Psalm 52

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• Cipriano de Rore SATTB (Latin)

Text and translations

Latin text Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 51) 51:1 In finem. Intellectus David, 51:2 cum venit Doëg Idumæus, et nuntiavit Sauli: Venit David in domum Achimelech. 51:3 Quid gloriaris in malitia, qui potens es in iniquitate? 51:4 Tota die injustitiam cogitavit lingua tua; sicut novacula acuta fecisti dolum. 51:5 Dilexisti malitiam super benignitatem; iniquitatem magis quam loqui æquitatem. 51:6 Dilexisti omnia verba præcipitationis; lingua dolosa. 51:7 Propterea Deus destruet te in finem; evellet te, et emigrabit te de tabernaculo tuo, et radicem tuam de terra viventium. 51:8 Videbunt justi, et timebunt; et super eum ridebunt, et dicent: 51:9 Ecce homo qui non posuit Deum adjutorem suum; sed speravit in multitudine divitiarum suarum, et prævaluit in vanitate sua. 51:10 Ego autem, sicut oliva fructifera in domo Dei; speravi in misericordia Dei, in æternum et in sæculum sæculi. 51:11 Confitebor tibi in sæculum, quia fecisti; et exspectabo nomen tuum, quoniam bonum est in conspectu sanctorum tuorum.

English translation Word-for-word 51:1 For the end. David wrote this 51:2 when Doeg from Edom went to Saul and told him: “David has gone to Ahimelech's house”. 51:3 Why do you boast about evil accomplishments, you who are powerful in iniquity? 51:4 Your tongue spent all day devising injustice; you caused pain like sharp razor blades. 51:5 You chose to love evil over good; to speak wickedness over behaving morally. 51:6 You preferred all words of degenerate corruption: deceitful tongue. 51:7 Because God will destroy you to the end of time; he will pluck you, and take you out of your tent, and will uproot you from the land of the living. 51:8 The righteous will see, and will be in fear, and will laugh at him, saying: 51:9 There goes the man who did not make God his support; but relied on the abundance of his wealth, and found strength in his lies. 51:10 But I, I am like a fruit-bearing olive in the house of God; I placed my hope in the mercy of God, for eternity and all the ages. 51:11 I will praise you for eternity, for that which you have done and I will place my trust in your name, because it is good before your Saints. Translation by Campelli (from the Vulgate text)

English translation Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer 51:1 In the end, David's understanding, 51:2 when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. 51:3 Why boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant: that thou canst do mischief; 51:4 Whereas the goodness of God: endureth yet daily? 51:4 Thy tongue imagineth wickedness: and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp rasor. 51:5 Thou hast loved unrighteousness more then goodness: and to talk of lies more than righteousness. 51:6 Thou hast loved to speak all words that may do hurt: O thou false tongue. 51:7 Therefore shall God destroy thee for ever: : he shall take thee, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling, and root thee out of the land of the living. 51:8 The righteous also shall see this, and fear: and shall laugh him to scorn; 51:9 Lo, this is the man that took not God for his strength: but trusted unto the multitude of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. 51:10 As for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: my trust is in the tender mercy of God for ever and ever. 51:11 I will always give thanks unto thee for that thou hast done: and I will hope in thy Name, for thy saints like it well.

English translation King James Version 51:1 [To the chief Musician,] Maschil, A Psalm of David, 51:2 when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech. 51:3 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. 51:4 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 51:5 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. 51:6 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 51:7 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. 51:8 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: 51:9 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. 51:10 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. 51:11 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

German translation Lutherbibel, Psalm 52 51:1 Eine Unterweisung Davids, vorzusingen, 51:2 da Doeg, der Edomiter, kam und sagte Saul an und sprach: »David ist in Ahimelechs Haus kommen«. 51:3 Was trotzest du denn, du Tyrann, daß du kannst Schaden tun, so doch Gottes Güte noch täglich währet? 51:4 Deine Zunge trachtet nach Schaden und schneidet mit Lügen wie ein scharf Schermesser. 51:5 Du redest lieber Böses denn Gutes und falsch denn recht. Sela. 51:6 Du redest gern alles, was zu Verderben dienet, mit falscher Zunge. 51:7 Darum wird dich Gott auch ganz und gar zerstören und zerschlagen und aus der Hütte reißen und aus dem Lande der Lebendigen ausrotten. Sela. 51:8 Und die Gerechten werden's sehen und sich fürchten und werden sein lachen: 51:9 Siehe, das ist der Mann, der Gott nicht für seinen Trost hielt, sondern verließ sich auf seinen großen Reichtum und war mächtig, Schaden zutun. 51:10 Ich aber werde bleiben wie ein grüner Ölbaum im Hause Gottes, verlasse mich auf Gottes Güte immer und ewiglich. 51:11 Ich danke dir ewiglich, denn du kannst's wohl machen; und will harren auf deinen Namen, denn deine Heiligen haben Freude dran. Translation by Martin Luther

Hungarian translation Káldi fordítás (51. zsoltár) 51:1 Végig Dávid oktatása, 51:2 mikor elment az idumei Doeg és hirűl adá Saulnak: Dávid Akimelek házához ment. 51:3 Mit dicsekszel a gonoszságban, ki hatalmas vagy az igaztalanságban? 51:4 Napestig hamisságot gondolt nyelved; mint az éles borotva álnokságot cselekedtél. 51:5 Inkább szeretted a gonoszságot, mint a kegyességet, örömestebb szólottál hamisságot, mint igazat. 51:6 Szerettél minden veszedelmes igét, álnok nyelv! 51:7 Azért Isten megront téged végképen, kigyomlál téged, és kiköltöztet hajlékodból, és gyökeredet az élők földéből. 51:8 Látni fogják az igazak és megfélemlenek, és nevetnek rajta, és majd mondják: 51:9 Ime az ember, ki az Istent nem választotta segítőjének, hanem gazdagsága sokaságában bízott, és hatalmaskodott hiúságában. 51:10 Én pedig mint a gyümölcsöző olajfa Isten házában, bízom Isten irgalmában örökké és mindörökön örökké. 51:11 Hálát adok neked örökké, mert te cselekedted ezt, és reménylek a te nevedben, mert jó az szenteid színe előtt.

Metrical paraphrase by Joel Barlow, 1786

English text 1. Why should the haughty hero boast, His vengeful arm, his warlike host? While blood defiles his cruel hand, And desolation wastes the land. 2. He joys to hear the captive's cry, The widow's groan, the orphan's sigh; And when the wearied sword would spare, His falsehood spreads the fatal snare.

3. He triumphs in the deeds of wrong, And arms with rage his impious tongue; With pride proclaims his dreadful power, And bids the trembling world adore. 4. But God beholds and with a frown, Calls to the dust his honors down; The righteous freed, their hopes recall, And hail the proud oppressor's fall.

5. How low the insulting tyrant lies, Who dared the eternal power despise; And vainly deemed, with envious joy, His arm almighty to destroy. 6. We praise thee, Lord, who heard our cries, And sent salvation from the skies; The saints who saw our mournful days, Shall join our grateful songs of praise.