16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;

the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,

all the nations that forget God.

18 But God will never forget the needy;

the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

16 The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment;

the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked shall return to Sheol,

all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

16 The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: The expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

16 The Lord is known for his justice.

The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.

Quiet Interlude

17 The wicked will go down to the grave.

This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.

18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;

the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

16 The Lord has made himself known by his fair decisions;

the wicked get trapped by what they do.

Higgaion. Selah

17 Wicked people will go to the grave,

and so will all those who forget God.

18 But those who have troubles will not be forgotten.

The hopes of the poor will never die.

16 Jehovah hath made himself known, he hath executed judgment:

The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

17 The wicked shall be turned back unto Sheol,

Even all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten,

Nor the expectation of the poor perish for ever.

16 Jehovah is known by the judgment he hath executed: the wicked is ensnared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. 17 The wicked shall be turned into Sheol, all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy one shall not be forgotten alway; the hope of the meek shall not perish for ever.

16 The Lord is known by the judgment he has carried out. 

The wicked person is trapped 

by the work of his own hands. 

Higgaion Selah 

17 Wicked people, all the nations who forget God, 

will return to the grave. 

18 Needy people will not always be forgotten. 

Nor will the hope of oppressed people be lost forever. 

16 The Lord has revealed Himself;

He has executed justice,

striking down the wicked

by the work of their hands. Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked will return to Sheol —

all the nations that forget God.

18 For the oppressed will not always be forgotten;

the hope of the afflicted will not perish forever.

16 The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment;

the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked shall depart to Sheol,

all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

16 Yahweh has made himself known;

he has executed judgment.

The wicked is snared by the work of his hands. Higgaion Selah

17 The wicked shall turn back to Sheol,

all the nations forgetting God,

18 for the needy shall not always be forgotten;

the hope of the poor shall never perish.

16 The Lord is known to be fair.

Evil people are trapped by what they have done. Higgaion. Selah

17 Sinful people go down to the grave.

So do all the nations that forget God.

18 But those who are in need will always be remembered.

The hope of those who are hurting will never die.

16 The Lord has made Himself known;

He has executed judgment.

In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared.

Higgaion Selah.

17 The wicked will return to Sheol,

Even all the nations who forget God.

18 For the needy will not always be forgotten,

Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.