1. Salvum me fac, Domine, quoniam defecit sanctus: quoniam diminutae sunt veritates a filiis hominum.
Save me, O Lord, for the holy one has failed: for truths have diminished among the sons of men.
Notes:
- fac – 2nd sg. pres. act. impv. of facio, facere, feci, factum – do, make; here “make safe = save.”
- defecit – 3rd sg. perf. act. ind. of deficio, deficere, defeci, defectum – to fail, cease.
- diminutae sunt – 3rd pl. perf. pass. ind. of diminuo, minuere, minui, minutum – to diminish.
- sanctus, -i (m.) – “holy one, faithful one.”
- veritas, -atis (f.) – “truth, faithfulness, honesty.”
2. Vana locuti sunt unusquisque ad proximum suum: labia dolosa, in corde et corde locuti sunt.
They have spoken vain things, each one to his neighbour: with deceitful lips, they have spoken with a double heart.
Notes:
- locuti sunt – 3rd pl. perf. dep. ind. of loquor, loqui, locutus sum – to speak.
- vanus, -a, -um – “empty, vain, false.”
- proximus, -i (m.) – “neighbour, the one near.”
- labia dolosa – “deceitful lips.” labium, -i (n.) – “lip.” dolus, -i (m.) – “trick, deceit.”
- in corde et corde – idiom: “with a double heart,” i.e. duplicity.
3. Disperdat Dominus universa labia dolosa, et linguam magniloquam.
May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips, and the boastful tongue.
Notes:
- disperdat – 3rd sg. pres. act. subj. of disperdo, disperdere, disperdidi, disperditum – to destroy.
- universus, -a, -um – “all, the whole.”
- lingua, -ae (f.) – “tongue, speech, language.”
- magniloquus, -a, -um – “speaking great things, boastful.”
4. Qui dixerunt: Linguam nostram magnificabimus, labia nostra a nobis sunt, quis noster Dominus est?
Those who said: We will make our tongue great; our lips are our own; who is Lord over us?
Notes:
- dixerunt – 3rd pl. perf. act. ind. of dico, dicere – to say.
- magnificabimus – 1st pl. fut. act. ind. of magnifico, magnificare, magnificavi, magnificatum – to magnify.
- quis – interrogative pronoun = “who?”
5. Propter miseriam inopum, et gemitum pauperum, nunc exsurgam, dicit Dominus. Ponam in salutari: fiducialiter agam in eo.
Because of the misery of the needy, and the groaning of the poor, now I will arise, says the Lord. I will place in salvation: I will act confidently in him.
Notes:
- miseria, -ae (f.) – “misery, wretchedness.”
- inops, inopis (adj. used as noun) – “helpless, destitute, without resources.”
- gemitus, -us (m.) – “groan, sigh, lament.”
- pauper, -is (m./f.) – “poor person, of few means.”
- exsurgam – 1st sg. fut. act. ind. of exsurgo, exsurgere, exsurrexi, exsurrectum – to rise up.
- ponam – 1st sg. fut. act. ind. of pono, ponere – to place.
- fiducialiter – “confidently, trustfully.”
6. Eloquia Domini, eloquia casta: argentum igne examinatum, probatum terrae, purgatum septuplum.
The words of the Lord are pure words: silver tested by fire, proved in the earth, purified seven times.
Notes:
- eloquium, -i (n.) – “utterance, saying, word.” Plural: eloquia – “sayings, words.”
- castus, -a, -um – “pure, chaste, untainted.”
- argentum, -i (n.) – “silver.”
- examinatum – perf. pass. participle of examino, examinare – “to weigh, test, assay.”
- probo, probare – “to test, prove genuine.”
- septuplum – “sevenfold, purified seven times.”
7. Tu, Domine, servabis nos: et custodies nos a generatione hac in aeternum.
You, O Lord, will keep us: and you will guard us from this generation forever.
Notes:
- servo, servare – to keep, preserve.
- custodio, custodire – to guard.
- generatio, -onis (f.) – “generation, age, people of an age.”
8. In circuitu impii ambulant: secundum altitudinem tuam multiplicasti filios hominum.
The wicked walk round about: according to your height you have multiplied the sons of men.
Notes:
- circuitus, -us (m.) – “going around, circuit.”
- impius, -a, -um – “ungodly, wicked.”
- ambulo, ambulare – to walk.
- altitudo, -inis (f.) – “height, loftiness”; can also suggest “arrogance.”
- multiplico, multiplicare – to multiply.
- filii hominum – “sons of men, human beings.”