Book of Common Prayer
1 Blessed is the man, that goeth not in the counsel of wicked men; and stood not in the way of sinners, and sat not in the chair of pestilence. (Happy is the person who goeth not in the counsel of the wicked; and walketh not in the way of sinners, and sitteth not in the chair of pestilence.)
2 But his will is in the law of the Lord; and he shall bethink in the law of him day and night. (But his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and he shall think about his Law day and night.)
3 And he shall be as a tree, which is planted beside the runnings of waters; that shall give his fruit in his time. And his leaf shall not fall down; and all things, whichever he shall do, shall have prosperity. (And he shall be like a tree, which is planted beside the running water; it shall give its fruit at its proper time, and its leaves shall not fall down. Yea, everything, whatever he shall do, shall prosper.)
4 Not so wicked men, not so; but they be as dust, which the wind casteth away from the face of the earth. (Not so the wicked, not so; but they be like the dust, which the wind bloweth away from off the face of the earth.)
5 Therefore wicked men rise not again in doom; neither sinners in the council of just men. (And so the wicked shall not stand long at the judgement; nor shall the sinners stand with the congregation of the righteous.)
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of just men; and the way of wicked men shall perish. (For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the wicked shall perish on their own way.)
2 Why gnashed with teeth heathen men; and peoples thought vain things? (Why do the heathen gnash with their teeth? and the peoples think up useless plans?)
2 The kings of earth stood together; and princes came together against the Lord, and against his Christ. (The kings of the earth stood together; yea, the rulers came together against the Lord, and against his anointed king.)
3 Break we the bonds of them; and cast we away the yoke of them from us. (And they said, Let us break their bonds, that is, their rule over us; yea, let us throw off their yoke from us.)
4 He that dwelleth in heavens shall scorn them; and the Lord shall bemock them. (But he who liveth in heaven shall scorn them; yea, the Lord shall mock them.)
5 Then he shall speak to them in his wrath; and he shall trouble them in his strong vengeance. (And then he shall speak to them in his anger; and he shall trouble them with his fury.)
6 Soothly I am ordained of him a king upon Zion, his holy hill; (And the Lord saith of me, I have set my king upon Zion; upon my holy hill.)
7 preaching his commandment. The Lord said to me, Thou art my son; I have begotten thee today. (And I said, I shall tell out his decree. Then the Lord said to me, Thou art my son; and today I have become thy father.)
8 Ask thou of me, and I shall give to thee heathen men (for) thine heritage; and (for) thy possession the terms of earth. (Ask thou of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thy inheritance; and the ends of the earth for thy possession.)
9 Thou shalt govern them in an iron rod; and thou shalt break them together as the vessel of a potter. (Thou shalt govern them with an iron rod; and thou shalt break them in pieces, like a clay pot.)
10 And now, ye kings, understand; ye that deem the earth, be ye learned. (And so now, ye kings, understand; ye who judge, or who rule, the earth, learn your lesson!)
11 Serve ye the Lord with dread; and make ye full out joy to him with trembling. (Serve ye the Lord in fear/Serve ye the Lord with reverence; and bow down before him with trembling.)
12 Take ye lore of chastising; lest the Lord be wroth sometime, and ye perish from the just way. When his wrath shall burn out in short time; blessed be all they, that trust in him. (Kiss ye the King, that is, worship and serve him; lest sometime, the Lord be angry. And then, ye perish on the way; when, in a moment of time, his anger flareth up. Happy be all they, who trust in him.)
3 The psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Absalom, his son. Lord, why be they multiplied that trouble me? many men rise against me. (The song of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. Lord, why be there so many who trouble me? why be there so many who rise up against me?)
2 Many men say of my soul, None health there is to him in his God. (Many say of me, There is no help for him from his God.)
3 But thou, Lord, art mine up-taker; my glory, and enhancing mine head. (But thou, Lord, art my defender; my glory, and the one who lifteth up my head.)
4 With my voice I cried to the Lord; and he heard me from his holy hill. (I cried to the Lord with my voice; and he answered me from his holy hill.)
