t><t>but those who promote peace have joy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves, </t><t>but a fool’s heart blurts out folly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous choose their friends carefully, </t><t>but the way of the wicked leads them astray. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The lazy do not roast <f>[25]</f> any game, </t><t>but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, </t><t>but a mocker does not respond to rebukes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, </t><t>but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, </t><t>but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, </t><t>but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous hate what is false, </t><t>but the wicked make themselves obnoxious </t><t>and bring shame on themselves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Righteousness guards the person of integrity, </t><t>but wickedness overthrows the sinner. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; </t><t>another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A person’s riches may ransom their life, </t><t>but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The light of the righteous shines brightly, </t><t>but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Where there is strife, there is pride, </t><t>but wisdom is found in those who take advice. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Dishonest money dwindles away, </t><t>but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, </t><t>but whoever respects a command is rewarded. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, </t><t>turning a person from the snares of death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Good judgment wins favour, </t><t>but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction. <f>[26]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>All who are prudent act with <f>[27]</f> knowledge, </t><t>but fools expose their folly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, </t><t>but whoever heeds correction is honoured. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, </t><t>but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever spares the rod hates their children, </t><t>but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, </t><t>but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>The wise woman builds her house, </t><t>but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever fears the LORD walks uprightly, </t><t>but those who despise him are devious in their ways. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, </t><t>but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, </t><t>but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, </t><t>but the folly of fools is deception. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The house of the wicked will be destroyed, </t><t>but the tent of the upright will flourish. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, </t><t>and the good rewarded for theirs. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, </t><t>but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A quick-tempered person does foolish things, </t><t>and the one who devises evil schemes is hated. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, </t><t>and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It is a sin to despise one’s neighbour, </t><t>but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not those who plot evil go astray? </t><t>But those who plan what is good find <f>[28]</f> love and faithfulness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, </t><t>and for their children it will be a refuge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, </t><t>turning a person from the snares of death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever is patient has great understanding, </t><t>but one who is quick-tempered displays folly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, </t><t>but whoever is kind to the needy honours God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, </t><t>but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning </t><t>and even among fools she lets herself be known. <f>[29]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, </t><t>but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The soothing tongue is a tree of life, </t><t>but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A fool spurns a parent’s discipline, </t><t>but whoever heeds correction shows prudence. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The house of the righteous contains great treasure, </t><t>but the income of the wicked brings ruin. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The lips of the wise spread knowledge, </t><t>but the hearts of fools are not upright. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, </t><t>but the prayer of the upright pleases him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD detests the way of the wicked, </t><t>but he loves those who pursue righteousness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path; </t><t>the one who hates correction will die. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Death and Destruction <f>[30]</f> lie open before the LORD — </t><t>how much more do human hearts! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>All the days of the oppressed are wretched, </t><t>but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, </t><t>but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, </t><t>but the path of the upright is a highway. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, </t><t>but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The path of life leads upward for the prudent </t><t>to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD tears down the house of the proud, </t><t>but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, </t><t>but gracious words are pure in his sight. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The greedy bring ruin to their households, </t><t>but the one who hates bribes will live. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, </t><t>but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, </t><t>and good news gives health to the bones. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, </t><t>but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>To humans belong the plans of the heart, </t><t>but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD works out everything to its proper end — </t><t>even the wicked for a day of disaster. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD detests all the proud of heart. </t><t>Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; </t><t>through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way, </t><t>he causes their enemies to make peace with them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In their hearts humans plan their course, </t><t>but the LORD establishes their steps. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; </t><t>all the weights in the bag are of his making. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Kings take pleasure in honest lips; </t><t>they value the one who speaks what is right. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When a king’s face brightens, it means life; </t><t>his favour is like a rain cloud in spring. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The highway of the upright avoids evil; </t><t>those who guard their ways preserve their lives. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed </t><t>than to share plunder with the proud. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, <f>[31]</f> </t><t>and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wise in heart are called discerning, </t><t>and gracious words promote instruction. <f>[32]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, </t><t>but folly brings punishment to fools. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, </t><t>and their lips promote instruction. <f>[33]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A violent person entices their neighbour </t><t>and leads them down a path that is not good. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; </t><t>whoever purses their lips is bent on evil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Better a patient person than a warrior, </t><t>one with self-control than one who takes a city. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Better a dry crust with peace and quiet </t><t>than a house full of feasting, with strife. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son </t><t>and will share the inheritance as one of the family. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, </t><t>but the LORD tests the heart. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; </t><t>a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; </t><t>whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Children’s children are a crown to the aged, </t><t>and parents are the pride of their children. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool — </t><t>how much worse lying lips to a ruler! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; </t><t>they think success will come at every turn. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever would foster love covers over an offence, </t><t>but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Evildoers foster rebellion against God; </t><t>the messenger of death will be sent against them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; </t><t>so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent — </t><t>the LORD detests them both. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, </t><t>when they are not able to understand it? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge </t><t>and puts up security for a neighbour. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; </t><t>whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; </t><t>one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>To have a fool for a child brings grief; </t><t>there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, </t><t>but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A foolish son brings grief to his father </t><t>and bitterness to the mother who bore him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, </t><t>surely to flog honest officials is not right. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, </t><t>and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, </t><t>and discerning if they hold their tongues.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends </t><t>and against all sound judgment starts quarrels. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Fools find no pleasure in understanding </t><t>but delight in airing their own opinions. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The words of the mouth are deep waters, </t><t>but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It is not good to be partial to the wicked </t><t>and so deprive the innocent of justice. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The mouths of fools are their undoing, </t><t>and their lips are a snare to their very lives. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; </t><t>they go down to the inmost parts. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; </t><t>the righteous run to it and are safe. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; </t><t>they imagine it a wall too high to scale. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The human spirit can endure in times of illness, </t><t>but a crushed spirit who can bear? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, </t><t>for the ears of the wise seek it out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, </t><t>until someone comes forward and cross-examines. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; </t><t>disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; </t><t>with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The tongue has the power of life and death, </t><t>and those who love it will eat its fruit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, </t><t>but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Better the poor whose way of life is blameless </t><t>than a fool whose lips are perverse. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Desire without knowledge is not good — </t><t>how much more will hasty feet miss the way! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, </t><t>yet their heart rages against the LORD. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wealth attracts many friends, </t><t>but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A false witness will not go unpunished, </t><t>and whoever pours out lies will not go free. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Many curry favour with a ruler, </t><t>and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The poor are shunned by all their relatives — </t><t>how much more do their friends avoid them! </t><t>Though the poor pursue them with pleading, </t><t>they are nowhere to be found. <f>[34]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The one who gets wisdom loves life; </t><t>the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A false witness will not go unpunished, </t><t>and whoever pours out lies will perish. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury — </t><t>how much worse for a slave to rule over princes! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A person’s wisdom yields patience; </t><t>it is to one’s glory to overlook an offence. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, </t><t>but his favour is like dew on the grass. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A foolish child is a father’s ruin, </t><t>and a quarrelsome wife is like </t><t>the constant dripping of a leaky roof. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, </t><t>but a prudent wife is from the LORD. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, </t><t>but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, </t><t>and he will reward them for what they have done. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; </t><t>do not be a willing party to their death. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; </t><t>rescue them, and you will have to do it again. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Listen to advice and accept discipline, </t><t>and at the end you will be counted among the wise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Many are the plans in a person’s heart, </t><t>but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>What a person desires is unfailing love <f>[35]</f>; </t><t>better to be poor than a liar. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The fear of the LORD leads to life; </t><t>then one rests content, untouched by trouble. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; </t><t>he will not even bring it back to his mouth! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; </t><t>rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother </t><t>is a child who brings shame and disgrace. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Stop listening to instruction, my son, </t><t>and you will stray from the words of knowledge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A corrupt witness mocks at justice, </t><t>and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; </t><t>whoever is led astray by them is not wise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion; </t><t>those who anger him forfeit their lives. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Sluggards do not plough in season; </t><t>so at harvest time they look but find nothing. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, </t><t>but one who has insight draws them out. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When a king sits on his throne to judge, </t><t>he winnows out all evil with his eyes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Even small children are known by their actions, </t><t>so is their conduct really pure and upright? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; </t><t>stay awake and you will have food to spare. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘It’s no good, it’s no good!’ says the buyer — </t><t>then goes off and boasts about the purchase. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, </t><t>but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; </t><t>hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, </t><t>but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If someone curses their father or mother, </t><t>their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not say, ‘I’ll pay you back for this wrong!’ </t><t>Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. </t><t>How then can anyone understand their own way? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It is a trap to dedicate something rashly </t><t>and only later to consider one’s vows. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The human spirit is <f>[36]</f> the lamp of the LORD </t><t>that sheds light on one’s inmost being. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; </t><t>through love his throne is made secure. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>In the LORD’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water </t><t>that he channels towards all who please him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Haughty eyes and a proud heart — </t><t>the unploughed field of the wicked — produce sin. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A fortune made by a lying tongue </t><t>is a fleeting vapour and a deadly snare. <f>[37]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The violence of the wicked will drag them away, </t><t>for they refuse to do what is right. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Better to live on a corner of the roof </t><t>than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; </t><t>by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The Righteous One <f>[38]</f> takes note of the house of the wicked </t><t>and brings the wicked to ruin. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor </t><t>will also cry out and not be answered. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A gift given in secret soothes anger, </t><t>and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever strays from the path of prudence </t><t>comes to rest in the company of the dead. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; </t><t>whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, </t><t>and the unfaithful for the upright. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever pursues righteousness and love </t><t>finds life, prosperity <f>[39]</f> and honour. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty </t><t>and pull down the stronghold in which they trust. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The proud and arrogant person — ‘Mocker’ is his name — </t><t>behaves with insolent fury. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, </t><t>because his hands refuse to work. </t>


text:
<t>The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable — </t><t>how much more so when brought with evil intent! <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/><t>A good name is more desirable than great riches; </t><t>to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The prudent see danger and take refuge, </t><t>but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, </t><t>but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Start children off on the way they should go, </t><t>and even when they are old they will not turn from it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity, </t><t>and the rod they wield in fury will be broken. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The generous will themselves be blessed, </t><t>for they share their food with the poor. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace </t><t>will have the king for a friend. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, </t><t>but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The sluggard says, ‘There’s a lion outside! </t><t>I’ll be killed in the public square!’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; </t><t>a man who is under the LORD’s wrath falls into it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, </t><t>but the rod of discipline will drive it far away. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth </t><t>and one who gives gifts to the rich — both come to poverty. </t>


text:
<t>Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; </t><t>apply your heart to what I teach, </t>


text:
<t>for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart </t><t>and have all of them ready on your lips. </t>


text:
<t>teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, </t><t>so that you bring back truthful reports </t><t>to those you serve? </t>


text:
<t>Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, </t><t>do not associate with one easily angered, </t>


text:
<t>Do you see someone skilled in their work? </t><t>They will serve before kings; </t><t>they will not serve before officials of low rank.</t>


text:
<t>Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, </t><t>for they will surely sprout wings </t><t>and fly off to the sky like an eagle. </t>


text:
<t>for he is the kind of person </t><t>who is always thinking about the cost. <f>[41]</f> </t><t>‘Eat and drink,’ he says to you, </t><t>but his heart is not with you. </t>


text:
<t>Do not withhold discipline from a child; </t><t>if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. </t>


text:
<t>Listen to your father, who gave you life, </t><t>and do not despise your mother when she is old. </t>


text:
<t>The father of a righteous child has great joy; </t><t>a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. </t>


text:
<t>Who has woe? Who has sorrow? </t><t>Who has strife? Who has complaints? </t><t>Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? </t>


text:
<t>Do not gaze at wine when it is red, </t><t>when it sparkles in the cup, </t><t>when it goes down smoothly! </t>


text:
<t>‘They hit me,’ you will say, ‘but I’m not hurt! </t><t>They beat me, but I don’t feel it! </t><t>When will I wake up </t><t>so I can find another drink?’</t>


text:
<t>The wise prevail through great power, </t><t>and those who have knowledge muster their strength. </t>


text:
<t>Wisdom is too high for fools; </t><t>in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. </t>


text:
<t>If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ </t><t>does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? </t><t>Does not he who guards your life know it? </t><t>Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? </t>


text:
<t>Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: </t><t>if you find it, there is a future hope for you, </t><t>and your hope will not be cut off. </t>


text:
<t>Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, </t><t>do not plunder their dwelling-place; </t>


text:
<t>for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, </t><t>but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. </t>


text:
<t>Do not gloat when your enemy falls; </t><t>when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, </t>


text:
<t>for those two will send sudden destruction on them, </t><t>and who knows what calamities they can bring? </t>


text:
<t>whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent,’ </t><t>will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. </t>


text:
<t>But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, </t><t>and rich blessing will come on them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Put your outdoor work in order </t><t>and get your fields ready; </t><t>after that, build your house. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not testify against your neighbour without cause — </t><t>would you use your lips to mislead? </t>


text:
<t>Do not say, ‘I’ll do to them as they have done to me; </t><t>I’ll pay them back for what they did.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>thorns had come up everywhere, </t><t>the ground was covered with weeds, </t><t>and the stone wall was in ruins. </t>


text:
<pb/><t>It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; </t><t>to search out a matter is the glory of kings. </t>


text:
<t>As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, </t><t>so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, </t><t>and his throne will be established through righteousness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, </t><t>and do not claim a place among his great men; </t>


text:
<t>it is better for him to say to you, ‘Come up here,’ </t><t>than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. <pb/>What you have seen with your eyes </t>


text:
<t>do not bring <f>[42]</f> hastily to court, </t><t>for what will you do in the end </t><t>if your neighbour puts you to shame? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold </t><t>is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time </t><t>is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; </t><t>he refreshes the spirit of his master. </t>


text:
<t>Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, </t><t>and a gentle tongue can break a bone. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Seldom set foot in your neighbour’s house — </t><t>too much of you, and they will hate you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow </t><t>is one who gives false testimony against a neighbour. </t>


text:
<t>Like a broken tooth or a lame foot </t><t>is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble. </t>


text:
<t>Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, </t><t>or like vinegar poured on a wound, </t><t>is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; </t><t>if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. </t>


text:
<t>In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, </t><t>and the LORD will reward you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain </t><t>is a sly tongue — which provokes a horrified look. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a muddied spring or a polluted well </t><t>are the righteous who give way to the wicked. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It is not good to eat too much honey, </t><t>nor is it honourable to search out matters that are too deep. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, </t><t>an undeserved curse does not come to rest. </t>


text:
<t>Sending a message by the hands of a fool </t><t>is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison. </t>


text:
<t>Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? </t><t>There is more hope for a fool than for them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; </t><t>he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. </t>


text:
<t>Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears </t><t>is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, </t><t>so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. </t>


text:
<t>Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware </t><t>are fervent <f>[44]</f> lips with an evil heart. </t>


text:
<t>Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, </t><t>but in their hearts they harbour deceit. </t>


text:
<t>Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, </t><t>for seven abominations fill their hearts. </t>


text:
<t>Their malice may be concealed by deception, </t><t>but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. </t>


text:
<t>Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; </t><t>if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. </t>


text:
<t>Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; </t><t>an outsider, and not your own lips. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Stone is heavy and sand a burden, </t><t>but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>One who is full loathes honey from the comb, </t><t>but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, </t><t>and the pleasantness of a friend </t><t>springs from their heartfelt advice. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, </t><t>and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you — </t><t>better a neighbour nearby than a relative far away. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; </t><t>then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If anyone loudly blesses their neighbour early in the morning, </t><t>it will be taken as a curse. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The one who guards a fig-tree will eat its fruit, </t><t>and whoever protects their master will be honoured. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Death and Destruction <f>[46]</f> are never satisfied, </t><t>and neither are human eyes. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, </t><t>but people are tested by their praise. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Though you grind a fool in a mortar, </t><t>grinding them like grain with a pestle, </t><t>you will not remove their folly from them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the hay is removed and new growth appears </t><t>and the grass from the hills is gathered in, </t>


