109:4 They repay my love with accusations, 1
but I continue to pray. 2
109:5 They repay me evil for good, 3
and hate for love.
109:6 4 Appoint an evil man to testify against him! 5
May an accuser stand 6 at his right side!
109:7 When he is judged, he will be found 7 guilty! 8
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.
109:8 May his days be few! 9
May another take his job! 10
109:9 May his children 11 be fatherless,
and his wife a widow!
109:10 May his children 12 roam around begging,
asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home! 13
109:11 May the creditor seize 14 all he owns!
May strangers loot his property! 15
109:12 May no one show him kindness! 16
May no one have compassion 17 on his fatherless children!
109:13 May his descendants 18 be cut off! 19
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives! 20
109:14 May his ancestors’ 21 sins be remembered by the Lord!
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten! 22
109:15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them, 23
and cut off the memory of his children 24 from the earth!
109:16 For he never bothered to show kindness; 25
he harassed the oppressed and needy,
and killed the disheartened. 26
109:17 He loved to curse 27 others, so those curses have come upon him. 28
He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings. 29
109:18 He made cursing a way of life, 30
so curses poured into his stomach like water
and seeped into his bones like oil. 31
109:19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on, 32
or a belt 33 one wears continually!
109:20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way, 34
those who say evil things about 35 me! 36