| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? | 1For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity? |
| 2No, in heart you work wickedness; You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth. | 2No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth. |
| 3The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. | 3Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies. |
| 4Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, | 4Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, |
| 5Which will not heed the voice of charmers, Charming ever so skillfully. | 5that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be. |
| 6Break their teeth in their mouth, O God! Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! | 6Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions! |
| 7Let them flow away as waters which run continually; When he bends his bow, Let his arrows be as if cut in pieces. | 7Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short. |
| 8Let them be like a snail which melts away as it goes, Like a stillborn child of a woman, that they may not see the sun. | 8May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along, like a stillborn child that never sees the sun. |
| 9Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath. | 9Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns-- whether they be green or dry--the wicked will be swept away. |
| 10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, | 10The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked. |
| 11So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.” | 11Then people will say, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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