text:
<t>You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family </t><t>and to nourish your female servants.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>The wicked flee though no-one pursues, </t><t>but the righteous are as bold as a lion. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, </t><t>but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A ruler <f>[47]</f> who oppresses the poor </t><t>is like driving rain that leaves no crops. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, </t><t>but those who heed it resist them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Evildoers do not understand what is right, </t><t>but those who seek the LORD understand it fully. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Better the poor whose way of life is blameless </t><t>than the rich whose ways are perverse. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A discerning son heeds instruction, </t><t>but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor </t><t>amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, </t><t>even their prayers are detestable. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever leads the upright along an evil path </t><t>will fall into their own trap, </t><t>but the blameless will receive a good inheritance. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The rich are wise in their own eyes; </t><t>one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; </t><t>but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, </t><t>but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, </t><t>but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a roaring lion or a charging bear </t><t>is a wicked ruler over a helpless people. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A tyrannical ruler practises extortion, </t><t>but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder </t><t>will seek refuge in the grave; </t><t>let no-one hold them back. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The one whose way of life is blameless is kept safe, </t><t>but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit. <f>[48]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who work their land will have abundant food, </t><t>but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A faithful person will be richly blessed, </t><t>but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>To show partiality is not good — </t><t>yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favour </t><t>rather than one who has a flattering tongue. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Whoever robs their father or mother </t><t>and says, ‘It’s not wrong,’ </t><t>is partner to one who destroys. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who trust in themselves are fools, </t><t>but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, </t><t>but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; </t><t>but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes </t><t>will suddenly be destroyed — without remedy. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; </t><t>when the wicked rule, the people groan. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, </t><t>but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>By justice a king gives a country stability, </t><t>but those who are greedy for <f>[49]</f> bribes tear it down. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Evildoers are snared by their own sin, </t><t>but the righteous shout for joy and are glad. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The righteous care about justice for the poor, </t><t>but the wicked have no such concern. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If a wise person goes to court with a fool, </t><t>the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The poor and the oppressor have this in common: </t><t>the LORD gives sight to the eyes of both. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>If a king judges the poor with fairness, </t><t>his throne will be established for ever. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, </t><t>but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When the wicked thrive, so does sin, </t><t>but the righteous will see their downfall. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; </t><t>they will bring you the delights you desire. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; </t><t>but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; </t><t>though they understand, they will not respond. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Do you see someone who speaks in haste? </t><t>There is more hope for a fool than for them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>An angry person stirs up conflict, </t><t>and a hot-tempered person commits many sins. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; </t><t>they are put under oath and dare not testify. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Fear of man will prove to be a snare, </t><t>but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Many seek an audience with a ruler, </t><t>but it is from the LORD that one gets justice. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/>The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh — an inspired utterance. <pb/><t>This man’s utterance to Ithiel: <pb/>‘I am weary, God, </t><t>but I can prevail. <f>[50]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Who has gone up to heaven and come down? </t><t>Whose hands have gathered up the wind? </t><t>Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? </t><t>Who has established all the ends of the earth? </t><t>What is his name, and what is the name of his son? </t><t>Surely you know! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>keep falsehood and lies far from me; </t><t>give me neither poverty nor riches, </t><t>but give me only my daily bread. </t>


text:
<t>Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you </t><t>and say, “Who is the LORD?” </t><t>Or I may become poor and steal, </t><t>and so dishonour the name of my God. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Do not slander a servant to their master, </t><t>or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>those whose teeth are swords </t><t>and whose jaws are set with knives </t><t>to devour the poor from the earth </t><t>and the needy from among the human race. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘The leech has two daughters. </t><t>“Give! Give!” they cry. <pb/>‘There are three things that are never satisfied, <pb/>four that never say, “Enough!”: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>the grave <pb/>and the barren womb; <pb/>land, which is never satisfied with water, <pb/>and fire, which never says, “Enough!” <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘The eye that mocks a father, </t><t>that scorns an aged mother, </t><t>will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, </t><t>will be eaten by the vultures. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘There are three things that are too amazing for me, <pb/>four that I do not understand: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>the way of an eagle in the sky, <pb/>the way of a snake on a rock, <pb/>the way of a ship on the high seas, <pb/>and the way of a man with a young woman. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘This is the way of an adulterous woman: </t><t>she eats and wipes her mouth </t><t>and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.” <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>ants are creatures of little strength, <pb/>yet they store up their food in the summer; <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘There are three things that are stately in their stride, <pb/>four that move with stately bearing: <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘If you play the fool and exalt yourself, </t><t>or if you plan evil, </t><t>clap your hand over your mouth! </t>


text:
<t>For as churning cream produces butter, </t><t>and as twisting the nose produces blood, </t><t>so stirring up anger produces strife.’</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! </t><t>Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers! </t>


text:
<t>Do not spend your strength <f>[52]</f> on women, </t><t>your vigour on those who ruin kings. <pb/> </t>


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<t>It is not for kings, Lemuel — </t><t>it is not for kings to drink wine, </t><t>not for rulers to crave beer, </t>


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<t>lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, </t><t>and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. </t>


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<t>Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, </t><t>for the rights of all who are destitute. </t>


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<t> <f>[53]</f>A wife of noble character who can find? </t><t>She is worth far more than rubies. </t>


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<t>She gets up while it is still night; </t><t>she provides food for her family </t><t>and portions for her female servants. </t>


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<t>When it snows, she has no fear for her household; </t><t>for all of them are clothed in scarlet. </t>


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<t>Her husband is respected at the city gate, </t><t>where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. </t>


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<t>She watches over the affairs of her household </t><t>and does not eat the bread of idleness. </t>


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<t>Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; </t><t>but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. </t>


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<t>Honour her for all that her hands have done, </t><t>and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.</t>


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<pb/><t>‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ </t><t>says the Teacher. </t><t>‘Utterly meaningless! </t><t>Everything is meaningless.’ <pb/> </t>


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<t>The wind blows to the south </t><t>and turns to the north; </t><t>round and round it goes, </t><t>ever returning on its course. </t>


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<t>All streams flow into the sea, </t><t>yet the sea is never full. </t><t>To the place the streams come from, </t><t>there they return again. </t>


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<t>All things are wearisome, </t><t>more than one can say. </t><t>The eye never has enough of seeing, </t><t>nor the ear its fill of hearing. </t>


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<t>What has been will be again, </t><t>what has been done will be done again; </t><t>there is nothing new under the sun. </t>


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<t>Is there anything of which one can say, </t><t>‘Look! This is something new’? </t><t>It was here already, long ago; </t><t>it was here before our time. </t>


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<t>No-one remembers the former generations, </t><t>and even those yet to come </t><t>will not be remembered </t><t>by those who follow them. </t>


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I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!


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I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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<pb/>I said to myself, ‘Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.’


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Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.


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<pb/>I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ But that also proved to be meaningless.


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I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly — my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.


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I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.


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I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem <f>[2]</f> as well — the delights of a man’s heart.


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<pb/><t>I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; </t><t>I refused my heart no pleasure. </t><t>My heart took delight in all my labour, </t><t>and this was the reward for all my toil. </t>


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<t>Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done </t><t>and what I had toiled to achieve, </t><t>everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; </t><t>nothing was gained under the sun. </t>


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<t>Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, </t><t>and also madness and folly. </t><t>What more can the king’s successor do </t><t>than what has already been done? </t>


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<t>The wise have eyes in their heads, </t><t>while the fool walks in the darkness; </t><t>but I came to realise </t><t>that the same fate overtakes them both. </t>


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<pb/>Then I said to myself, <pb/><t>‘The fate of the fool will overtake me also. </t><t>What then do I gain by being wise?’ </t><t>I said to myself, </t><t>‘This too is meaningless.’ </t>


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<t>For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; </t><t>the days have already come when both have been forgotten. </t><t>Like the fool, the wise too must die! </t>


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<pb/>So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.


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And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.


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For a person may labour with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.


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All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.


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<pb/>A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,


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To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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<pb/><t>There is a time for everything, </t><t>and a season for every activity under the heavens: <pb/> </t>


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<t>a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, </t><t>a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, </t>


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He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet <f>[3]</f> no-one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.


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That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil — this is the gift of God.


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I know that everything God does will endure for ever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.


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<pb/><t>Whatever is has already been, </t><t>and what will be has been before; </t><t>and God will call the past to account. <f>[4]</f> </t>


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<pb/>And I saw something else under the sun: <pb/><t>in the place of judgment — wickedness was there, </t><t>in the place of justice — wickedness was there. </t>


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<pb/>I said to myself, <pb/><t>‘God will bring into judgment </t><t>both the righteous and the wicked, </t><t>for there will be a time for every activity, </t><t>a time to judge every deed.’ </t>


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<pb/>I also said to myself, ‘As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.


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Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: as one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath <f>[5]</f>; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.


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Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?’


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<pb/>So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?


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<pb/>Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: <pb/><t>I saw the tears of the oppressed — </t><t>and they have no comforter; </t><t>power was on the side of their oppressors — </t><t>and they have no comforter. </t>


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<t>And I declared that the dead, </t><t>who had already died, </t><t>are happier than the living, </t><t>who are still alive. </t>


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<t>But better than both </t><t>is the one who has never been born, </t><t>who has not seen the evil </t><t>that is done under the sun. </t>


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<pb/>And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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<t>Better one handful with tranquillity </t><t>than two handfuls with toil </t><t>and chasing after the wind. </t>


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<pb/><t>there was a man all alone; </t><t>he had neither son nor brother. </t><t>There was no end to his toil, </t><t>yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. </t><t>‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, </t><t>‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ </t><t>This too is meaningless — </t><t>a miserable business! <pb/> </t>


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<t>if either of them falls down, </t><t>one can help the other up. </t><t>But pity anyone who falls </t><t>and has no-one to help them up. </t>


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<t>Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. </t><t>But how can one keep warm alone? </t>


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<t>Though one may be overpowered, </t><t>two can defend themselves. </t><t>A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. </t>


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<pb/>Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.


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The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.


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There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.


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<pb/> <f>[6]</f> <n>[1]</n> Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.


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<pb/><t>Do not be quick with your mouth, </t><t>do not be hasty in your heart </t><t>to utter anything before God. </t><t>God is in heaven </t><t>and you are on earth, </t><t>so let your words be few. </t>


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<pb/>When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfil it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfil your vow.


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Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ‘My vow was a mistake.’ Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?


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<pb/>If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.


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<pb/><t>Whoever loves money never has enough; </t><t>whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. </t><t>This too is meaningless. <pb/> </t>


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<t>As goods increase, </t><t>so do those who consume them. </t><t>And what benefit are they to the owners </t><t>except to feast their eyes on them? <pb/> </t>


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<t>The sleep of a labourer is sweet, </t><t>whether they eat little or much, </t><t>but as for the rich, their abundance </t><t>permits them no sleep. </t>


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<pb/>I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: <pb/><t>wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, </t>


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<t>or wealth lost through some misfortune, </t><t>so that when they have children </t><t>there is nothing left for them to inherit. </t>


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<t>Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, </t><t>and as everyone comes, so they depart. </t><t>They take nothing from their toil </t><t>that they can carry in their hands. </t>


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<pb/>This too is a grievous evil: <pb/><t>as everyone comes, so they depart, </t><t>and what do they gain, </t><t>since they toil for the wind? </t>


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<pb/>This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labour under the sun during the few days of life God has given them — for this is their lot.


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Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil — this is a gift of God.


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They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.


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God gives some people wealth, possessions and honour, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.


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<pb/>A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.


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even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?


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<t>What advantage have the wise over fools? </t><t>What do the poor gain </t><t>by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? </t>


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<t>Better what the eye sees </t><t>than the roving of the appetite. </t><t>This too is meaningless, </t><t>a chasing after the wind. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Whatever exists has already been named, </t><t>and what humanity is has been known; </t><t>no-one can contend </t><t>with someone who is stronger. </t>


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<pb/>For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?


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<pb/><t>A good name is better than fine perfume, </t><t>and the day of death better than the day of birth. </t>


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<t>It is better to go to a house of mourning </t><t>than to go to a house of feasting, </t><t>for death is the destiny of everyone; </t><t>the living should take this to heart. </t>


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<t>The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, </t><t>but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. </t>


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<t>It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person </t><t>than to listen to the song of fools. </t>


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<t>Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, </t><t>so is the laughter of fools. </t><t>This too is meaningless. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, </t><t>for anger resides in the lap of fools. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ </t><t>For it is not wise to ask such questions. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Wisdom is a shelter </t><t>as money is a shelter, </t><t>but the advantage of knowledge is this: </t><t>wisdom preserves those who have it. </t>


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<t>When times are good, be happy; </t><t>but when times are bad, consider this: </t><t>God has made the one </t><t>as well as the other. </t><t>Therefore, no-one can discover </t><t>anything about their future. </t>


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<pb/>In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: <pb/><t>the righteous perishing in their righteousness, </t><t>and the wicked living long in their wickedness. </t>


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<t>It is good to grasp the one </t><t>and not let go of the other. </t><t>Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes. <f>[7]</f> <pb/> </t>


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<t>Indeed, there is no-one on earth who is righteous, </t><t>no-one who does what is right and never sins. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Do not pay attention to every word people say, </t><t>or you may hear your servant cursing you — </t>


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<pb/>All this I tested by wisdom and I said, <pb/><t>‘I am determined to be wise’ — </t><t>but this was beyond me. </t>


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<t>So I turned my mind to understand, </t><t>to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things </t><t>and to understand the stupidity of wickedness </t><t>and the madness of folly. <pb/> </t>


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<t>I find more bitter than death </t><t>the woman who is a snare, </t><t>whose heart is a trap </t><t>and whose hands are chains. </t><t>The man who pleases God will escape her, </t><t>but the sinner she will ensnare. </t>


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<pb/>‘Look,’ says the Teacher, <f>[8]</f> ‘this is what I have discovered: <pb/><t>‘Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things — </t>


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<t>while I was still searching </t><t>but not finding — </t><t>I found one upright man among a thousand, </t><t>but not one upright woman among them all. </t>


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<t>This only have I found: </t><t>God created mankind upright, </t><t>but they have gone in search of many schemes.’</t>


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<pb/><t>Who is like the wise? </t><t>Who knows the explanation of things? </t><t>A person’s wisdom brightens their face </t><t>and changes its hard appearance. </t>


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Do not be in a hurry to leave the king’s presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases.


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<pb/><t>Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, </t><t>and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. </t>


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<t>For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, </t><t>though a person may be weighed down by misery. <pb/> </t>


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<t>As no-one has power over the wind to contain it, </t><t>so <f>[9]</f> no-one has power over the time of their death. </t><t>As no-one is discharged in time of war, </t><t>so wickedness will not release those who practise it. </t>


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<pb/>All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own <f>[10]</f> hurt.


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Then too, I saw the wicked buried — those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise <f>[11]</f> in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless.


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<pb/>When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong.


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Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.


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Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.


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<pb/>There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.


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So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.


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<pb/>When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labour that is done on earth — people getting no sleep day or night —


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then I saw all that God has done. No-one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no-one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.


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<pb/>So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no-one knows whether love or hate awaits them.


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All share a common destiny — the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, <f>[12]</f> the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. <pb/><t>As it is with the good, </t><t>so with the sinful; </t><t>as it is with those who take oaths, </t><t>so with those who are afraid to take them. </t>


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<pb/>This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterwards they join the dead.


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Anyone who is among the living has hope <f>[13]</f> — even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!


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<pb/><t>For the living know that they will die, </t><t>but the dead know nothing; </t><t>they have no further reward, </t><t>and even their name is forgotten. </t>


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<t>Their love, their hate </t><t>and their jealousy have long since vanished; </t><t>never again will they have a part </t><t>in anything that happens under the sun. </t>


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<pb/>Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.


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Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun — all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labour under the sun.


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Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.


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<pb/>I have seen something else under the sun: <pb/><t>The race is not to the swift </t><t>or the battle to the strong, </t><t>nor does food come to the wise </t><t>or wealth to the brilliant </t><t>or favour to the learned; </t><t>but time and chance happen to them all. </t>


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<pb/>Moreover, no-one knows when their hour will come: <pb/><t>As fish are caught in a cruel net, </t><t>or birds are taken in a snare, </t><t>so people are trapped by evil times </t><t>that fall unexpectedly upon them. </t>


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there was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it.


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Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.


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So I said, ‘Wisdom is better than strength.’ But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.


