To the chief Musician, Al-tashĥet, A Mikhtam of David.

For the conductor — "Do not destroy [me]" — a michtam of David.

Do you indeed speak righteousness in private? do you judge uprightly, O you sons of men?

[(in reference to Avner's not defending David to Saul, when David had demonstrated that he bore Saul no ill [viz. I Samuel 26:14])]. In truth, has there been hidden [from your mouth] the righteousness [i.e., vindication (of me)] that you [should] have spoken [to Saul], the justness [whereby] you [should] have judged men [i.e., me]?

No, in your hearts you work wickedness; your hands deal out violence on the earth.

[And, what is more,] even in [your own] heart, you plot wrong [against me]; in the [midst of] the land, your hands weighten violence.

The wicked are estranged from the womb: they err from birth, speaking lies.

The wicked have become estranged [from G d] from the womb. The speakers of deceit have strayed [from G d] from the womb.

Their poison is like the poison of a snake: they are like the deaf adder that stops its ear;

They have venom, like the venom of a serpent; [they are] like a deaf cobra, that closes its [other] ear

which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.

so that it not hear the voice of the charmers [(which would keep it from biting)], the most expert of the conjurers [i.e., the charmers].

Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord.

O G d, crush their fangs in their mouth; crush the grinding teeth of lions, O L rd.

Let them melt away like waters which run continually: when he aims his arrows, let them be as if cut in pieces;

Let them be despised [unto themselves]; let them walk as in water [with feebleness]. Let Him draw His arrows [against them] so that they be cut down.

like the slimy track of a snail which disappears: like the untimely births of a woman, that have not seen the sun.

[May they be] as a snail, walking meltingly; as a mole, never seeing the sun.

Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall sweep them away as with a whirlwind, both the green and the burning.

Before your tender thorns [i.e., your children] understand [enough to become (i.e., develop into)] hardened thorns [like you] — with vigor, with wrath, He will whir them away!

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

The righteous one will rejoice when he sees revenge. He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily there is a God who judges in the earth.

Then all men [(who witness this revenge)] will say: There must be reward for the righteous, [for] verily, there is a G d who judges [i.e., exacts retribution of the wicked] in the land.