Psalms, 10

1. Why, Yahweh, do you keep so distant, stay hidden in times of trouble?

1. Why dost thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost thou hide thyself in times of trouble?

2. In his pride the wicked hunts down the weak, who is caught in the schemes he devises.

2. In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes which they have devised.

3. The wicked is proud of his inmost desires, by his blasphemies the grasping spurns Yahweh,

3. For the wicked boasts of the desires of his heart, and the man greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.

4. the wicked in his arrogance does not look very far; 'There is no God,' is his only thought.

4. In the pride of his countenance the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God."

5. In all circumstances his step is assured; your judgements are above his head. His rivals? He scoffs at them all.

5. His ways prosper at all times; thy judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them.

6. He says in his heart, 'I shall never be shaken,' free of trouble himself,

6. He thinks in his heart, "I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity."

7. he wishes it on others. His speech is full of lies and browbeating, under his tongue lurk spite and wickedness.

7. His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

8. In the undergrowth he lies in ambush, in his hiding-place he murders the innocent. He watches intently for the downtrodden,

8. He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the hapless,

9. lurking unseen like a lion in his lair, lurking to pounce on the poor; he pounces on him and drags him off in his net.

9. he lurks in secret like a lion in his covert; he lurks that he may seize the poor, he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

10. He keeps watch, crouching down low, the poor wretch falls into his clutches;

10. The hapless is crushed, sinks down, and falls by his might.

11. he says in his heart, 'God forgets, he has turned away his face to avoid seeing the end.'

11. He thinks in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it."

12. Rise, Yahweh! God, raise your hand, do not forget the afflicted!

12. Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thy hand; forget not the afflicted.

13. Why should the wicked spurn God, assuring himself you will never follow it up?

13. Why does the wicked renounce God, and say in his heart, "Thou wilt not call to account"?

14. You have seen for yourself the trouble and vexation, you watch so as to take it in hand. The oppressed relies on you; you are the only recourse of the orphan.

14. Thou dost see; yea, thou dost note trouble and vexation, that thou mayest take it into thy hands; the hapless commits himself to thee; thou hast been the helper of the fatherless.

15. Break the arm of the wicked and evil, seek out wickedness till there is none left to be found.

15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer; seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

16. Yahweh is king for ever and ever, the heathen has vanished from his country.

16. The LORD is king for ever and ever; the nations shall perish from his land.

17. Yahweh, you listen to the laments of the poor, you give them courage, you grant them a hearing,

17. O LORD, thou wilt hear the desire of the meek; thou wilt strengthen their heart, thou wilt incline thy ear

18. to give judgement for the orphaned and exploited, so that earthborn humans may strike terror no more.

18. to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.