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<pb/><t>The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded </t><t>than the shouts of a ruler of fools. </t>


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<pb/><t>As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, </t><t>so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour. </t>


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<t>Even as fools walk along the road, </t><t>they lack sense </t><t>and show everyone how stupid they are. </t>


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<t>If a ruler’s anger rises against you, </t><t>do not leave your post; </t><t>calmness can lay great offences to rest. <pb/> </t>


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<t>There is an evil I have seen under the sun, </t><t>the sort of error that arises from a ruler: </t>


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<t>Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; </t><t>whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. </t>


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<t>Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; </t><t>whoever splits logs may be endangered by them. <pb/> </t>


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<t>If the axe is dull </t><t>and its edge unsharpened, </t><t>more strength is needed, </t><t>but skill will bring success. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, </t><t>but fools are consumed by their own lips. </t>


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<t>and fools multiply words. <pb/>No-one knows what is coming — </t><t>who can tell someone else what will happen after them? <pb/> </t>


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<t>Woe to the land whose king was a servant <f>[14]</f> </t><t>and whose princes feast in the morning. </t>


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<t>Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth </t><t>and whose princes eat at a proper time — </t><t>for strength and not for drunkenness. <pb/> </t>


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<t>A feast is made for laughter, </t><t>wine makes life merry, </t><t>and money is the answer for everything. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, </t><t>or curse the rich in your bedroom, </t><t>because a bird in the sky may carry your words, </t><t>and a bird on the wing may report what you say.</t>


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<t>Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; </t><t>you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. <pb/> </t>


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<t>If clouds are full of water, </t><t>they pour rain on the earth. </t><t>Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, </t><t>in the place where it falls, there it will lie. </t>


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<t>Whoever watches the wind will not plant; </t><t>whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. <pb/> </t>


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<t>As you do not know the path of the wind, </t><t>or how the body is formed <f>[15]</f> in a mother’s womb, </t><t>so you cannot understand the work of God, </t><t>the Maker of all things. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Sow your seed in the morning, </t><t>and at evening let your hands not be idle, </t><t>for you do not know which will succeed, </t><t>whether this or that, </t><t>or whether both will do equally well. </t>


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<t>However many years anyone may live, </t><t>let them enjoy them all. </t><t>But let them remember the days of darkness, </t><t>for there will be many. </t><t>Everything to come is meaningless. <pb/> </t>


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<t>You who are young, be happy while you are young, </t><t>and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. </t><t>Follow the ways of your heart </t><t>and whatever your eyes see, </t><t>but know that for all these things </t><t>God will bring you into judgment. </t>


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<t>So then, banish anxiety from your heart </t><t>and cast off the troubles of your body, </t><t>for youth and vigour are meaningless.</t>


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<pb/><t>Remember your Creator </t><t>in the days of your youth, </t><t>before the days of trouble come </t><t>and the years approach when you will say, </t><t>‘I find no pleasure in them’ — </t>


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<t>before the sun and the light </t><t>and the moon and the stars grow dark, </t><t>and the clouds return after the rain; </t>


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<t>when the keepers of the house tremble, </t><t>and the strong men stoop, </t><t>when the grinders cease because they are few, </t><t>and those looking through the windows grow dim; </t>


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<t>when the doors to the street are closed </t><t>and the sound of grinding fades; </t><t>when people rise up at the sound of birds, </t><t>but all their songs grow faint; </t>


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<t>when people are afraid of heights </t><t>and of dangers in the streets; </t><t>when the almond tree blossoms </t><t>and the grasshopper drags itself along </t><t>and desire no longer is stirred. </t><t>Then people go to their eternal home </t><t>and mourners go about the streets. <pb/> </t>


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<t>Remember him — before the silver cord is severed, </t><t>and the golden bowl is broken; </t><t>before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, </t><t>and the wheel broken at the well, </t>


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<t>and the dust returns to the ground it came from, </t><t>and the spirit returns to God who gave it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. <f>[16]</f> </t><t>‘Everything is meaningless!’ </t>


text:
<pb/>Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.


text:
<pb/>The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails — given by one shepherd. <f>[17]</f>


text:
Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. <pb/>Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.


text:
<pb/><t>Now all has been heard; </t><t>here is the conclusion of the matter: </t><t>fear God and keep his commandments, </t><t>for this is the duty of all mankind. </t>


text:
<t>For God will bring every deed into judgment, </t><t>including every hidden thing, </t><t>whether it is good or evil.</t>


text:
<pb/><f>[1]</f> <pb/><t>Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth — </t><t>for your love is more delightful than wine. </t>


text:
<t>Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; </t><t>your name is like perfume poured out. </t><t>No wonder the young women love you! </t>


text:
<t>Take me away with you — let us hurry! </t><t>Let the king bring me into his chambers. </t><t>We rejoice and delight in you <f>[2]</f>; </t><t>we will praise your love more than wine. </t><t>How right they are to adore you! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Dark am I, yet lovely, </t><t>daughters of Jerusalem, </t><t>dark like the tents of Kedar, </t><t>like the tent curtains of Solomon. <f>[3]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Do not stare at me because I am dark, </t><t>because I am darkened by the sun. </t><t>My mother’s sons were angry with me </t><t>and made me take care of the vineyards; </t><t>my own vineyard I had to neglect. </t>


text:
<t>Tell me, you whom I love, </t><t>where you graze your flock </t><t>and where you rest your sheep at midday. </t><t>Why should I be like a veiled woman </t><t>beside the flocks of your friends? </t>


text:
<t>If you do not know, most beautiful of women, </t><t>follow the tracks of the sheep </t><t>and graze your young goats </t><t>by the tents of the shepherds. </t>


text:
<t>Like an apple <f>[6]</f> tree among the trees of the forest </t><t>is my beloved among the young men. </t><t>I delight to sit in his shade, </t><t>and his fruit is sweet to my taste. </t>


text:
<t>Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you </t><t>by the gazelles and by the does of the field: </t><t>Do not arouse or awaken love </t><t>until it so desires. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Listen! My beloved! </t><t>Look! Here he comes, </t><t>leaping across the mountains, </t><t>bounding over the hills. </t>


text:
<t>My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. </t><t>Look! There he stands behind our wall, </t><t>gazing through the windows, </t><t>peering through the lattice. </t>


text:
<t>My beloved spoke and said to me, </t><t>‘Arise, my darling, </t><t>my beautiful one, come with me. </t>


text:
<t>Flowers appear on the earth; </t><t>the season of singing has come, </t><t>the cooing of doves </t><t>is heard in our land. </t>


text:
<t>The fig-tree forms its early fruit; </t><t>the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. </t><t>Arise, come, my darling; </t><t>my beautiful one, come with me.’ </t>


text:
<t>My dove in the clefts of the rock, </t><t>in the hiding-places on the mountainside, </t><t>show me your face, </t><t>let me hear your voice; </t><t>for your voice is sweet, </t><t>and your face is lovely. </t>


text:
<t>Catch for us the foxes, </t><t>the little foxes </t><t>that ruin the vineyards, </t><t>our vineyards that are in bloom. </t>


text:
<t>Until the day breaks </t><t>and the shadows flee, </t><t>turn, my beloved, </t><t>and be like a gazelle </t><t>or like a young stag </t><t>on the rugged hills. <f>[7]</f></t>


text:
<pb/><t>All night long on my bed </t><t>I looked for the one my heart loves; </t><t>I looked for him but did not find him. </t>


text:
<t>I will get up now and go about the city, </t><t>through its streets and squares; </t><t>I will search for the one my heart loves. </t><t>So I looked for him but did not find him. </t>


text:
<t>The watchmen found me </t><t>as they made their rounds in the city. </t><t>‘Have you seen the one my heart loves?’ </t>


text:
<t>Scarcely had I passed them </t><t>when I found the one my heart loves. </t><t>I held him and would not let him go </t><t>till I had brought him to my mother’s house, </t><t>to the room of the one who conceived me. </t>


text:
<t>Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you </t><t>by the gazelles and by the does of the field: </t><t>do not arouse or awaken love </t><t>until it so desires. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Who is this coming up from the wilderness </t><t>like a column of smoke, </t><t>perfumed with myrrh and incense </t><t>made from all the spices of the merchant? </t>


text:
<t>Look! It is Solomon’s carriage, </t><t>escorted by sixty warriors, </t><t>the noblest of Israel, </t>


text:
<t>all of them wearing the sword, </t><t>all experienced in battle, </t><t>each with his sword at his side, </t><t>prepared for the terrors of the night. </t>


text:
<t>Its posts he made of silver, </t><t>its base of gold. </t><t>Its seat was upholstered with purple, </t><t>its interior inlaid with love. </t><t>Daughters of Jerusalem, </t>


text:
<t>come out, </t><t>and look, you daughters of Zion. </t><t>Look <f>[8]</f> on King Solomon wearing a crown, </t><t>the crown with which his mother crowned him </t><t>on the day of his wedding, </t><t>the day his heart rejoiced.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>How beautiful you are, my darling! </t><t>Oh, how beautiful! </t><t>Your eyes behind your veil are doves. </t><t>Your hair is like a flock of goats </t><t>descending from the hills of Gilead. </t>


text:
<t>Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, </t><t>coming up from the washing. </t><t>Each has its twin; </t><t>not one of them is alone. </t>


text:
<t>Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; </t><t>your mouth is lovely. </t><t>Your temples behind your veil </t><t>are like the halves of a pomegranate. </t>


text:
<t>Your neck is like the tower of David, </t><t>built with courses of stone <f>[9]</f>; </t><t>on it hang a thousand shields, </t><t>all of them shields of warriors. </t>


text:
<t>Your breasts are like two fawns, </t><t>like twin fawns of a gazelle </t><t>that browse among the lilies. </t>


text:
<t>Until the day breaks </t><t>and the shadows flee, </t><t>I will go to the mountain of myrrh </t><t>and to the hill of incense. </t>


text:
<t>Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, </t><t>come with me from Lebanon. </t><t>Descend from the crest of Amana, </t><t>from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, </t><t>from the lions’ dens </t><t>and the mountain haunts of leopards. </t>


text:
<t>You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; </t><t>you have stolen my heart </t><t>with one glance of your eyes, </t><t>with one jewel of your necklace. </t>


text:
<t>How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! </t><t>How much more pleasing is your love than wine, </t><t>and the fragrance of your perfume </t><t>more than any spice! </t>


text:
<t>Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; </t><t>milk and honey are under your tongue. </t><t>The fragrance of your garments </t><t>is like the fragrance of Lebanon. </t>


text:
<t>You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; </t><t>you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. </t>


text:
<t>Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates </t><t>with choice fruits, </t><t>with henna and nard, </t>


text:
<t>nard and saffron, </t><t>calamus and cinnamon, </t><t>with every kind of incense tree, </t><t>with myrrh and aloes </t><t>and all the finest spices. </t>


text:
<t>You are <f>[10]</f> a garden fountain, </t><t>a well of flowing water </t><t>streaming down from Lebanon. </t>


text:
<t>Awake, north wind, </t><t>and come, south wind! </t><t>Blow on my garden, </t><t>that its fragrance may spread everywhere. </t><t>Let my beloved come into his garden </t><t>and taste its choice fruits.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; </t><t>I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. </t><t>I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; </t><t>I have drunk my wine and my milk. </t><t>Eat, friends, and drink; </t><t>drink your fill of love. </t>


text:
<t>I slept but my heart was awake. </t><t>Listen! My beloved is knocking: </t><t>‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, </t><t>my dove, my flawless one. </t><t>My head is drenched with dew, </t><t>my hair with the dampness of the night.’ </t>


text:
<t>I have taken off my robe — </t><t>must I put it on again? </t><t>I have washed my feet — </t><t>must I soil them again? </t>


text:
<t>My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening; </t><t>my heart began to pound for him. </t>


text:
<t>I arose to open for my beloved, </t><t>and my hands dripped with myrrh, </t><t>my fingers with flowing myrrh, </t><t>on the handles of the bolt. </t>


text:
<t>I opened for my beloved, </t><t>but my beloved had left; he was gone. </t><t>My heart sank at his departure. <f>[11]</f> </t><t>I looked for him but did not find him. </t><t>I called him but he did not answer. </t>


text:
<t>The watchmen found me </t><t>as they made their rounds in the city. </t><t>They beat me, they bruised me; </t><t>they took away my cloak, </t><t>those watchmen of the walls! </t>


text:
<t>Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you — </t><t>if you find my beloved, </t><t>what will you tell him? </t><t>Tell him I am faint with love. </t>


text:
<t>How is your beloved better than others, </t><t>most beautiful of women? </t><t>How is your beloved better than others, </t><t>that you so charge us? </t>


text:
<t>His eyes are like doves </t><t>by the water streams, </t><t>washed in milk, </t><t>mounted like jewels. </t>


text:
<t>His cheeks are like beds of spice </t><t>yielding perfume. </t><t>His lips are like lilies </t><t>dripping with myrrh. </t>


text:
<t>His arms are rods of gold </t><t>set with topaz. </t><t>His body is like polished ivory </t><t>decorated with lapis lazuli. </t>


text:
<t>His legs are pillars of marble </t><t>set on bases of pure gold. </t><t>His appearance is like Lebanon, </t><t>choice as its cedars. </t>


text:
<t>His mouth is sweetness itself; </t><t>he is altogether lovely. </t><t>This is my beloved, this is my friend, </t><t>daughters of Jerusalem.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Where has your beloved gone, </t><t>most beautiful of women? </t><t>Which way did your beloved turn, </t><t>that we may look for him with you? </t>


text:
<t>My beloved has gone down to his garden, </t><t>to the beds of spices, </t><t>to browse in the gardens </t><t>and to gather lilies. </t>


text:
<t>You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, </t><t>as lovely as Jerusalem, </t><t>as majestic as troops with banners. </t>


text:
<t>Turn your eyes from me; </t><t>they overwhelm me. </t><t>Your hair is like a flock of goats </t><t>descending from Gilead. </t>


text:
<t>Your teeth are like a flock of sheep </t><t>coming up from the washing. </t><t>Each has its twin, </t><t>not one of them is missing. </t>


text:
<t>but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, </t><t>the only daughter of her mother, </t><t>the favourite of the one who bore her. </t><t>The young women saw her and called her blessed; </t><t>the queens and concubines praised her. </t>


text:
<t>Who is this that appears like the dawn, </t><t>fair as the moon, bright as the sun, </t><t>majestic as the stars in procession? </t>


text:
<t>I went down to the grove of nut trees </t><t>to look at the new growth in the valley, </t><t>to see if the vines had budded </t><t>or the pomegranates were in bloom. </t>


text:
<t>Before I realised it, </t><t>my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people. <f>[12]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Come back, come back, O Shulammite; </t><t>come back, come back, that we may gaze on you! </t><t>Why would you gaze on the Shulammite </t><t>as on the dance of Mahanaim? <f>[13]</f></t>


text:
<pb/><t> <f>[14]</f> <n>[1]</n> How beautiful your sandalled feet, </t><t>O prince’s daughter! </t><t>Your graceful legs are like jewels, </t><t>the work of an artist’s hands. </t>


text:
<t>Your navel is a rounded goblet </t><t>that never lacks blended wine. </t><t>Your waist is a mound of wheat </t><t>encircled by lilies. </t>


text:
<t>Your neck is like an ivory tower. </t><t>Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon </t><t>by the gate of Bath Rabbim. </t><t>Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon </t><t>looking towards Damascus. </t>


text:
<t>Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. </t><t>Your hair is like royal tapestry; </t><t>the king is held captive by its tresses. </t>


text:
<t>I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree; </t><t>I will take hold of its fruit.’ </t><t>May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine, </t><t>the fragrance of your breath like apples, </t>


text:
<t>and your mouth like the best wine. </t><t>May the wine go straight to my beloved, </t><t>flowing gently over lips and teeth. <f>[15]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside, </t><t>let us spend the night in the villages. <f>[16]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Let us go early to the vineyards </t><t>to see if the vines have budded, </t><t>if their blossoms have opened, </t><t>and if the pomegranates are in bloom — </t><t>there I will give you my love. </t>


text:
<t>The mandrakes send out their fragrance, </t><t>and at our door is every delicacy, </t><t>both new and old, </t><t>that I have stored up for you, my beloved.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>If only you were to me like a brother, </t><t>who was nursed at my mother’s breasts! </t><t>Then, if I found you outside, </t><t>I would kiss you, </t><t>and no-one would despise me. </t>


text:
<t>I would lead you </t><t>and bring you to my mother’s house — </t><t>she who has taught me. </t><t>I would give you spiced wine to drink, </t><t>the nectar of my pomegranates. </t>


text:
<t>Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: </t><t>do not arouse or awaken love </t><t>until it so desires. </t>


text:
<t>Who is this coming up from the wilderness </t><t>leaning on her beloved? </t><t>Under the apple tree I roused you; </t><t>there your mother conceived you, </t><t>there she who was in labour gave you birth. </t>


text:
<t>Place me like a seal over your heart, </t><t>like a seal on your arm; </t><t>for love is as strong as death, </t><t>its jealousy <f>[17]</f> unyielding as the grave. </t><t>It burns like blazing fire, </t><t>like a mighty flame. <f>[18]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Many waters cannot quench love; </t><t>rivers cannot sweep it away. </t><t>If one were to give </t><t>all the wealth of one’s house for love, </t><t>it <f>[19]</f> would be utterly scorned. </t>


text:
<t>We have a little sister, </t><t>and her breasts are not yet grown. </t><t>What shall we do for our sister </t><t>on the day she is spoken for? </t>


text:
<t>If she is a wall, </t><t>we will build towers of silver on her. </t><t>If she is a door, </t><t>we will enclose her with panels of cedar. </t>


text:
<t>I am a wall, </t><t>and my breasts are like towers. </t><t>Thus I have become in his eyes </t><t>like one bringing contentment. </t>


text:
<t>Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon; </t><t>he let out his vineyard to tenants. </t><t>Each was to bring for its fruit </t><t>a thousand shekels <f>[20]</f> of silver. </t>


text:
<t>But my own vineyard is mine to give; </t><t>the thousand shekels are for you, Solomon, </t><t>and two hundred <f>[21]</f> are for those who tend its fruit. </t>


text:
<t>You who dwell in the gardens </t><t>with friends in attendance, </t><t>let me hear your voice! </t>


text:
<t>Come away, my beloved, </t><t>and be like a gazelle </t><t>or like a young stag </t><t>on the spice-laden mountains.</t>


text:
<pb/>The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.


