20 ⁷ O Yahweh, you have deceived me,
and I was deceived;
you are stronger than I,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all the day;
every one mocks me.
20 ⁸ For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I shout, "Violence and destruction!"
For the word of Yahweh has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
20 ⁹ If I say, "I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,"
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot.
20 ¹⁰ For I hear many whispering.
Terror is on every side!
"Denounce him! Let us denounce him!"
say all my familiar friends,
watching for my fall.
"Perhaps he will be deceived,
then we can overcome him,
and take our revenge on him."
20 ¹¹ But Yahweh is with me as a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
they will not overcome me.
They will be greatly shamed,
for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonour
will never be forgotten.
20 ¹² O Yahweh of hosts, who tries the righteous,
who sees the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.

20 ¹³ Sing to Yahweh;
praise Yahweh!
For he has delivered the life of the needy
from the hand of evildoers.

20 ¹⁴ Cursed be the day on which I was born!
The day when my mother bore me,
let it not be blessed!
20 ¹⁵ Cursed be the man
who brought the news to my father,
"A son is born to you,"
making him very glad.
20 ¹⁶ Let that man be like the cities
which Yahweh overthrew without pity;
let him hear a cry in the morning
and an alarm at noon,
20 ¹⁷ because he did not kill me in the womb;
so my mother would have been my grave,
and her womb for ever great.
20 ¹⁸ Why did I come forth from the womb
to see toil and sorrow,
and spend my days in shame?