Ut quid, Deus. A prayer of the church under grievous persecutions.

 1 Understanding for Asaph. O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?
Intellectus Asaph. Ut quid, Deus, repulisti in finem, iratus est furor tuus super oves pascuae tuae?

 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast possessed from the beginning. The sceptre of thy inheritance which thou hast redeemed: mount Sion in which thou hast dwelt.
Memor esto congregationis tuae, quam possedisti ab initio. Redemisti virgam haereditatis tuae, mons Sion, in quo habitasti in eo.

 3 Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.
Leva manus tuas in superbias eorum in finem. Quanta malignatus est inimicus in sancto!

 4 And they that hate thee have made their boasts, in the midst of thy solemnity. They have set up their ensigns for signs,
Et gloriati sunt qui oderunt te in medio solemnitatis tuae; posuerunt signa sua, signa;

 5 And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,
et non cognoverunt sicut in exitu super summum. Quasi in silva lignorum securibus

 6 They have cut down at once the gates thereof, with axe and hatchet they have brought it down.
exciderunt januas ejus in idipsum; in securi et ascia dejecerunt eam.

 7 They have set fire to thy sanctuary: they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name on the earth.
Incenderunt igni sanctuarium tuum, in terra polluerunt tabernaculum nominis tui.

 8 They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: Let us abolish all the festival days of God from the land.
Dixerunt in corde suo cognatio eorum simul : quiescere faciamus omnes dies festos Dei a terra.

 9 Our signs we have not seen, there is now no prophet: and he will know us no more.
Signa nostra non vidimus; jam non est propheta; et nos non cognoscet amplius.

 10 How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach: is the adversary to provoke thy name for ever?
Usquequo, Deus, improperabit inimicus? irritat adversarius nomen tuum in finem?

 11 Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?
Ut quid avertis manum tuam, et dexteram tuam de medio sinu tuo in finem?

 12 But God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.
Deus autem rex noster ante saecula, operatus est salutem in medio terrae.

 13 Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Tu confirmasti in virtute tua mare; contribulasti capita draconum in aquis.

 14 Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.
Tu confregisti capita draconis; dedisti eum escam populis Aethiopum.

 15 Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.
Tu dirupisti fontes et torrentes; tu siccasti fluvios Ethan.

 16 Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.
Tuus est dies, et tua est nox; tu fabricatus es auroram et solem.

 17 Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.
Tu fecisti omnes terminos terrae; aestatem et ver tu plasmasti ea.

 18 Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.
Memor esto hujus, inimicus improperavit Domino, et populus insipiens incitavit nomen tuum.

 19 Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.
Ne tradas bestiis animas confitentes tibi, et animas pauperum tuorum ne obliviscaris in finem.

 20 Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.
Respice in testamentum tuum, quia repleti sunt qui obscurati sunt terrae domibus iniquitatum.

 21 Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.
Ne avertatur humilis factus confusus; pauper et inops laudabunt nomen tuum.

 22 Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.
Exsurge, Deus, judica causam tuam; memor esto improperiorum tuorum, eorum quae ab insipiente sunt tota die.

 23 Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.
Ne obliviscaris voces inimicorum tuorum : superbia eorum qui te oderunt ascendit semper.