5 I slept, and rested, and I rose up; for the Lord received me (for the Lord had protected me).
6 I shall not dread thousands of people (en)compassing me; (I shall not fear even thousands of people surrounding me;)
7 Lord, arise thou; my God, make me safe. For thou hast smitten all men being adversaries to me without cause; thou hast all-broken the teeth of sinners. (Lord, rise thou up; my God, save me. Thou hast struck down all who be my adversaries; thou hast broken all the teeth of the sinners.)
8 Health is of the Lord; and thy blessing is on thy people. (Victory is from the Lord/Salvation, or deliverance, is from the Lord; and thy blessing is upon thy people.)
4 To the victory in organs, the psalm of David. When I inwardly called, God of my rightwiseness heard me; in tribulation thou hast alarged to me. Have thou mercy on me; and hear thou my prayer. (To victory, on instruments, the song of David. Please answer me when I call thee, O God of my righteousness. For when I was in trouble, thou set me free, or at large. So have thou mercy on me; and hear thou my prayer.)
2 Sons of men, how long be ye of heavy heart? why love ye vanity, and seek leasing? (Sons and daughters of men, how long shall ye insult me? why love ye empty and futile, or worthless, things, and go after lies?)
3 And know ye, that the Lord hath made marvellous his holy man; the Lord shall hear me, when I shall cry to him. (And know ye, that the Lord hath chosen the holy man for his own/that the Lord hath shown me his wondrous love; and that the Lord shall hear me, when I shall cry to him.)
4 Be ye wroth, and do not ye sin; and for those evils to which ye say in your hearts and in your beds, be ye compunct. (Be ye angry, but sin ye not; and have ye remorse for the evils which ye say in your hearts, and in your beds.)
5 Sacrifice ye the sacrifice of rightfulness/Offer ye an offering of rightfulness, and hope ye in the Lord; (Offer ye a righteous sacrifice, and trust ye in the Lord;)
6 many say, Who showed good things to us? Lord, the light of thy cheer is marked upon us; (many say, Who hath shown us any good thing? Lord, shine the light of thy face upon us!)
7 thou hast given gladness in mine heart. They be multiplied of the fruit of wheat, and of wine; and of their oil. (But thou hast put more gladness in my heart, than they have ever had; yea, even when their corn, and their wine, were plentiful.)
8 In peace in the same thing; I shall sleep, and take rest. For thou, Lord; hast set me singularly in hope/hast set me only in hope. (And so I shall lie down in peace; and sleep. For thou alone, Lord, hast given me hope/hast made me safe.)
7 For the ignorance of David, which he sang to the Lord, on the words of (the) Ethiopian, the son of Benjamin. My Lord God, I have hoped in thee; make thou me safe from all that pursue me, and deliver thou me. (For the sin of ignorance by David, which he sang to the Lord, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. My Lord God, I put my trust in thee; save thou me from all who persecute me, and rescue thou me.)
2 Lest any time he as a lion ravish my soul; while none there is that again-buyeth, neither that maketh safe. (Lest any time they tear me apart like a lion; when there is no one who can save me.)
3 My Lord God, if I did this thing, if wickedness is in mine hands, or works (if there is wickedness, or a stain, upon my hands, or deeds);
4 if I yielded to men yielding to me evils, fall I by deserving void from mine enemies; (if I gave back evil to those who first did good to me, let me deservedly fall before my enemies;)
5 mine enemy pursue he my soul, and take he, and defoul my life in earth; and bring my glory into dust. (let my enemy persecute me, and take hold of me, and tread me down into the ground; and bring my honour down into the dust, or down into the dirt.)
6 Lord, rise thou up in thine ire; and be thou raised (up) in the coasts of mine enemies. And, my Lord God, rise thou up in the commandment, which thou hast commanded (And, my Lord God, rise thou up in the justice, or in the judgement, which thou hast commanded);
7 and the synagogue of peoples shall (en)compass thee. And for this go thou again on high; (and the congregation of the people shall surround thee. And for them, go thou again on high;)
8 the Lord deemeth peoples. Lord, deem thou me by my rightfulness; and by mine innocence on me. (and then let the Lord judge the people. Lord, judge thou me according to my righteousness; and the innocence which is in me.)