text:
<pb/><t>Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! </t><t>For the LORD has spoken: </t><t>‘I reared children and brought them up, </t><t>but they have rebelled against me. </t>


text:
<t>The ox knows its master, </t><t>the donkey its owner’s manger, </t><t>but Israel does not know, </t><t>my people do not understand.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Woe to the sinful nation, </t><t>a people whose guilt is great, </t><t>a brood of evildoers, </t><t>children given to corruption! </t><t>They have forsaken the LORD; </t><t>they have spurned the Holy One of Israel </t><t>and turned their backs on him. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Why should you be beaten anymore? </t><t>Why do you persist in rebellion? </t><t>Your whole head is injured, </t><t>your whole heart afflicted. </t>


text:
<t>From the sole of your foot to the top of your head </t><t>there is no soundness — </t><t>only wounds and bruises </t><t>and open sores, </t><t>not cleansed or bandaged </t><t>or soothed with oil. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your country is desolate, </t><t>your cities burned with fire; </t><t>your fields are being stripped by foreigners </t><t>right before you, </t><t>laid waste as when overthrown by strangers. </t>


text:
<t>Daughter Zion is left </t><t>like a shelter in a vineyard, </t><t>like a hut in a cucumber field, </t><t>like a city under siege. </t>


text:
<t>Unless the LORD Almighty </t><t>had left us some survivors, </t><t>we would have become like Sodom, </t><t>we would have been like Gomorrah. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Hear the word of the LORD, </t><t>you rulers of Sodom; </t><t>listen to the instruction of our God, </t><t>you people of Gomorrah! </t>


text:
<t>‘The multitude of your sacrifices — </t><t>what are they to me?’ </t><t>says the LORD. </t><t>‘I have more than enough of burnt offerings, </t><t>of rams and the fat of fattened animals; </t><t>I have no pleasure </t><t>in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. </t>


text:
<t>When you come to appear before me, </t><t>who has asked this of you, </t><t>this trampling of my courts? </t>


text:
<t>Stop bringing meaningless offerings! </t><t>Your incense is detestable to me. </t><t>New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations — </t><t>I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. </t>


text:
<t>Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals </t><t>I hate with all my being. </t><t>They have become a burden to me; </t><t>I am weary of bearing them. </t>


text:
<t>When you spread out your hands in prayer, </t><t>I hide my eyes from you; </t><t>even when you offer many prayers, </t><t>I am not listening. <pb/>Your hands are full of blood! <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wash and make yourselves clean. </t><t>Take your evil deeds out of my sight; </t><t>stop doing wrong. </t>


text:
<t>Learn to do right; seek justice. </t><t>Defend the oppressed. <f>[1]</f> </t><t>Take up the cause of the fatherless; </t><t>plead the case of the widow. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ </t><t>says the LORD. </t><t>‘Though your sins are like scarlet, </t><t>they shall be as white as snow; </t><t>though they are red as crimson, </t><t>they shall be like wool. </t>


text:
<t>but if you resist and rebel, </t><t>you will be devoured by the sword.’ </t><t>For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>See how the faithful city </t><t>has become a prostitute! </t><t>She once was full of justice; </t><t>righteousness used to dwell in her — </t><t>but now murderers! </t>


text:
<t>Your rulers are rebels, </t><t>partners with thieves; </t><t>they all love bribes </t><t>and chase after gifts. </t><t>They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; </t><t>the widow’s case does not come before them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Therefore the Lord, the LORD Almighty, </t><t>the Mighty One of Israel, declares: </t><t>‘Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes </t><t>and avenge myself on my enemies. </t>


text:
<t>I will turn my hand against you; <f>[2]</f> </t><t>I will thoroughly purge away your dross </t><t>and remove all your impurities. </t>


text:
<t>I will restore your leaders as in days of old, </t><t>your rulers as at the beginning. </t><t>Afterwards you will be called </t><t>the City of Righteousness, </t><t>the Faithful City.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But rebels and sinners will both be broken, </t><t>and those who forsake the LORD will perish. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks </t><t>in which you have delighted; </t><t>you will be disgraced because of the gardens </t><t>that you have chosen. </t>


text:
<t>The mighty man will become tinder </t><t>and his work a spark; </t><t>both will burn together, </t><t>with no-one to quench the fire.’</t>


text:
<pb/>In the last days <pb/><t>the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established </t><t>as the highest of the mountains; </t><t>it will be exalted above the hills, </t><t>and all nations will stream to it. </t>


text:
<pb/>Many peoples will come and say, <pb/><t>‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, </t><t>to the temple of the God of Jacob. </t><t>He will teach us his ways, </t><t>so that we may walk in his paths.’ </t><t>The law will go out from Zion, </t><t>the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. </t>


text:
<t>He will judge between the nations </t><t>and will settle disputes for many peoples. </t><t>They will beat their swords into ploughshares </t><t>and their spears into pruning hooks. </t><t>Nation will not take up sword against nation, </t><t>nor will they train for war anymore. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You, LORD, have abandoned your people, </t><t>the descendants of Jacob. </t><t>They are full of superstitions from the East; </t><t>they practise divination like the Philistines </t><t>and embrace pagan customs. </t>


text:
<t>Their land is full of silver and gold; </t><t>there is no end to their treasures. </t><t>Their land is full of horses; </t><t>there is no end to the chariots. </t>


text:
<t>Their land is full of idols; </t><t>they bow down to the work of their hands, </t><t>to what their fingers have made. </t>


text:
<t>So people will be brought low </t><t>and everyone humbled — </t><t>do not forgive them. <f>[3]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Go into the rocks, hide in the ground </t><t>from the fearful presence of the LORD </t><t>and the splendour of his majesty! </t>


text:
<t>The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled </t><t>and human pride brought low; </t><t>the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD Almighty has a day in store </t><t>for all the proud and lofty, </t><t>for all that is exalted </t><t>(and they will be humbled), </t>


text:
<t>The arrogance of man will be brought low </t><t>and human pride humbled; </t><t>the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, </t>


text:
<t>People will flee to caves in the rocks </t><t>and to holes in the ground </t><t>from the fearful presence of the LORD </t><t>and the splendour of his majesty, </t><t>when he rises to shake the earth. </t>


text:
<t>In that day people will throw away </t><t>to the moles and bats </t><t>their idols of silver and idols of gold, </t><t>which they made to worship. </t>


text:
<t>They will flee to caverns in the rocks </t><t>and to the overhanging crags </t><t>from the fearful presence of the LORD </t><t>and the splendour of his majesty, </t><t>when he rises to shake the earth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Stop trusting in mere humans, </t><t>who have but a breath in their nostrils. </t><t>Why hold them in esteem?</t>


text:
<pb/><t>See now, the Lord, </t><t>the LORD Almighty, </t><t>is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah </t><t>both supply and support: </t><t>all supplies of food and all supplies of water, </t>


text:
<t>the hero and the warrior, </t><t>the judge and the prophet, </t><t>the diviner and the elder, </t>


text:
<t>the captain of fifty and the man of rank, </t><t>the counsellor, skilled craftsman and clever enchanter. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>People will oppress each other — </t><t>man against man, neighbour against neighbour. </t><t>The young will rise up against the old, </t><t>the nobody against the honoured. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A man will seize one of his brothers </t><t>in his father’s house, and say, </t><t>‘You have a cloak, you be our leader; </t><t>take charge of this heap of ruins!’ </t>


text:
<t>But in that day he will cry out, </t><t>‘I have no remedy. </t><t>I have no food or clothing in my house; </t><t>do not make me the leader of the people.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Jerusalem staggers, </t><t>Judah is falling; </t><t>their words and deeds are against the LORD, </t><t>defying his glorious presence. </t>


text:
<t>The look on their faces testifies against them; </t><t>they parade their sin like Sodom; </t><t>they do not hide it. </t><t>Woe to them! </t><t>They have brought disaster upon themselves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Tell the righteous it will be well with them, </t><t>for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. </t>


text:
<t>Woe to the wicked! </t><t>Disaster is upon them! </t><t>They will be paid back </t><t>for what their hands have done. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Youths oppress my people, </t><t>women rule over them. </t><t>My people, your guides lead you astray; </t><t>they turn you from the path. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD enters into judgment </t><t>against the elders and leaders of his people: </t><t>‘It is you who have ruined my vineyard; </t><t>the plunder from the poor is in your houses. </t>


text:
<t>What do you mean by crushing my people </t><t>and grinding the faces of the poor?’ </t><t>declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD says, </t><t>‘The women of Zion are haughty, </t><t>walking along with outstretched necks, </t><t>flirting with their eyes, </t><t>strutting along with swaying hips, </t><t>with ornaments jingling on their ankles. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; </t><t>the LORD will make their scalps bald.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,


text:
<pb/><t>Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; </t><t>instead of a sash, a rope; </t><t>instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; </t><t>instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; </t><t>instead of beauty, branding. </t>


text:
<pb/><t>In that day seven women </t><t>will take hold of one man </t><t>and say, ‘We will eat our own food </t><t>and provide our own clothes; </t><t>only let us be called by your name. </t><t>Take away our disgrace!’ </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.


text:
Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem.


text:
The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit <f>[5]</f> of judgment and a spirit <f>[6]</f> of fire.


text:
Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory <f>[7]</f> will be a canopy.


text:
It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding-place from the storm and rain.


text:
<pb/><t>I will sing for the one I love </t><t>a song about his vineyard: </t><t>my loved one had a vineyard </t><t>on a fertile hillside. </t>


text:
<t>He dug it up and cleared it of stones </t><t>and planted it with the choicest vines. </t><t>He built a watchtower in it </t><t>and cut out a winepress as well. </t><t>Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, </t><t>but it yielded only bad fruit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, </t><t>judge between me and my vineyard. </t>


text:
<t>What more could have been done for my vineyard </t><t>than I have done for it? </t><t>When I looked for good grapes, </t><t>why did it yield only bad? </t>


text:
<t>Now I will tell you </t><t>what I am going to do to my vineyard: </t><t>I will take away its hedge, </t><t>and it will be destroyed; </t><t>I will break down its wall, </t><t>and it will be trampled. </t>


text:
<t>I will make it a wasteland, </t><t>neither pruned nor cultivated, </t><t>and briers and thorns will grow there. </t><t>I will command the clouds </t><t>not to rain on it.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The vineyard of the LORD Almighty </t><t>is the nation of Israel, </t><t>and the people of Judah </t><t>are the vines he delighted in. </t><t>And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; </t><t>for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. </t>


text:
<t>Woe to you who add house to house </t><t>and join field to field </t><t>till no space is left </t><t>and you live alone in the land. </t>


text:
<pb/>The LORD Almighty has declared in my hearing: <pb/><t>‘Surely the great houses will become desolate, </t><t>the fine mansions left without occupants. </t>


text:
<t>A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath <f>[8]</f> of wine; </t><t>a homer <f>[9]</f> of seed will yield only an ephah <f>[10]</f> of grain.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Woe to those who rise early in the morning </t><t>to run after their drinks, </t><t>who stay up late at night </t><t>till they are inflamed with wine. </t>


text:
<t>They have harps and lyres at their banquets, </t><t>pipes and tambourines and wine, </t><t>but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, </t><t>no respect for the work of his hands. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore my people will go into exile </t><t>for lack of understanding; </t><t>those of high rank will die of hunger </t><t>and the common people will be parched with thirst. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore Death expands its jaws, </t><t>opening wide its mouth; </t><t>into it will descend their nobles and masses </t><t>with all their brawlers and revellers. </t>


text:
<t>So people will be brought low </t><t>and everyone humbled, </t><t>the eyes of the arrogant humbled. </t>


text:
<t>But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by his justice, </t><t>and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts. </t>


text:
<t>Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; </t><t>lambs will feed <f>[11]</f> among the ruins of the rich. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, </t><t>and wickedness as with cart ropes, </t>


text:
<t>to those who say, ‘Let God hurry; </t><t>let him hasten his work </t><t>so that we may see it. </t><t>The plan of the Holy One of Israel — </t><t>let it approach, let it come into view, </t><t>so that we may know it.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Woe to those who call evil good </t><t>and good evil, </t><t>who put darkness for light </t><t>and light for darkness, </t><t>who put bitter for sweet </t><t>and sweet for bitter. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw </t><t>and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, </t><t>so their roots will decay </t><t>and their flowers blow away like dust; </t><t>for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty </t><t>and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore the LORD’s anger burns against his people; </t><t>his hand is raised and he strikes them down. </t><t>The mountains shake, </t><t>and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. <pb/>Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, </t><t>his hand is still upraised. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, </t><t>he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. </t><t>Here they come, </t><t>swiftly and speedily! </t>


text:
<t>Not one of them grows tired or stumbles, </t><t>not one slumbers or sleeps; </t><t>not a belt is loosened at the waist, </t><t>not a sandal strap is broken. </t>


text:
<t>Their arrows are sharp, </t><t>all their bows are strung; </t><t>their horses’ hooves seem like flint, </t><t>their chariot wheels like a whirlwind. </t>


text:
<t>Their roar is like that of the lion, </t><t>they roar like young lions; </t><t>they growl as they seize their prey </t><t>and carry it off with no-one to rescue. </t>


text:
<t>In that day they will roar over it </t><t>like the roaring of the sea. </t><t>And if one looks at the land, </t><t>there is only darkness and distress; </t><t>even the sun will be darkened by clouds.</t>


text:
<pb/>In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.


text:
Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.


text:
And they were calling to one another: <pb/><t>‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; </t><t>the whole earth is full of his glory.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.


text:
<pb/>‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.’


text:
<pb/>Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.


