Verse 1
Latin
Salvum me fac, Domine, quoniam defecit sanctus: quoniam diminutae sunt veritates a filiis hominum.
English
Save me, O Lord, for the godly one has vanished; for truth has grown scarce among the children of men.
Notes
salvus, -a, -um — safe, unharmed
facio, facere, feci, factum — to make, do; salvum me fac = save me
deficio, -ere, defeci, defectum — to fail, disappear
sanctus, -a, -um — holy, godly, righteous person
diminutus (from diminuo, -ere, -ui, -utum) — diminished, made small, reduced
veritas, -atis (f.) — truth, honesty
filius, -i (m.) — son, child
homo, hominis (m.) — man, human being
Verse 2
Latin
Vana locuti sunt unusquisque ad proximum suum: labia dolosa, in corde et corde locuti sunt.
English
Each one speaks vanity to his neighbour; with deceitful lips they speak, with a double heart.
Notes
vanus, -a, -um — empty, vain, false
loquor, loqui, locutus sum — to speak (deponent)
unusquisque — each one
proximus, -i (m.) — neighbour, one nearby
labium, -i (n.) — lip, speech
dolus, -i (m.) — deceit, trickery (dolosa labia = deceitful lips)
cor, cordis (n.) — heart, mind, spirit
Verse 3
Latin
Disperdat Dominus universa labia dolosa, et linguam magniloquam.
English
May the Lord destroy all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things.
Notes
disperdo, -ere, -didi, -ditum — to destroy, bring to nothing
universus, -a, -um — all, the whole
lingua, -ae (f.) — tongue, language, speech
magniloquus, -a, -um — boastful, proud-speaking (magnum + loquor)
Verse 4
Latin
Qui dixerunt: Linguam nostram magnificabimus, labia nostra a nobis sunt: quis noster Dominus est?
English
They have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own—who is lord over us?”
Notes
dico, -ere, dixi, dictum — to say, speak
magnifico, -are, -avi, -atum — to magnify, make great
labia nostra a nobis sunt — “our lips are our own” (idiom of defiance)
Dominus, -i (m.) — lord, master
Verse 5
Latin
Propter miseriam inopum, et gemitum pauperum, nunc exsurgam, dicit Dominus. Ponam in salutari; fiducialiter agam in eo.
English
Because of the misery of the poor and the groaning of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord. I will set him in safety; I will deal securely with him.
Notes
miseria, -ae (f.) — misery, distress
inops, inopis — poor, destitute
gemitus, -us (m.) — groaning, sigh
pauper, -eris (adj./noun) — poor, needy
exsurgo, -ere, exsurrexi, exsurrectum — to rise up, arise
salutaris, -e — saving, delivering
fiducialiter — confidently, securely (from fiducia, trust)
Verse 6
Latin
Eloquia Domini, eloquia casta: argentum igne examinatum, probatum terrae, purgatum septuplum.
English
The words of the Lord are pure words: silver tried in the fire, tested upon the earth, refined sevenfold.
Notes
eloquium, -i (n.) — word, utterance, saying
castus, -a, -um — pure, chaste
argentum, -i (n.) — silver, money
ignis, -is (m.) — fire
examino, -are — to test, weigh, examine
probo, -are, -avi, -atum — to prove, test, approve
terra, -ae (f.) — earth, ground
purgo, -are, -avi, -atum — to cleanse, purify
septuplum (adv./adj.) — sevenfold
Verse 7
Latin
Tu, Domine, servabis nos, et custodies nos a generatione hac in aeternum.
English
You, O Lord, shall keep us, and preserve us from this generation for ever.
Notes
servo, -are, -avi, -atum — to keep, save, preserve
custodio, -ire, -ivi, -itum — to guard, protect
generatio, -onis (f.) — generation, age
in aeternum — for ever, eternally
Verse 8
Latin
In circuitu impii ambulant: secundum altitudinem tuam multiplicasti filios hominum.
English
The wicked walk round about; according to your exaltation, you have multiplied the children of men.
Notes
circuitus, -us (m.) — going around, circuit
impius, -a, -um — ungodly, wicked
ambulo, -are, -avi, -atum — to walk
altitudo, -inis (f.) — height, exaltation, loftiness
multiplico, -are, -avi, -atum — to multiply, increase
filius hominum — sons of men, humankind