9 The wickedness of sinners be ended; and thou, God, seeking the hearts, that is, thoughts, and reins, that is, delightings, shall (ad)dress a just man. (Let the wickedness of the sinners be ended; and thou, O God, who judgeth our thoughts, and our desires, shall direct the righteous.)
10 My just help is of the Lord; that maketh safe rightful men in heart. (My righteous help is from the Lord; who saveth the upright in heart.)
11 The Lord is a just judge, strong and patient; whether he is wroth by all days? (The Lord is a righteous judge; every day he is angry with the wicked.)
12 If ye be not converted (If they be not turned from their evil ways), he shall flourish his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 And therein he hath made ready the vessels of death; he hath fully made his arrows with burning things.
14 Lo! the wicked hath conceived sorrow; he painfully hath brought forth unrightfulness, and he hath childed wickedness. (Lo! he who is wicked hath conceived many ways to bring sorrow; yea, he hath painfully brought forth unrighteousness, and he hath birthed wickedness.)
15 He opened a pit, and digged it out; and he fell into the ditch which he made. (He opened a pit, and dug it out; but he himself shall fall into the ditch, which he hath made.)
16 His sorrow shall be turned into his head; and his wickedness shall come down into his neck. (His sorrow shall return onto his own head; and his wickedness shall come down onto his own neck.)
17 I shall acknowledge to the Lord by his rightfulness; and I shall sing to the name of the highest Lord. (I shall praise the Lord for his righteousness; and I shall sing to the name of the Most High Lord.)
1 In the third year of the realm of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah), Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 And the Lord betook in his hand Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and he took a part of the vessels of the house of God; and he bare out those into the land of Shinar, into the house of his god, and he took the vessels into the house of treasure of his god. (And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, into his power, and he took some of the vessels of the House of God; and he carried them back to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he put the vessels in the treasure house of his god.)
3 And the king said to Ashpenaz, sovereign of his honest servants and chaste, that he should bring in of the sons of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and the children of tyrants, [or (of) strong men,] (And the king said to Ashpenaz, the ruler of his honest and chaste servants, that is, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the Israelites, yea, some of the king’s descendants, and some of the young men of the strong men,)
4 in which were no wem, fair in shape, and learned in all wisdom, wary in knowing, and taught in chastising, either learning, and that might stand in the palace of the king, that he should teach them the letters and language of Chaldees. (in whom there was no blemish, or fault, comely in shape, and learned in all wisdom, yea, knowledgeable, and taught in learning, or in the disciplines, and who might stand in the palace of the king, so that he could teach them the letters and the language of the Chaldeans.)
5 And the king ordained to them lifelode by each day of his meats, and of the wine whereof he drank; that they nourished by three years, should stand afterward before the sight of the king. (And the king ordained for them the daily sustenance of his food, and the wine which he drank; and that after they were nourished for three years, they would stand before the king.)
6 Therefore Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, of the sons of Judah, were among them. (And so Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, of the sons of Judah, were among them.)
7 And the sovereign of the honest servants and chaste putted to them names (And the ruler of the honest and chaste servants, that is, the master of the eunuchs, gave them new names); to Daniel he putted Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach, and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 Forsooth Daniel purposed in his heart, that he should not be defouled of the board of the king, neither of the wine of his drink; and he prayed the sovereign of the honest servants and chaste, that he should not be defouled. (But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled with the king’s food, nor with his wine to drink; and he beseeched the ruler of the eunuchs, that he might not be so defiled.)
9 Forsooth God gave grace and mercy to Daniel, in the sight of the prince of honest servants and chaste. (And God made the ruler of the eunuchs to show grace and mercy to Daniel.)
10 And the prince of honest servants and chaste said to Daniel, I dread my lord the king, that ordained to you meat and drink; and if he see your faces leaner than (the) other young waxing men, your even-eld(er)s, ye shall condemn mine head to the king. (And the ruler of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who ordained for you food and drink; for if he shall see your faces leaner than the other young men, yea, your fellows, then ye shall condemn my head to the king.)