text:
With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’


text:
<pb/>Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ <pb/>And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’


text:
<pb/>He said, ‘Go and tell this people: <pb/><t>‘ “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; </t><t>be ever seeing, but never perceiving.” </t>


text:
<t>Make the heart of this people calloused; </t><t>make their ears dull </t><t>and close their eyes. <f>[12]</f> </t><t>Otherwise they might see with their eyes, </t><t>hear with their ears, </t><t>understand with their hearts, </t><t>and turn and be healed.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>Then I said, ‘For how long, Lord?’ <pb/>And he answered: <pb/><t>‘Until the cities lie ruined </t><t>and without inhabitant, </t><t>until the houses are left deserted </t><t>and the fields ruined and ravaged, </t>


text:
<t>And though a tenth remains in the land, </t><t>it will again be laid waste. </t><t>But as the terebinth and oak </t><t>leave stumps when they are cut down, </t><t>so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.’</t>


text:
<pb/>When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.


text:
<pb/>Now the house of David was told, ‘Aram has allied itself with <f>[13]</f> Ephraim’; so the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind.


text:
<pb/>Then the LORD said to Isaiah, ‘Go out, you and your son Shear-Jashub, <f>[14]</f> to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.


text:
Say to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smouldering stubs of firewood — because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.


text:
‘Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and divide it among ourselves, and make the son of Tabeel king over it.’


text:
Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says: <pb/><t>‘ “It will not take place, </t><t>it will not happen, </t>


text:
<t>for the head of Aram is Damascus, </t><t>and the head of Damascus is only Rezin. </t><t>Within sixty-five years </t><t>Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people. </t>


text:
<t>The head of Ephraim is Samaria, </t><t>and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah’s son. </t><t>If you do not stand firm in your faith, </t><t>you will not stand at all.” ’ </t>


text:
<pb/>Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also?


text:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you <f>[15]</f> a sign: the virgin <f>[16]</f> will conceive and give birth to a son, and <f>[17]</f> will call him Immanuel. <f>[18]</f>


text:
for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.


text:
The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah — he will bring the king of Assyria.’


text:
<pb/>In that day the LORD will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria.


text:
They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes.


text:
In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the River Euphrates — the king of Assyria — to shave your heads and private parts, and to cut off your beards also.


text:
And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey.


text:
In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, <f>[19]</f> there will be only briers and thorns.


text:
As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.


text:
<pb/>The LORD said to me, ‘Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.’ <f>[20]</f>


text:
Then I made love to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the LORD said to me, ‘Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.


text:
For before the boy knows how to say “My father” or “My mother”, the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria.’


text:
<pb/><t>‘Because this people has rejected </t><t>the gently flowing waters of Shiloah </t><t>and rejoices over Rezin </t><t>and the son of Remaliah, </t>


text:
<t>therefore the Lord is about to bring against them </t><t>the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates — </t><t>the king of Assyria with all his pomp. </t><t>It will overflow all its channels, </t><t>run over all its banks </t>


text:
<t>and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, </t><t>passing through it and reaching up to the neck. </t><t>Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, </t><t>Immanuel <f>[21]</f>!’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Raise the war cry, <f>[22]</f> you nations, and be shattered! </t><t>Listen, all you distant lands. </t><t>Prepare for battle, and be shattered! </t><t>Prepare for battle, and be shattered! </t>


text:
<t>Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; </t><t>propose your plan, but it will not stand, </t><t>for God is with us. <f>[23]</f> </t>


text:
<pb/>This is what the LORD says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people:


text:
<pb/><t>‘Do not call conspiracy </t><t>everything this people calls a conspiracy; </t><t>do not fear what they fear, </t><t>and do not dread it. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, </t><t>he is the one you are to fear, </t><t>he is the one you are to dread. </t>


text:
<t>He will be a holy place; </t><t>for both Israel and Judah he will be </t><t>a stone that causes people to stumble </t><t>and a rock that makes them fall. </t><t>And for the people of Jerusalem he will be </t><t>a trap and a snare. </t>


text:
<t>Many of them will stumble; </t><t>they will fall and be broken, </t><t>they will be snared and captured.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>I will wait for the LORD, </t><t>who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob. </t><t>I will put my trust in him. </t>


text:
<pb/>Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.


text:
<pb/>When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people enquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?


text:
Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.


text:
Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upwards, will curse their king and their God.


text:
Then they will look towards the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.


text:
<pb/> <f>[24]</f> <n>[1]</n> Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan —


text:
<pb/><t>The people walking in darkness </t><t>have seen a great light; </t><t>on those living in the land of deep darkness </t><t>a light has dawned. </t>


text:
<t>You have enlarged the nation </t><t>and increased their joy; </t><t>they rejoice before you </t><t>as people rejoice at the harvest, </t><t>as warriors rejoice </t><t>when dividing the plunder. </t>


text:
<t>For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, </t><t>you have shattered </t><t>the yoke that burdens them, </t><t>the bar across their shoulders, </t><t>the rod of their oppressor. </t>


text:
<t>Every warrior’s boot used in battle </t><t>and every garment rolled in blood </t><t>will be destined for burning, </t><t>will be fuel for the fire. </t>


text:
<t>For to us a child is born, </t><t>to us a son is given, </t><t>and the government will be on his shoulders. </t><t>And he will be called </t><t>Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, </t><t>Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. </t>


text:
<t>Of the greatness of his government and peace </t><t>there will be no end. </t><t>He will reign on David’s throne </t><t>and over his kingdom, </t><t>establishing and upholding it </t><t>with justice and righteousness </t><t>from that time on and for ever. </t><t>The zeal of the LORD Almighty </t><t>will accomplish this. </t>


text:
<t>All the people will know it — </t><t>Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria — </t><t>who say with pride </t><t>and arrogance of heart, </t>


text:
<t>‘The bricks have fallen down, </t><t>but we will rebuild with dressed stone; </t><t>the fig-trees have been felled, </t><t>but we will replace them with cedars.’ </t>


text:
<t>But the LORD has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them </t><t>and has spurred their enemies on. </t>


text:
<t>Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west </t><t>have devoured Israel with open mouth. <pb/>Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, </t><t>his hand is still upraised. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But the people have not returned to him who struck them, </t><t>nor have they sought the LORD Almighty. </t>


text:
<t>So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, </t><t>both palm branch and reed in a single day; </t>


text:
<t>Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men, </t><t>nor will he pity the fatherless and widows, </t><t>for everyone is ungodly and wicked, </t><t>every mouth speaks folly. <pb/>Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, </t><t>his hand is still upraised. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Surely wickedness burns like a fire; </t><t>it consumes briers and thorns, </t><t>it sets the forest thickets ablaze, </t><t>so that it rolls upwards in a column of smoke. </t>


text:
<t>By the wrath of the LORD Almighty </t><t>the land will be scorched </t><t>and the people will be fuel for the fire; </t><t>they will not spare one another. </t>


text:
<t>On the right they will devour, </t><t>but still be hungry; </t><t>on the left they will eat, </t><t>but not be satisfied. </t><t>Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring <f>[25]</f>: </t>


text:
<t>Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh; </t><t>together they will turn against Judah. <pb/>Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, </t><t>his hand is still upraised.</t>


text:
<t>to deprive the poor of their rights </t><t>and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, </t><t>making widows their prey </t><t>and robbing the fatherless. </t>


text:
<t>What will you do on the day of reckoning, </t><t>when disaster comes from afar? </t><t>To whom will you run for help? </t><t>Where will you leave your riches? </t>


text:
<t>Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives </t><t>or fall among the slain. <pb/>Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, </t><t>his hand is still upraised. </t>


text:
<t>I send him against a godless nation, </t><t>I dispatch him against a people who anger me, </t><t>to seize loot and snatch plunder, </t><t>and to trample them down like mud in the streets. </t>


text:
<t>But this is not what he intends, </t><t>this is not what he has in mind; </t><t>his purpose is to destroy, </t><t>to put an end to many nations. </t>


text:
<t>“Has not Kalno fared like Carchemish? </t><t>Is not Hamath like Arpad, </t><t>and Samaria like Damascus? </t>


text:
<t>As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols, </t><t>kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria — </t>


text:
<t>shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images </t><t>as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?” ’ </t>


text:
<pb/>When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, ‘I will punish the king of Assyria for the wilful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.


text:
For he says: <pb/><t>‘ “By the strength of my hand I have done this, </t><t>and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. </t><t>I removed the boundaries of nations, </t><t>I plundered their treasures; </t><t>like a mighty one I subdued <f>[26]</f> their kings. </t>


text:
<t>As one reaches into a nest, </t><t>so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations; </t><t>as people gather abandoned eggs, </t><t>so I gathered all the countries; </t><t>not one flapped a wing, </t><t>or opened its mouth to chirp.” ’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Does the axe raise itself above the person who swings it, </t><t>or the saw boast against the one who uses it? </t><t>As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, </t><t>or a club brandish the one who is not wood! </t>


text:
<t>Therefore, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, </t><t>will send a wasting disease upon his sturdy warriors; </t><t>under his pomp a fire will be kindled </t><t>like a blazing flame. </t>


text:
<t>The Light of Israel will become a fire, </t><t>their Holy One a flame; </t><t>in a single day it will burn and consume </t><t>his thorns and his briers. </t>


text:
<t>The splendour of his forests and fertile fields </t><t>it will completely destroy, </t><t>as when one who is ill wastes away. </t>


text:
<t>And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few </t><t>that a child could write them down. </t>


text:
<t>In that day the remnant of Israel, </t><t>the survivors of Jacob, </t><t>will no longer rely on him </t><t>who struck them down </t><t>but will truly rely on the LORD, </t><t>the Holy One of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel, </t><t>only a remnant will return. </t><t>Destruction has been decreed, </t><t>overwhelming and righteous. </t>


text:
<t>The Lord, the LORD Almighty, will carry out </t><t>the destruction decreed upon the whole land. </t>


text:
<pb/>Therefore this is what the Lord, the LORD Almighty, says: <pb/><t>‘My people who live in Zion, </t><t>do not be afraid of the Assyrians, </t><t>who beat you with a rod </t><t>and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did. </t>


text:
<t>Very soon my anger against you will end </t><t>and my wrath will be directed to their destruction.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD Almighty will lash them with a whip, </t><t>as when he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb; </t><t>and he will raise his staff over the waters, </t><t>as he did in Egypt. </t>


text:
<t>In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, </t><t>their yoke from your neck; </t><t>the yoke will be broken </t><t>because you have grown so fat. <f>[28]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They go over the pass, and say, </t><t>‘We will camp overnight at Geba.’ </t><t>Ramah trembles; </t><t>Gibeah of Saul flees. </t>


text:
<t>This day they will halt at Nob; </t><t>they will shake their fist </t><t>at the mount of Daughter Zion, </t><t>at the hill of Jerusalem. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>See, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, </t><t>will lop off the boughs with great power. </t><t>The lofty trees will be felled, </t><t>the tall ones will be brought low. </t>


text:
<t>He will cut down the forest thickets with an axe; </t><t>Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; </t><t>from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. </t>


text:
<t>The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — </t><t>the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, </t><t>the Spirit of counsel and of might, </t><t>the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD — </t>


text:
<t>and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. <pb/>He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, </t><t>or decide by what he hears with his ears; </t>


text:
<t>but with righteousness he will judge the needy, </t><t>with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. </t><t>He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; </t><t>with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. </t>


text:
<t>The wolf will live with the lamb, </t><t>the leopard will lie down with the goat, </t><t>the calf and the lion and the yearling <f>[29]</f> together; </t><t>and a little child will lead them. </t>


text:
<t>The cow will feed with the bear, </t><t>their young will lie down together, </t><t>and the lion will eat straw like the ox. </t>


text:
<t>The infant will play near the cobra’s den, </t><t>and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. </t>


text:
<t>They will neither harm nor destroy </t><t>on all my holy mountain, </t><t>for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD </t><t>as the waters cover the sea. </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting-place will be glorious.


text:
In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, <f>[30]</f> from Elam, from Babylonia, <f>[31]</f> from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.


text:
<pb/><t>He will raise a banner for the nations </t><t>and gather the exiles of Israel; </t><t>he will assemble the scattered people of Judah </t><t>from the four quarters of the earth. </t>


text:
<t>Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, </t><t>and Judah’s enemies <f>[32]</f> will be destroyed; </t><t>Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, </t><t>nor Judah hostile towards Ephraim. </t>


text:
<t>They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; </t><t>together they will plunder the people to the east. </t><t>They will subdue Edom and Moab, </t><t>and the Ammonites will be subject to them. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD will dry up </t><t>the gulf of the Egyptian sea; </t><t>with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand </t><t>over the River Euphrates. </t><t>He will break it up into seven streams </t><t>so that anyone can cross over in sandals. </t>


text:
<t>There will be a highway for the remnant of his people </t><t>that is left from Assyria, </t><t>as there was for Israel </t><t>when they came up from Egypt.</t>


text:
<pb/>In that day you will say: <pb/><t>‘I will praise you, LORD. </t><t>Although you were angry with me, </t><t>your anger has turned away </t><t>and you have comforted me. </t>


text:
<t>Surely God is my salvation; </t><t>I will trust and not be afraid. </t><t>The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defence <f>[33]</f>; </t><t>he has become my salvation.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day you will say: <pb/><t>‘Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; </t><t>make known among the nations what he has done, </t><t>and proclaim that his name is exalted. </t>


text:
<t>Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; </t><t>let this be known to all the world. </t>


text:
<t>Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, </t><t>for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.’</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, </t><t>shout to them; </t><t>beckon to them </t><t>to enter the gates of the nobles. </t>


text:
<t>I have commanded those I prepared for battle; </t><t>I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath — </t><t>those who rejoice in my triumph. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Listen, a noise on the mountains, </t><t>like that of a great multitude! </t><t>Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, </t><t>like nations massing together! </t><t>The LORD Almighty is mustering </t><t>an army for war. </t>


text:
<t>They come from faraway lands, </t><t>from the ends of the heavens — </t><t>the LORD and the weapons of his wrath — </t><t>to destroy the whole country. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; </t><t>it will come like destruction from the Almighty. <f>[34]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Terror will seize them, </t><t>pain and anguish will grip them; </t><t>they will writhe like a woman in labour. </t><t>They will look aghast at each other, </t><t>their faces aflame. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>See, the day of the LORD is coming </t><t>— a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger — </t><t>to make the land desolate </t><t>and destroy the sinners within it. </t>


text:
<t>The stars of heaven and their constellations </t><t>will not show their light. </t><t>The rising sun will be darkened </t><t>and the moon will not give its light. </t>


text:
<t>I will punish the world for its evil, </t><t>the wicked for their sins. </t><t>I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty </t><t>and will humble the pride of the ruthless. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; </t><t>and the earth will shake from its place </t><t>at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, </t><t>in the day of his burning anger. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Like a hunted gazelle, </t><t>like sheep without a shepherd, </t><t>they will all return to their own people, </t><t>they will flee to their native land. </t>


text:
<t>Whoever is captured will be thrust through; </t><t>all who are caught will fall by the sword. </t>


text:
<t>Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; </t><t>their houses will be looted and their wives violated. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>See, I will stir up against them the Medes, </t><t>who do not care for silver </t><t>and have no delight in gold. </t>


text:
<t>Their bows will strike down the young men; </t><t>they will have no mercy on infants, </t><t>nor will they look with compassion on children. </t>


text:
<t>Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, </t><t>the pride and glory of the Babylonians, <f>[35]</f> </t><t>will be overthrown by God </t><t>like Sodom and Gomorrah. </t>


text:
<t>She will never be inhabited </t><t>or lived in through all generations; </t><t>there no nomads will pitch their tents, </t><t>there no shepherds will rest their flocks. </t>


text:
<t>But desert creatures will lie there, </t><t>jackals will fill her houses; </t><t>there the owls will dwell, </t><t>and there the wild goats will leap about. </t>


text:
<t>Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, </t><t>jackals her luxurious palaces. </t><t>Her time is at hand, </t><t>and her days will not be prolonged.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; </t><t>once again he will choose Israel </t><t>and will settle them in their own land. </t><t>Foreigners will join them </t><t>and unite with the descendants of Jacob. </t>


text:
<t>Nations will take them </t><t>and bring them to their own place. </t><t>And Israel will take possession of the nations </t><t>and make them male and female servants in the LORD’s land. </t><t>They will make captives of their captors </t><t>and rule over their oppressors. </t>


text:
<pb/>On the day the LORD gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labour forced on you,


text:
you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: <pb/><t>How the oppressor has come to an end! </t><t>How his fury <f>[36]</f> has ended! </t>


