Psalms of Solomon 4

1Wherefore sittest thou, O profane (man), in the council of the pious, Seeing that thy heart is far removed from the Lord, Provoking with transgressions the God of Israel

2Extravagant in speech, extravagant in outward seeming beyond all (men), Is he that is severe of speech in condemning sinners in judgment.

3And his hand is first upon him as (though he acted) in zeal, And (yet) he is himself guilty in respect of manifold sins and of wantonness.

4His eyes are upon every woman without distinction; His tongue lieth when he maketh contract with an oath.

5By night and in secret he sinneth as though unseen, With his eyes he talketh to every woman of evil compacts.

6He is swift to enter every house with cheerfulness as though guileless.

7Let God remove those that live in hypocrisy in the company of the pious, (Even) the life of such an one with corruption of his flesh and penury.

8Let God reveal the deeds of the men-pleasers, The deeds of such an one with laughter and derision;

9That the pious may count righteous the judgment of their God, When sinners are removed from before the righteous,

10(Even the) man-pleaser who uttereth law guilefully.

11And their eyes (are fixed) upon any man's house that is (still) secure, That they may, like (the) Serpent, destroy the wisdom of . . . with words of transgressors,

12His words are deceitful that (he) may accomplish (his) wicked desire.

13He never ceaseth from scattering (families) as though (they were) orphans, Yea, he layeth waste a house on account of (his) lawless desire.

14He deceiveth with words, (saying,) There is none that seeth, or judgeth.

15He fills one (house) with lawlessness, And (then) his eyes (are fixed) upon the next house, To destroy it with words that give wing to (desire). (Yet) with all these his soul, like Sheol, is not sated.

16Let his portion, O Lord, be dishonoured before thee; Let him go forth groaning and come home cursed.

17Let his life be (spent) in anguish, and penury, and want, O Lord; Let his sleep be (beset) with pains and his awaking with perplexities.

18Let sleep be withdrawn from his eyelids at night; Let him fail dishonorably in every work of his hands.

19Let him come home empty-handed to his house, And his house be void of everything wherewith he could sate his appetite.

20(Let) his old age (be spent) in childless loneliness until his removal (by death).

21Let the flesh of the men-pleasers be rent by wild beasts, And (let) the bones of the lawless (lie) dishonored in the sight of the sun.

22Let ravens peck out the eyes of the hypocrites.

23For they have laid waste many houses of men, in dishonor, And scattered (them) in (their) lust;

24And they have not remembered God, Nor feared God in all these things;

25But they have provoked God's anger and vexed Him. May He remove them from off the earth, Because with deceit they beguiled the souls of the flawless.

26Blessed are they that fear the Lord in their flawlessness;

27The Lord shall deliver them from guileful men and sinners, And deliver us from every stumbling-block of the lawless (men).

28Let God destroy them that insolently work all unrighteousness, For a great and mighty judge is the Lord our God in righteousness.

29Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon all them that love Thee.