11 And Daniel said to Melzar, whom the prince of honest servants and chaste had ordained on Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (And Daniel said to Melzar, whom the ruler of the eunuchs had ordained over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,)
12 I beseech, assay thou us thy servants by ten days, and pottages be given to us to eat, and water to drink; (I beseech thee, assay thou us thy servants for ten days, and let vegetables be given to us to eat, and water to drink;)
13 and behold thou our cheers, and the cheers of children that eat the king’s meat; and as thou seest, so do thou with thy servants. (and look thou upon our faces, and upon the faces of the young men who eat the king’s food; and as thou seest fit, so do thou with thy servants.)
14 And when he heard such a word, he assayed them (for) ten days.
15 Forsooth after ten days the cheers of them appeared better and fatter, than all the children that ate the king’s meat. (And after ten days their faces appeared better and fatter, than all the other young men who ate the king’s food.)
16 Certainly Melzar took [away] the meats, and the wine of the drink of them, and gave them pottages. (And so Melzar took away the food, and the wine, and gave them vegetables to eat, and water to drink.)
17 Forsooth to these children God gave knowing and learning in each book, and in all wisdom; but to Daniel God gave understanding of all visions and dreams. (And to these young men God gave knowledge from each book, and learning from all wisdom; but to Daniel alone God gave understanding of all visions and dreams.)
18 Therefore when the days were [ful]filled, after which the king said, that they should be brought in, the sovereign of honest servants and chaste brought in them, in the sight of Nebuchadnezzar. (And so when the days were fulfilled, after which the king had said, that they should be brought in, the ruler of the eunuchs brought them in, before Nebuchadnezzar.)
19 And when the king had spoken to them, such were not found of all, as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and they stood in the sight of the king. (And when the king had spoken to them, such was not found from any of the others, as from Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they stood before the king, that is, and so they entered into his service.)
20 And each word of wisdom and of understanding, which the king asked of them, he found in them tenfold, over all false diviners and astronomers, that were in all his realm (over all the fortunetellers, and the astrologers, who were in all his kingdom).
21 Forsooth Daniel was (there) till to the first year of king Cyrus.
1 That thing that was from the beginning [Which thing was from the beginning], which we heard, which we saw with our eyes, which we beheld, and our hands touched, of the word of life;
2 and the life is showed. And we saw, and witness, and tell to you the everlasting life, that was with the Father, and appeared to us.
3 Therefore that thing, that we saw, and heard, we tell to you, that also ye have fellowship with us, and our fellowship be with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And we write this thing to you [And this thing we write to you], that ye have joy, and that your joy be full.
5 And this is the telling, that we heard of him, and tell to you, that God is light, and there be no darknesses in him.
6 If we say, that we have fellowship with him, and we wander in darknesses, we lie, and do not truth.
7 But if we walk in light, as also he is in light, we have fellowship together; and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say, that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us.
9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just, that he forgive to us our sins, and cleanse us from all wickedness.
10 And if we say [If we say], that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
17 These things Jesus spake, and when he had cast up his eyes into heaven [and the eyes lifted up to heaven], he said, Father, the hour cometh, clarify thy Son, that thy Son clarify thee.
2 As thou hast given to him power on each flesh, that all thing that thou hast given to him, he give to them everlasting life.
3 And this is everlasting life, that they know thee very God alone [that they know thee alone very God], and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ.
4 I have clarified thee on the earth, I have ended the work, that thou hast given to me to do.
5 And now, Father, clarify thou me at thyself, with the clearness that I had at thee, before the world was made.
6 I have showed thy name to those men, which thou hast given to me of the world [I have showed thy name to the men, whom thou hast given to me of the world]; they were thine, and thou hast given them to me, and they have kept thy word.
7 And now they have known, that all things that thou hast given to me, be of thee.
8 For the words that thou hast given to me, I gave to them; and they have taken, and have known verily, that I went out from thee; and they believed, that thou sentest me.
9 I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them that thou hast given to me, for they be thine.
10 And all my things be thine, and thy things be mine [And all mine things be thine, and thine things be mine]; and I am clarified in them.
11 And now I am not in the world, and these be in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given to me [whom thou hast given to me], that they be one, as we be.
2001 by Terence P. Noble