text:
<t>which in anger struck down peoples </t><t>with unceasing blows, </t><t>and in fury subdued nations </t><t>with relentless aggression. </t>


text:
<t>Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon </t><t>gloat over you and say, </t><t>‘Now that you have been laid low, </t><t>no-one comes to cut us down.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The realm of the dead below is all astir </t><t>to meet you at your coming; </t><t>it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you — </t><t>all those who were leaders in the world; </t><t>it makes them rise from their thrones — </t><t>all those who were kings over the nations. </t>


text:
<t>They will all respond, </t><t>they will say to you, </t><t>‘You also have become weak, as we are; </t><t>you have become like us.’ </t>


text:
<t>All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, </t><t>along with the noise of your harps; </t><t>maggots are spread out beneath you </t><t>and worms cover you. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>How you have fallen from heaven, </t><t>morning star, son of the dawn! </t><t>You have been cast down to the earth, </t><t>you who once laid low the nations! </t>


text:
<t>You said in your heart, </t><t>‘I will ascend to the heavens; </t><t>I will raise my throne </t><t>above the stars of God; </t><t>I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, </t><t>on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. <f>[37]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Those who see you stare at you, </t><t>they ponder your fate: </t><t>‘Is this the man who shook the earth </t><t>and made kingdoms tremble, </t>


text:
<t>the man who made the world a wilderness, </t><t>who overthrew its cities </t><t>and would not let his captives go home?’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But you are cast out of your tomb </t><t>like a rejected branch; </t><t>you are covered with the slain, </t><t>with those pierced by the sword, </t><t>those who descend to the stones of the pit. </t><t>Like a corpse trampled underfoot, </t>


text:
<t>you will not join them in burial, </t><t>for you have destroyed your land </t><t>and killed your people. <pb/>Let the offspring of the wicked </t><t>never be mentioned again. </t>


text:
<t>Prepare a place to slaughter his children </t><t>for the sins of their ancestors; </t><t>they are not to rise to inherit the land </t><t>and cover the earth with their cities. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘I will rise up against them,’ </t><t>declares the LORD Almighty. </t><t>‘I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, </t><t>her offspring and descendants,’ </t><t>declares the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>‘I will turn her into a place for owls </t><t>and into swampland; </t><t>I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,’ </t><t>declares the LORD Almighty. </t>


text:
<pb/>The LORD Almighty has sworn, <pb/><t>‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, </t><t>and as I have purposed, so it will happen. </t>


text:
<t>I will crush the Assyrian in my land; </t><t>on my mountains I will trample him down. </t><t>His yoke will be taken from my people, </t><t>and his burden removed from their shoulders.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>This is the plan determined for the whole world; </t><t>this is the hand stretched out over all nations. </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? </t><t>His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? </t>


text:
<pb/><t>Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, </t><t>that the rod that struck you is broken; </t><t>from the root of that snake will spring up a viper, </t><t>its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent. </t>


text:
<t>The poorest of the poor will find pasture, </t><t>and the needy will lie down in safety. </t><t>But your root I will destroy by famine; </t><t>it will slay your survivors. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Wail, you gate! Howl, you city! </t><t>Melt away, all you Philistines! </t><t>A cloud of smoke comes from the north, </t><t>and there is not a straggler in its ranks. </t>


text:
<t>What answer shall be given </t><t>to the envoys of that nation? </t><t>‘The LORD has established Zion, </t><t>and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.’</t>


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against Moab: <pb/><t>Ar in Moab is ruined, </t><t>destroyed in a night! </t><t>Kir in Moab is ruined, </t><t>destroyed in a night! </t>


text:
<t>Dibon goes up to its temple, </t><t>to its high places to weep; </t><t>Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. </t><t>Every head is shaved </t><t>and every beard cut off. </t>


text:
<t>In the streets they wear sackcloth; </t><t>on the roofs and in the public squares </t><t>they all wail, </t><t>prostrate with weeping. </t>


text:
<t>Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, </t><t>their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz. </t><t>Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, </t><t>and their hearts are faint. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My heart cries out over Moab; </t><t>her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, </t><t>as far as Eglath Shelishiyah. </t><t>They go up the hill to Luhith, </t><t>weeping as they go; </t><t>on the road to Horonaim </t><t>they lament their destruction. </t>


text:
<t>The waters of Nimrim are dried up </t><t>and the grass is withered; </t><t>the vegetation is gone </t><t>and nothing green is left. </t>


text:
<t>So the wealth they have acquired and stored up </t><t>they carry away over the Ravine of the Poplars. </t>


text:
<t>Their outcry echoes along the border of Moab; </t><t>their wailing reaches as far as Eglaim, </t><t>their lamentation as far as Beer Elim. </t>


text:
<t>The waters of Dimon <f>[38]</f> are full of blood, </t><t>but I will bring still more upon Dimon <f>[39]</f> — </t><t>a lion upon the fugitives of Moab </t><t>and upon those who remain in the land.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Send lambs as tribute </t><t>to the ruler of the land, </t><t>from Sela, across the desert, </t><t>to the mount of Daughter Zion. </t>


text:
<t>Like fluttering birds </t><t>pushed from the nest, </t><t>so are the women of Moab </t><t>at the fords of the Arnon. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Make up your mind,’ Moab says. </t><t>‘Render a decision. </t><t>Make your shadow like night — </t><t>at high noon. </t><t>Hide the fugitives, </t><t>do not betray the refugees. </t>


text:
<t>Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; </t><t>be their shelter from the destroyer.’ <pb/>The oppressor will come to an end, </t><t>and destruction will cease; </t><t>the aggressor will vanish from the land. </t>


text:
<t>In love a throne will be established; </t><t>in faithfulness a man will sit on it — </t><t>one from the house <f>[40]</f> of David — </t><t>one who in judging seeks justice </t><t>and speeds the cause of righteousness. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>We have heard of Moab’s pride — </t><t>how great is her arrogance! — </t><t>of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; </t><t>but her boasts are empty. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore the Moabites wail, </t><t>they wail together for Moab. </t><t>Lament and grieve </t><t>for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth. </t>


text:
<t>The fields of Heshbon wither, </t><t>the vines of Sibmah also. </t><t>The rulers of the nations </t><t>have trampled down the choicest vines, </t><t>which once reached Jazer </t><t>and spread towards the desert. </t><t>Their shoots spread out </t><t>and went as far as the sea. <f>[41]</f> </t>


text:
<t>So I weep, as Jazer weeps, </t><t>for the vines of Sibmah. </t><t>Heshbon and Elealeh, </t><t>I drench you with tears! </t><t>The shouts of joy over your ripened fruit </t><t>and over your harvests have been stilled. </t>


text:
<t>Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards; </t><t>no-one sings or shouts in the vineyards; </t><t>no-one treads out wine at the presses, </t><t>for I have put an end to the shouting. </t>


text:
<t>When Moab appears at her high place, </t><t>she only wears herself out; </t><t>when she goes to her shrine to pray, </t><t>it is to no avail. </t>


text:
But now the LORD says: ‘Within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them, Moab’s splendour and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble.’


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against Damascus: <pb/><t>‘See, Damascus will no longer be a city </t><t>but will become a heap of ruins. </t>


text:
<t>The cities of Aroer will be deserted </t><t>and left to flocks, which will lie down, </t><t>with no-one to make them afraid. </t>


text:
<t>The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, </t><t>and royal power from Damascus; </t><t>the remnant of Aram will be </t><t>like the glory of the Israelites,’ </t><t>declares the LORD Almighty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>It will be as when reapers harvest the standing corn, </t><t>gathering the corn in their arms — </t><t>as when someone gleans ears of corn </t><t>in the Valley of Rephaim. </t>


text:
<t>Yet some gleanings will remain, </t><t>as when an olive tree is beaten, </t><t>leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, </t><t>four or five on the fruitful boughs,’ </t><t>declares the LORD, the God of Israel. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In that day people will look to their Maker </t><t>and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>They will not look to the altars, </t><t>the work of their hands, </t><t>and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles <f>[42]</f> </t><t>and the incense altars their fingers have made. </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.


text:
<pb/><t>You have forgotten God your Saviour; </t><t>you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. </t><t>Therefore, though you set out the finest plants </t><t>and plant imported vines, </t>


text:
<t>though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, </t><t>and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, </t><t>yet the harvest will be as nothing </t><t>in the day of disease and incurable pain. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Woe to the many nations that rage — </t><t>they rage like the raging sea! </t><t>Woe to the peoples who roar — </t><t>they roar like the roaring of great waters! </t>


text:
<t>Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, </t><t>when he rebukes them they flee far away, </t><t>driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, </t><t>like tumble-weed before a gale. </t>


text:
<t>In the evening, sudden terror! </t><t>Before the morning, they are gone! </t><t>This is the portion of those who loot us, </t><t>the lot of those who plunder us.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Woe to the land of whirring wings <f>[43]</f> </t><t>along the rivers of Cush, <f>[44]</f> </t>


text:
<t>which sends envoys by sea </t><t>in papyrus boats over the water. <pb/>Go, swift messengers, </t><t>to a people tall and smooth-skinned, </t><t>to a people feared far and wide, </t><t>an aggressive nation of strange speech, </t><t>whose land is divided by rivers. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>All you people of the world, </t><t>you who live on the earth, </t><t>when a banner is raised on the mountains, </t><t>you will see it, </t><t>and when a trumpet sounds, </t><t>you will hear it. </t>


text:
<t>This is what the LORD says to me: </t><t>‘I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling-place, </t><t>like shimmering heat in the sunshine, </t><t>like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.’ </t>


text:
<t>For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone </t><t>and the flower becomes a ripening grape, </t><t>he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, </t><t>and cut down and take away the spreading branches. </t>


text:
<t>They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey </t><t>and to the wild animals; </t><t>the birds will feed on them all summer, </t><t>the wild animals all winter. </t>


text:
<pb/>At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD Almighty <pb/><t>from a people tall and smooth-skinned, </t><t>from a people feared far and wide, </t><t>an aggressive nation of strange speech, </t><t>whose land is divided by rivers — </t> <pb/>the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the LORD Almighty.


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against Egypt: <pb/><t>See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud </t><t>and is coming to Egypt. </t><t>The idols of Egypt tremble before him, </t><t>and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian — </t><t>brother will fight against brother, </t><t>neighbour against neighbour, </t><t>city against city, </t><t>kingdom against kingdom. </t>


text:
<t>The Egyptians will lose heart, </t><t>and I will bring their plans to nothing; </t><t>they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, </t><t>the mediums and the spiritists. </t>


text:
<t>I will hand the Egyptians over </t><t>to the power of a cruel master, </t><t>and a fierce king will rule over them,’ </t><t>declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The canals will stink; </t><t>the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up. </t><t>The reeds and rushes will wither, </t>


text:
<t>also the plants along the Nile, </t><t>at the mouth of the river. </t><t>Every sown field along the Nile </t><t>will become parched, will blow away and be no more. </t>


text:
<t>The fishermen will groan and lament, </t><t>all who cast hooks into the Nile; </t><t>those who throw nets on the water </t><t>will pine away. </t>


text:
<t>Those who work with combed flax will despair, </t><t>the weavers of fine linen will lose hope. </t>


text:
<t>The workers in cloth will be dejected, </t><t>and all the wage earners will be sick at heart. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; </t><t>the wise counsellors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. </t><t>How can you say to Pharaoh, </t><t>‘I am one of the wise men, </t><t>a disciple of the ancient kings’? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Where are your wise men now? </t><t>Let them show you and make known </t><t>what the LORD Almighty </t><t>has planned against Egypt. </t>


text:
<t>The officials of Zoan have become fools, </t><t>the leaders of Memphis are deceived; </t><t>the cornerstones of her peoples </t><t>have led Egypt astray. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD has poured into them </t><t>a spirit of dizziness; </t><t>they make Egypt stagger in all that she does, </t><t>as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit. </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day the Egyptians will become weaklings. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them.


text:
And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified, because of what the LORD Almighty is planning against them.


text:
<pb/>In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun. <f>[45]</f>


text:
<pb/>In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the LORD at its border.


text:
It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a saviour and defender, and he will rescue them.


text:
So the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the LORD. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and keep them.


text:
The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the LORD, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.


text:
<pb/>In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.


text:
In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing <f>[46]</f> on the earth.


text:
The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’


text:
<pb/>In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it —


text:
at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, ‘Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.’ And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.


text:
<pb/>Then the LORD said, ‘Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, <f>[47]</f>


text:
so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared — to Egypt’s shame.


text:
In that day the people who live on this coast will say, “See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?” ’


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: <pb/><t>Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, </t><t>an invader comes from the desert, </t><t>from a land of terror. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>A dire vision has been shown to me: </t><t>the traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. </t><t>Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! </t><t>I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>At this my body is racked with pain, </t><t>pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labour; </t><t>I am staggered by what I hear, </t><t>I am bewildered by what I see. </t>


text:
<t>My heart falters, </t><t>fear makes me tremble; </t><t>the twilight I longed for </t><t>has become a horror to me. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They set the tables, </t><t>they spread the rugs, </t><t>they eat, they drink! </t><t>Get up, you officers, </t><t>oil the shields! </t>


text:
<pb/>This is what the Lord says to me: <pb/><t>‘Go, post a lookout </t><t>and let him report what he sees. </t>


text:
<t>When he sees chariots </t><t>with teams of horses, </t><t>riders on donkeys </t><t>or riders on camels, </t><t>let him be alert, </t><t>fully alert.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>And the lookout <f>[48]</f> shouted, <pb/><t>‘Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; </t><t>every night I stay at my post. </t>


text:
<t>Look, here comes a man in a chariot </t><t>with a team of horses. </t><t>And he gives back the answer: </t><t>“Babylon has fallen, has fallen! </t><t>All the images of its gods </t><t>lie shattered on the ground!” ’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My people who are crushed on the threshing-floor, </t><t>I tell you what I have heard </t><t>from the LORD Almighty, </t><t>from the God of Israel. </t>


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against Dumah <f>[49]</f>: <pb/><t>Someone calls to me from Seir, </t><t>‘Watchman, what is left of the night? </t><t>Watchman, what is left of the night?’ </t>


text:
<t>The watchman replies, </t><t>‘Morning is coming, but also the night. </t><t>If you would ask, then ask; </t><t>and come back yet again.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against Arabia: <pb/><t>You caravans of Dedanites, </t><t>who camp in the thickets of Arabia, </t>


text:
<t>bring water for the thirsty; </t><t>you who live in Tema, </t><t>bring food for the fugitives. </t>


text:
<t>They flee from the sword, </t><t>from the drawn sword, </t><t>from the bent bow </t><t>and from the heat of battle. </t>


text:
<pb/>This is what the Lord says to me: ‘Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the splendour of Kedar will come to an end.


text:
The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.’ The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against the Valley of Vision: <pb/><t>What troubles you now, </t><t>that you have all gone up on the roofs, </t>


text:
<t>you town so full of commotion, </t><t>you city of tumult and revelry? </t><t>Your slain were not killed by the sword, </t><t>nor did they die in battle. </t>


text:
<t>All your leaders have fled together; </t><t>they have been captured without using the bow. </t><t>All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, </t><t>having fled while the enemy was still far away. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore I said, ‘Turn away from me; </t><t>let me weep bitterly. </t><t>Do not try to console me </t><t>over the destruction of my people.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The Lord, the LORD Almighty, has a day </t><t>of tumult and trampling and terror </t><t>in the Valley of Vision, </t><t>a day of battering down walls </t><t>and of crying out to the mountains. </t>


text:
<t>Elam takes up the quiver, </t><t>with her charioteers and horses; </t><t>Kir uncovers the shield. </t>


text:
<t>Your choicest valleys are full of chariots, </t><t>and horsemen are posted at the city gates. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The Lord stripped away the defences of Judah, </t><t>and you looked in that day </t><t>to the weapons in the Palace of the Forest. </t>


text:
<t>You saw that the walls of the City of David </t><t>were broken through in many places; </t><t>you stored up water </t><t>in the Lower Pool. </t>


text:
<t>You built a reservoir between the two walls </t><t>for the water of the Old Pool, </t><t>but you did not look to the One who made it, </t><t>or have regard for the One who planned it long ago. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The Lord, the LORD Almighty, </t><t>called you on that day </t><t>to weep and to wail, </t><t>to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. </t>


text:
<t>But see, there is joy and revelry, </t><t>slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, </t><t>eating of meat and drinking of wine! </t><t>‘Let us eat and drink,’ you say, </t><t>‘for tomorrow we die!’ </t>


text:
<pb/>The LORD Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: ‘Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,’ says the Lord, the LORD Almighty.


text:
<pb/>This is what the Lord, the LORD Almighty, says: <pb/><t>‘Go, say to this steward, </t><t>to Shebna the palace administrator: </t>


text:
<t>what are you doing here and who gave you permission </t><t>to cut out a grave for yourself here, </t><t>hewing your grave on the height </t><t>and chiselling your resting-place in the rock? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Beware, the LORD is about to take firm hold of you </t><t>and hurl you away, you mighty man. </t>


text:
<t>He will roll you up tightly like a ball </t><t>and throw you into a large country. </t><t>There you will die </t><t>and there the chariots you were so proud of </t><t>will become a disgrace to your master’s house. </t>


text:
I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah.


text:
I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no-one can shut, and what he shuts no-one can open.


text:
I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will become a seat <f>[50]</f> of honour for the house of his father.


text:
All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots — all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.


text:
<pb/>‘In that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.’ The LORD has spoken.


text:
<pb/>A prophecy against Tyre: <pb/><t>Wail, you ships of Tarshish! </t><t>For Tyre is destroyed </t><t>and left without house or harbour. </t><t>From the land of Cyprus </t><t>word has come to them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be silent, you people of the island </t><t>and you merchants of Sidon, </t><t>whom the seafarers have enriched. </t>


text:
<t>On the great waters </t><t>came the grain of the Shihor; </t><t>the harvest of the Nile <f>[51]</f> was the revenue of Tyre, </t><t>and she became the market-place of the nations. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be ashamed, Sidon, and you fortress of the sea, </t><t>for the sea has spoken: </t><t>‘I have neither been in labour nor given birth; </t><t>I have neither reared sons nor brought up daughters.’ </t>


text:
<t>Is this your city of revelry, </t><t>the old, old city, </t><t>whose feet have taken her </t><t>to settle in far-off lands? </t>


text:
<t>Who planned this against Tyre, </t><t>the bestower of crowns, </t><t>whose merchants are princes, </t><t>whose traders are renowned in the earth? </t>


text:
<t>The LORD Almighty planned it, </t><t>to bring down her pride in all her splendour </t><t>and to humble all who are renowned on the earth. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Till <f>[52]</f> your land as they do along the Nile, </t><t>Daughter Tarshish, </t><t>for you no longer have a harbour. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD has stretched out his hand over the sea </t><t>and made its kingdoms tremble. </t><t>He has given an order concerning Phoenicia </t><t>that her fortresses be destroyed. </t>


text:
<t>He said, ‘No more of your revelling, </t><t>Virgin Daughter Sidon, now crushed! <pb/>‘Up, cross over to Cyprus; </t><t>even there you will find no rest.’ </t>


text:
<t>Look at the land of the Babylonians, <f>[53]</f> </t><t>this people that is now of no account! </t><t>The Assyrians have made it </t><t>a place for desert creatures; </t><t>they raised up their siege towers, </t><t>they stripped its fortresses bare </t><t>and turned it into a ruin. <pb/> </t>


text:
<pb/>At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:


text:
<pb/><t>‘Take up a harp, walk through the city, </t><t>you forgotten prostitute; </t><t>play the harp well, sing many a song, </t><t>so that you will be remembered.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>At the end of seventy years, the LORD will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.


text:
Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the LORD; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothes.


text:
<pb/><t>See, the LORD is going to lay waste the earth </t><t>and devastate it; </t><t>he will ruin its face </t><t>and scatter its inhabitants — </t>


text:
<t>it will be the same </t><t>for priest as for people, </t><t>for the master as for his servant, </t><t>for the mistress as for her servant, </t><t>for seller as for buyer, </t><t>for borrower as for lender, </t><t>for debtor as for creditor. </t>


text:
<t>The earth will be completely laid waste </t><t>and totally plundered. </t><t>The LORD has spoken this word. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The earth dries up and withers, </t><t>the world languishes and withers, </t><t>the heavens languish with the earth. </t>


text:
<t>The earth is defiled by its people; </t><t>they have disobeyed the laws, </t><t>violated the statutes </t><t>and broken the everlasting covenant. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore a curse consumes the earth; </t><t>its people must bear their guilt. </t><t>Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, </t><t>and very few are left. </t>


text:
<t>The joyful tambourines are stilled, </t><t>the noise of the revellers has stopped, </t><t>the joyful harp is silent. </t>


text:
<t>In the streets they cry out for wine; </t><t>all joy turns to gloom, </t><t>all joyful sounds are banished from the earth. </t>


text:
<t>So will it be on the earth </t><t>and among the nations, </t><t>as when an olive tree is beaten, </t><t>or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>They raise their voices, they shout for joy; </t><t>from the west they acclaim the LORD’s majesty. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; </t><t>exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, </t><t>in the islands of the sea. </t>


text:
<t>From the ends of the earth we hear singing: </t><t>‘Glory to the Righteous One.’ <pb/>But I said, ‘I waste away, I waste away! </t><t>Woe to me! </t><t>The treacherous betray! </t><t>With treachery the treacherous betray!’ </t>


text:
<t>Whoever flees at the sound of terror </t><t>will fall into a pit; </t><t>whoever climbs out of the pit </t><t>will be caught in a snare. <pb/>The floodgates of the heavens are opened, </t><t>the foundations of the earth shake. </t>


text:
<t>The earth is broken up, </t><t>the earth is split asunder, </t><t>the earth is violently shaken. </t>


text:
<t>The earth reels like a drunkard, </t><t>it sways like a hut in the wind; </t><t>so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion </t><t>that it falls — never to rise again. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In that day the LORD will punish </t><t>the powers in the heavens above </t><t>and the kings on the earth below. </t>


text:
<t>They will be herded together </t><t>like prisoners bound in a dungeon; </t><t>they will be shut up in prison </t><t>and be punished <f>[54]</f> after many days. </t>


text:
<t>The moon will be dismayed, </t><t>the sun ashamed; </t><t>for the LORD Almighty will reign </t><t>on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, </t><t>and before its elders — with great glory.</t>


text:
<pb/><t> LORD, you are my God; </t><t>I will exalt you and praise your name, </t><t>for in perfect faithfulness </t><t>you have done wonderful things, </t><t>things planned long ago. </t>


text:
<t>You have made the city a heap of rubble, </t><t>the fortified town a ruin, </t><t>the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; </t><t>it will never be rebuilt. </t>


text:
<t>Therefore strong peoples will honour you; </t><t>cities of ruthless nations will revere you. </t>


text:
<t>You have been a refuge for the poor, </t><t>a refuge for the needy in their distress, </t><t>a shelter from the storm </t><t>and a shade from the heat. </t><t>For the breath of the ruthless </t><t>is like a storm driving against a wall </t>


text:
<t>and like the heat of the desert. </t><t>You silence the uproar of foreigners; </t><t>as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, </t><t>so the song of the ruthless is stilled. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare </t><t>a feast of rich food for all peoples, </t><t>a banquet of aged wine — </t><t>the best of meats and the finest of wines. </t>


text:
<t>On this mountain he will destroy </t><t>the shroud that enfolds all peoples, </t><t>the sheet that covers all nations; </t>


text:
<t>he will swallow up death for ever. </t><t>The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears </t><t>from all faces; </t><t>he will remove his people’s disgrace </t><t>from all the earth. </t><t>The LORD has spoken. </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day they will say, <pb/><t>‘Surely this is our God; </t><t>we trusted in him, and he saved us. </t><t>This is the LORD, we trusted in him; </t><t>let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain; </t><t>but Moab will be trampled in their land </t><t>as straw is trampled down in the manure. </t>


text:
<t>They will stretch out their hands in it, </t><t>as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim. </t><t>God will bring down their pride </t><t>despite the cleverness <f>[55]</f> of their hands. </t>


text:
<t>He will bring down your high fortified walls </t><t>and lay them low; </t><t>he will bring them down to the ground, </t><t>to the very dust.</t>


text:
<pb/>In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: <pb/><t>We have a strong city; </t><t>God makes salvation </t><t>its walls and ramparts. </t>


text:
<t>Open the gates </t><t>that the righteous nation may enter, </t><t>the nation that keeps faith. </t>


text:
<t>You will keep in perfect peace </t><t>those whose minds are steadfast, </t><t>because they trust in you. </t>


text:
<t>He humbles those who dwell on high, </t><t>he lays the lofty city low; </t><t>he levels it to the ground </t><t>and casts it down to the dust. </t>


text:
<t>Feet trample it down — </t><t>the feet of the oppressed, </t><t>the footsteps of the poor. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The path of the righteous is level; </t><t>you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth. </t>


text:
<t>Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, <f>[56]</f> </t><t>we wait for you; </t><t>your name and renown </t><t>are the desire of our hearts. </t>


text:
<t>My soul yearns for you in the night; </t><t>in the morning my spirit longs for you. </t><t>When your judgments come upon the earth, </t><t>the people of the world learn righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>But when grace is shown to the wicked, </t><t>they do not learn righteousness; </t><t>even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil </t><t>and do not regard the majesty of the LORD. </t>


text:
<t> LORD, your hand is lifted high, </t><t>but they do not see it. </t><t>Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; </t><t>let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD, you establish peace for us; </t><t>all that we have accomplished you have done for us. </t>


text:
<t> LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, </t><t>but your name alone do we honour. </t>


text:
<t>They are now dead, they live no more; </t><t>their spirits do not rise. </t><t>You punished them and brought them to ruin; </t><t>you wiped out all memory of them. </t>


text:
<t>You have enlarged the nation, LORD; </t><t>you have enlarged the nation. </t><t>You have gained glory for yourself; </t><t>you have extended all the borders of the land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD, they came to you in their distress; </t><t>when you disciplined them, </t><t>they could barely whisper a prayer. <f>[57]</f> </t>


text:
<t>As a pregnant woman about to give birth </t><t>writhes and cries out in her pain, </t><t>so were we in your presence, LORD. </t>


text:
<t>We were with child, we writhed in labour, </t><t>but we gave birth to wind. </t><t>We have not brought salvation to the earth, </t><t>and the people of the world have not come to life. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But your dead will live, LORD; </t><t>their bodies will rise — </t><t>let those who dwell in the dust </t><t>wake up and shout for joy — </t><t>your dew is like the dew of the morning; </t><t>the earth will give birth to her dead. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Go, my people, enter your rooms </t><t>and shut the doors behind you; </t><t>hide yourselves for a little while </t><t>until his wrath has passed by. </t>


text:
<t>See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling </t><t>to punish the people of the earth for their sins. </t><t>The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; </t><t>the earth will conceal its slain no longer.</t>


text:
<pb/>In that day, <pb/><t>the LORD will punish with his sword — </t><t>his fierce, great and powerful sword — </t><t>Leviathan the gliding serpent, </t><t>Leviathan the coiling serpent; </t><t>he will slay the monster of the sea. </t>


text:
<t>I, the LORD, watch over it; </t><t>I water it continually. </t><t>I guard it day and night </t><t>so that no-one may harm it. </t>


text:
<t>I am not angry. </t><t>If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! </t><t>I would march against them in battle; </t><t>I would set them all on fire. </t>


text:
<t>Or else let them come to me for refuge; </t><t>let them make peace with me, </t><t>yes, let them make peace with me.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In days to come Jacob will take root, </t><t>Israel will bud and blossom </t><t>and fill all the world with fruit. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Has the LORD struck her </t><t>as he struck down those who struck her? </t><t>Has she been killed </t><t>as those were killed who killed her? </t>


text:
<t>By warfare <f>[58]</f> and exile you contend with her — </t><t>with his fierce blast he drives her out, </t><t>as on a day the east wind blows. </t>


text:
<t>By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, </t><t>and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: </t><t>when he makes all the altar stones </t><t>to be like limestone crushed to pieces, </t><t>no Asherah poles <f>[59]</f> or incense altars </t><t>will be left standing. </t>


text:
<t>The fortified city stands desolate, </t><t>an abandoned settlement, forsaken like the wilderness; </t><t>there the calves graze, </t><t>there they lie down; </t><t>they strip its branches bare. </t>


text:
<t>When its twigs are dry, they are broken off </t><t>and women come and make fires with them. </t><t>For this is a people without understanding; </t><t>so their Maker has no compassion on them, </t><t>and their Creator shows them no favour. </t>


text:
<pb/>In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one.


text:
And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.


text:
<pb/><t>Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, </t><t>to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, </t><t>set on the head of a fertile valley — </t><t>to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine! </t>


text:
<t>See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. </t><t>Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, </t><t>like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, </t><t>he will throw it forcefully to the ground. </t>


text:
<t>That fading flower, his glorious beauty, </t><t>set on the head of a fertile valley, </t><t>will be like figs ripe before harvest — </t><t>as soon as people see them and take them in hand, </t><t>they swallow them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In that day the LORD Almighty </t><t>will be a glorious crown, </t><t>a beautiful wreath </t><t>for the remnant of his people. </t>


text:
<t>He will be a spirit of justice </t><t>to the one who sits in judgment, </t><t>a source of strength </t><t>to those who turn back the battle at the gate. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>And these also stagger from wine </t><t>and reel from beer: </t><t>priests and prophets stagger from beer </t><t>and are befuddled with wine; </t><t>they reel from beer, </t><t>they stagger when seeing visions, </t><t>they stumble when rendering decisions. </t>


text:
<t>‘Who is it he is trying to teach? </t><t>To whom is he explaining his message? </t><t>To children weaned from their milk, </t><t>to those just taken from the breast? </t>


text:
<t>For it is: </t><t>do this, do that, </t><t>a rule for this, a rule for that <f>[60]</f>; </t><t>a little here, a little there.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>to whom he said, </t><t>‘This is the resting-place, let the weary rest’; </t><t>and, ‘This is the place of repose’ — </t><t>but they would not listen. </t>


text:
<t>So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: </t><t>do this, do that, </t><t>a rule for this, a rule for that; </t><t>a little here, a little there — </t><t>so that as they go they will fall backwards; </t><t>they will be injured and snared and captured. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>You boast, ‘We have entered into a covenant with death, </t><t>with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. </t><t>When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, </t><t>it cannot touch us, </t><t>for we have made a lie our refuge </t><t>and falsehood <f>[61]</f> our hiding-place.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: <pb/><t>‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, </t><t>a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; </t><t>the one who relies on it </t><t>will never be stricken with panic. </t>


text:
<t>I will make justice the measuring line </t><t>and righteousness the plumb-line; </t><t>hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, </t><t>and water will overflow your hiding-place. </t>


text:
<t>Your covenant with death will be annulled; </t><t>your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand. </t><t>When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, </t><t>you will be beaten down by it. </t>


text:
<t>As often as it comes it will carry you away; </t><t>morning after morning, by day and by night, </t><t>it will sweep through.’ <pb/>The understanding of this message </t><t>will bring sheer terror. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, </t><t>he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon — </t><t>to do his work, his strange work, </t><t>and perform his task, his alien task. </t>


text:
<t>Now stop your mocking, </t><t>or your chains will become heavier; </t><t>the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me </t><t>of the destruction decreed against the whole land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>When a farmer ploughs for planting, does he plough continually? </t><t>Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil? </t>


text:
<t>When he has levelled the surface, </t><t>does he not sow caraway and scatter cummin? </t><t>Does he not plant wheat in its place, <f>[62]</f> </t><t>barley in its plot, <f>[63]</f> </t><t>and spelt in its field? </t>


text:
<t>Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, </t><t>nor is the cartwheel rolled over cummin; </t><t>caraway is beaten out with a rod, </t><t>and cummin with a stick. </t>


text:
<t>Grain must be ground to make bread; </t><t>so one does not go on threshing it for ever. </t><t>The wheels of a threshing-cart may be rolled over it, </t><t>but one does not use horses to grind grain. </t>


text:
<t>All this also comes from the LORD Almighty, </t><t>whose plan is wonderful, </t><t>whose wisdom is magnificent.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Woe to you, Ariel, Ariel, </t><t>the city where David settled! </t><t>Add year to year </t><t>and let your cycle of festivals go on. </t>


text:
<t>Yet I will besiege Ariel; </t><t>she will mourn and lament, </t><t>she will be to me like an altar hearth. <f>[64]</f> </t>


text:
<t>I will encamp against you on all sides; </t><t>I will encircle you with towers </t><t>and set up my siege works against you. </t>


text:
<t>Brought low, you will speak from the ground; </t><t>your speech will mumble out of the dust. </t><t>Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; </t><t>out of the dust your speech will whisper. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>But your many enemies will become like fine dust, </t><t>the ruthless hordes like blown chaff. </t><t>Suddenly, in an instant, </t>


text:
<t>the LORD Almighty will come </t><t>with thunder and earthquake and great noise, </t><t>with whirlwind and tempest and flames of a devouring fire. </t>


text:
<t>Then the hordes of all the nations that fight against Ariel, </t><t>that attack her and her fortress and besiege her, </t><t>will be as it is with a dream, </t><t>with a vision in the night — </t>


text:
<t>as when a hungry person dreams of eating, </t><t>but awakens hungry still; </t><t>as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, </t><t>but awakens faint and thirsty still. </t><t>So will it be with the hordes of all the nations </t><t>that fight against Mount Zion. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Be stunned and amazed, </t><t>blind yourselves and be sightless; </t><t>be drunk, but not from wine, </t><t>stagger, but not from beer. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep: </t><t>he has sealed your eyes (the prophets); </t><t>he has covered your heads (the seers). </t>


text:
<pb/>For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, ‘Read this, please,’ they will answer, ‘I can’t; it is sealed.’


text:
Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, ‘Read this, please,’ they will answer, ‘I don’t know how to read.’


text:
<pb/>The Lord says: <pb/><t>‘These people come near to me with their mouth </t><t>and honour me with their lips, </t><t>but their hearts are far from me. </t><t>Their worship of me </t><t>is based on merely human rules they have been taught. <f>[65]</f> </t>


text:
<t>Therefore once more I will astound these people </t><t>with wonder upon wonder; </t><t>the wisdom of the wise will perish, </t><t>the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.’ </t>


text:
<t>Woe to those who go to great depths </t><t>to hide their plans from the LORD, </t><t>who do their work in darkness and think, </t><t>‘Who sees us? Who will know?’ </t>


text:
<t>You turn things upside down, </t><t>as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! </t><t>Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, </t><t>‘You did not make me’? </t><t>Can the pot say to the potter, </t><t>‘You know nothing’? <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field </t><t>and the fertile field seem like a forest? </t>


text:
<t>In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, </t><t>and out of gloom and darkness </t><t>the eyes of the blind will see. </t>


text:
<t>Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; </t><t>the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>The ruthless will vanish, </t><t>the mockers will disappear, </t><t>and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down — </t>


text:
<t>those who with a word make someone out to be guilty, </t><t>who ensnare the defender in court </t><t>and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice. </t>


text:
<pb/>Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the descendants of Jacob: <pb/><t>‘No longer will Jacob be ashamed; </t><t>no longer will their faces grow pale. </t>


text:
<t>When they see among them their children, </t><t>the work of my hands, </t><t>they will keep my name holy; </t><t>they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, </t><t>and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; </t><t>those who complain will accept instruction.’</t>


text:
<pb/><t>‘Woe to the obstinate children,’ </t><t>declares the LORD, </t><t>‘to those who carry out plans that are not mine, </t><t>forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, </t><t>heaping sin upon sin; </t>


text:
<t>who go down to Egypt </t><t>without consulting me; </t><t>who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, </t><t>to Egypt’s shade for refuge. </t>


text:
<t>But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, </t><t>Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace. </t>


text:
<t>everyone will be put to shame </t><t>because of a people useless to them, </t><t>who bring neither help nor advantage, </t><t>but only shame and disgrace.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>A prophecy concerning the animals of the Negev: <pb/><t>Through a land of hardship and distress, </t><t>of lions and lionesses, </t><t>of adders and darting snakes, </t><t>the envoys carry their riches on donkeys’ backs, </t><t>their treasures on the humps of camels, </t><t>to that unprofitable nation, </t>


text:
<t>to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. </t><t>Therefore I call her </t><t>Rahab the Do-Nothing. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Go now, write it on a tablet for them, </t><t>inscribe it on a scroll, </t><t>that for the days to come </t><t>it may be an everlasting witness. </t>


text:
<t>For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, </t><t>children unwilling to listen to the LORD’s instruction. </t>


text:
<t>They say to the seers, </t><t>‘See no more visions!’ </t><t>and to the prophets, </t><t>‘Give us no more visions of what is right! </t><t>Tell us pleasant things, </t><t>prophesy illusions. </t>


text:
<t>Leave this way, </t><t>get off this path, </t><t>and stop confronting us </t><t>with the Holy One of Israel!’ </t>


text:
<pb/>Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: <pb/><t>‘Because you have rejected this message, </t><t>relied on oppression </t><t>and depended on deceit, </t>


text:
<t>this sin will become for you </t><t>like a high wall, cracked and bulging, </t><t>that collapses suddenly, in an instant. </t>


text:
<t>It will break in pieces like pottery, </t><t>shattered so mercilessly </t><t>that among its pieces not a fragment will be found </t><t>for taking coals from a hearth </t><t>or scooping water out of a cistern.’ </t>


text:
<pb/>This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: <pb/><t>‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, </t><t>in quietness and trust is your strength, </t><t>but you would have none of it. </t>


text:
<t>You said, “No, we will flee on horses.” </t><t>Therefore you will flee! </t><t>You said, “We will ride off on swift horses.” </t><t>Therefore your pursuers will be swift! </t>


text:
<t>A thousand will flee </t><t>at the threat of one; </t><t>at the threat of five </t><t>you will all flee away, </t><t>till you are left </t><t>like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, </t><t>like a banner on a hill.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; </t><t>therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. </t><t>For the LORD is a God of justice. </t><t>Blessed are all who wait for him! </t>


text:
<pb/>People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.


text:
Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.


text:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’


text:
Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, ‘Away with you!’


text:
<pb/>He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows.


text:
In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill.


text:
The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.


text:
<pb/><t>See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, </t><t>with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke; </t><t>his lips are full of wrath, </t><t>and his tongue is a consuming fire. </t>


text:
<t>His breath is like a rushing torrent, </t><t>rising up to the neck. </t><t>He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction; </t><t>he places in the jaws of the peoples </t><t>a bit that leads them astray. </t>


text:
<t>And you will sing </t><t>as on the night you celebrate a holy festival; </t><t>your hearts will rejoice </t><t>as when people playing pipes go up </t><t>to the mountain of the LORD, </t><t>to the Rock of Israel. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD will cause people to hear his majestic voice </t><t>and will make them see his arm coming down </t><t>with raging anger and consuming fire, </t><t>with cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail. </t>


text:
<t>Every stroke the LORD lays on them </t><t>with his punishing club </t><t>will be to the music of tambourines and harps, </t><t>as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm. </t>


text:
<t>Topheth has long been prepared; </t><t>it has been made ready for the king. </t><t>Its fire pit has been made deep and wide, </t><t>with an abundance of fire and wood; </t><t>the breath of the LORD, </t><t>like a stream of burning sulphur, </t><t>sets it ablaze.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, </t><t>who rely on horses, </t><t>who trust in the multitude of their chariots </t><t>and in the great strength of their horsemen, </t><t>but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, </t><t>or seek help from the LORD. </t>


text:
<t>Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; </t><t>he does not take back his words. </t><t>He will rise up against that wicked nation, </t><t>against those who help evildoers. </t>


text:
<t>But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; </t><t>their horses are flesh and not spirit. </t><t>When the LORD stretches out his hand, </t><t>those who help will stumble, </t><t>those who are helped will fall; </t><t>all will perish together. </t>


text:
<pb/>This is what the LORD says to me: <pb/><t>‘As a lion growls, </t><t>a great lion over its prey — </t><t>and though a whole band of shepherds </t><t>is called together against it, </t><t>it is not frightened by their shouts </t><t>or disturbed by their clamour — </t><t>so the LORD Almighty will come down </t><t>to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. </t>


text:
<t>Like birds hovering overhead, </t><t>the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; </t><t>he will shield it and deliver it, </t><t>he will “pass over” it and will rescue it.’ </t>


text:
For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made.


text:
<pb/><t>‘Assyria will fall by no human sword; </t><t>a sword, not of mortals, will devour them. </t><t>They will flee before the sword </t><t>and their young men will be put to forced labour. </t>


text:
<t>Their stronghold will fall because of terror; </t><t>at the sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,’ </t><t>declares the LORD, </t><t>whose fire is in Zion, </t><t>whose furnace is in Jerusalem.</t>


text:
<t>Each one will be like a shelter from the wind </t><t>and a refuge from the storm, </t><t>like streams of water in the desert </t><t>and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, </t><t>and the ears of those who hear will listen. </t>


text:
<t>The fearful heart will know and understand, </t><t>and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. </t>


text:
<t>For fools speak folly, </t><t>their hearts are bent on evil: </t><t>they practise ungodliness </t><t>and spread error concerning the LORD; </t><t>the hungry they leave empty </t><t>and from the thirsty they withhold water. </t>


text:
<t>Scoundrels use wicked methods, </t><t>they make up evil schemes </t><t>to destroy the poor with lies, </t><t>even when the plea of the needy is just. </t>


text:
<t>You women who are so complacent, </t><t>rise up and listen to me; </t><t>you daughters who feel secure, </t><t>hear what I have to say! </t>


text:
<t>In little more than a year </t><t>you who feel secure will tremble; </t><t>the grape harvest will fail, </t><t>and the harvest of fruit will not come. </t>


text:
<t>Tremble, you complacent women; </t><t>shudder, you daughters who feel secure! </t><t>Strip off your fine clothes </t><t>and wrap yourselves in rags. </t>


text:
<t>and for the land of my people, </t><t>a land overgrown with thorns and briers — </t><t>yes, mourn for all houses of merriment </t><t>and for this city of revelry. </t>


text:
<t>The fortress will be abandoned, </t><t>the noisy city deserted; </t><t>citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland for ever, </t><t>the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks, </t>


text:
<t>till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, </t><t>and the desert becomes a fertile field, </t><t>and the fertile field seems like a forest. </t>


text:
<t>The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert, </t><t>his righteousness live in the fertile field. </t>


text:
<t>The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; </t><t>its effect will be quietness and confidence for ever. </t>


text:
<t>My people will live in peaceful dwelling-places, </t><t>in secure homes, </t><t>in undisturbed places of rest. </t>


text:
<t>how blessed you will be, </t><t>sowing your seed by every stream, </t><t>and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Woe to you, destroyer, </t><t>you who have not been destroyed! </t><t>Woe to you, betrayer, </t><t>you who have not been betrayed! </t><t>When you stop destroying, </t><t>you will be destroyed; </t><t>when you stop betraying, </t><t>you will be betrayed. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t> LORD, be gracious to us; </t><t>we long for you. </t><t>Be our strength every morning, </t><t>our salvation in time of distress. </t>


text:
<t>Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; </t><t>like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; </t><t>he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. </t>


text:
<t>He will be the sure foundation for your times, </t><t>a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; </t><t>the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. <f>[66]</f> <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The highways are deserted, </t><t>no travellers are on the roads. </t><t>The treaty is broken, </t><t>its witnesses <f>[67]</f> are despised, </t><t>no-one is respected. </t>


text:
<t>The land dries up and wastes away, </t><t>Lebanon is ashamed and withers; </t><t>Sharon is like the Arabah, </t><t>and Bashan and Carmel drop their leaves. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>‘Now will I arise,’ says the LORD. </t><t>‘Now will I be exalted; </t><t>now will I be lifted up. </t>


text:
<t>You conceive chaff, </t><t>you give birth to straw; </t><t>your breath is a fire that consumes you. </t>


text:
<t>The peoples will be burned to ashes; </t><t>like cut thorn-bushes they will be set ablaze.’ <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>The sinners in Zion are terrified; </t><t>trembling grips the godless: </t><t>‘Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? </t><t>Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?’ </t>


text:
<t>Those who walk righteously </t><t>and speak what is right, </t><t>who reject gain from extortion </t><t>and keep their hands from accepting bribes, </t><t>who stop their ears against plots of murder </t><t>and shut their eyes against contemplating evil — </t>


text:
<t>they are the ones who will dwell on the heights, </t><t>whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. </t><t>Their bread will be supplied, </t><t>and water will not fail them. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror: </t><t>‘Where is that chief officer? </t><t>Where is the one who took the revenue? </t><t>Where is the officer in charge of the towers?’ </t>


text:
<t>You will see those arrogant people no more, </t><t>people whose speech is obscure, </t><t>whose language is strange and incomprehensible. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; </t><t>your eyes will see Jerusalem, </t><t>a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; </t><t>its stakes will never be pulled up, </t><t>nor any of its ropes broken. </t>


text:
<t>There the LORD will be our Mighty One. </t><t>It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. </t><t>No galley with oars will ride them, </t><t>no mighty ship will sail them. </t>


text:
<t>For the LORD is our judge, </t><t>the LORD is our lawgiver, </t><t>the LORD is our king; </t><t>it is he who will save us. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Your rigging hangs loose: </t><t>the mast is not held secure, </t><t>the sail is not spread. </t><t>Then an abundance of spoils will be divided </t><t>and even the lame will carry off plunder. </t>


text:
<t>No-one living in Zion will say, ‘I am ill’; </t><t>and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.</t>


text:
<pb/><t>Come near, you nations, and listen; </t><t>pay attention, you peoples! </t><t>Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, </t><t>the world, and all that comes out of it! </t>


text:
<t>The LORD is angry with all nations; </t><t>his wrath is on all their armies. </t><t>He will totally destroy <f>[68]</f> them, </t><t>he will give them over to slaughter. </t>


text:
<t>Their slain will be thrown out, </t><t>their dead bodies will stink; </t><t>the mountains will be soaked with their blood. </t>


text:
<t>All the stars in the sky will be dissolved </t><t>and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; </t><t>all the starry host will fall </t><t>like withered leaves from the vine, </t><t>like shrivelled figs from the fig-tree. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens; </t><t>see, it descends in judgment on Edom, </t><t>the people I have totally destroyed. </t>


text:
<t>The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood, </t><t>it is covered with fat — </t><t>the blood of lambs and goats, </t><t>fat from the kidneys of rams. </t><t>For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah </t><t>and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. </t>


text:
<t>And the wild oxen will fall with them, </t><t>the bull calves and the great bulls. </t><t>Their land will be drenched with blood, </t><t>and the dust will be soaked with fat. <pb/> </t>


text:
<t>Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch, </t><t>her dust into burning sulphur; </t><t>her land will become blazing pitch! </t>


text:
<t>It will not be quenched night or day; </t><t>its smoke will rise for ever. </t><t>From generation to generation it will lie desolate; </t><t>no-one will ever pass through it again. </t>


text:
<t>The desert owl <f>[69]</f> and screech owl <f>[70]</f> will possess it; </t><t>the great owl <f>[71]</f> and the raven will nest there. </t><t>God will stretch out over Edom </t><t>the measuring line of chaos </t><t>and the plumb-line of desolation. </t>


text:
<t>Her nobles will have nothing there to be called a kingdom, </t><t>all her princes will vanish away. </t>


text:
<t>Thorns will overrun her citadels, </t><t>nettles and brambles her strongholds. </t><t>She will become a haunt for jackals, </t><t>a home for owls. </t>


text:
<t>Desert creatures will meet with hyenas, </t><t>and wild goats will bleat to each other; </t><t>there the night creatures will also lie down </t><t>and find for themselves places of rest. </t>


text:
<t>The owl will nest there and lay eggs, </t><t>she will hatch them, and care for her young </t><t>under the shadow of her wings; </t><t>there also the falcons will gather, </t><t>each with its mate. </t>


text:
<pb/>Look in the scroll of the LORD and read: <pb/><t>None of these will be missing, </t><t>not one will lack her mate. </t><t>For it is his mouth that has given the order, </t><t>and his Spirit will gather them together. </t>


