| 1. Of David. Do not compete with the evildoers; do not envy those who commit injustice. |
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א. לְדָוִד | אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְּרֵעִים אַל תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה: |
| Do not compete with the evildoers: He reproves Israel that they should not compete with the success of the evildoers to do as their deeds, as (in Jer. 12:5): “how will you compete (תתחרה) with horses,” to run as they run, a atir in Old French, to compete. |
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| do not envy those who commit injustice: to commit injustice like them. |
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| 2. For they will be speedily cut off like grass and wither like green vegetation. |
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ב. כִּי כֶחָצִיר מְהֵרָה יִמָּלוּ וּכְיֶרֶק דֶּשֶׁא יִבּוֹלוּן: |
| they will be… cut off: Heb. ימלו, seront tronke in Old French, they will be cut off, an expression of cutting off. |
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| 3. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and be nourished by faith. |
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ג. בְּטַח בַּיהֹוָה וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה: |
| Trust in the Lord: and do not say, “If I do not rob and steal,” or “If I give charity to a poor man, how will I sustain myself?” |
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| and do good: Then you will dwell in the land for a long time. |
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| and be nourished by faith: You will eat and be sustained from the reward of [your] faith, that you believed in the Holy One, blessed be He, to rely on Him and do good. |
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| 4. So shall you delight in the Lord, and He will give you what your heart desires. |
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ד. וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל יְהֹוָה וְיִתֶּן לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלֹת לִבֶּךָ: |
| So shall you delight in the Lord: Enjoy delights by being supported by the Holy One, blessed be He. |
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| 5. Commit your way to the Lord, and trust in Him and He will act. |
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ה. גּוֹל עַל יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ וּבְטַח עָלָיו וְהוּא יַעֲשֶׂה: |
| Commit your way to the Lord: Commit all your needs to Him. |
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| 6. And He will reveal your righteousness like the light, and your judgments like noon. |
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ו. וְהוֹצִיא כָאוֹר צִדְקֶךָ וּמִשְׁפָּטֶךָ כַּצָּהֳרָיִם: |
| 7. Wait for the Lord and hope for Him; do not compete with one whose way prospers, with a man who executes malicious plans. |
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ז. דּוֹם | לַיהֹוָה וְהִתְחוֹלֵל לוֹ אַל תִּתְחַר בְּמַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכּוֹ בְּאִישׁ עֹשֶׂה מְזִמּוֹת: |
| Wait for the Lord: Heb. דום. Wait for His salvation, as (in I Sam. 14:9): “If they say thus to us, ‘Wait (דמו) !’ ” mentioned regarding Jonathan. Menachem (p. 64), however, associates it as an expression of silence, as (in Lev. 10:3): “and Aaron was silent (וידם).” He likewise interpreted (Lam. 3:26): "It is good that one should wait quietly (ודומם) in this manner, and Dunash (p. 27) concurs with him. |
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| and hope: Heb. והתחולל, an expression of hope (תוחלת). |
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| do not compete: saying, “I will be as wicked as he, and I will prosper as he does.” |
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| 8. Desist from anger and forsake wrath; do not compete only to do evil. |
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ח. הֶרֶף מֵאַף וַעֲזֹב חֵמָה אַל תִּתְחַר אַךְ לְהָרֵעַ: |
| Desist from anger: Desist from being wicked so that anger does not come upon you. |
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| and forsake: a matter that will bring upon you the wrath of the Holy One, blessed be He. |
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| 9. For evildoers shall be cut off, and those who hope for the Lord-they will inherit the land. |
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ט. כִּי מְרֵעִים יִכָּרֵתוּן וְקוֵֹי יְהֹוָה הֵמָּה יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ: |
| For evildoers: whom you now see prosperingthey will be cut off. |
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| 10. A short while longer and the wicked man is not here, and you shall look at his place and he is not there. |
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י. וְעוֹד מְעַט וְאֵין רָשָׁע וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ: |
| A short while longer: When you wait a little longer, you will see that the wicked man is not here. |
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| and you shall look at his place: and you shall look at the place where he was, and he is not there, because he has died and has perished. |
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| 11. But the humble shall inherit the land, and they shall delight in much peace. |
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יא. וַעֲנָוִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וְהִתְעַנְּגוּ עַל רֹב שָׁלוֹם: |
| 12. The wicked man plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. |
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יב. זֹמֵם רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק וְחֹרֵק עָלָיו שִׁנָּיו: |
| and gnashes: Heb. וחרק, as (in Lam. 2:16): “and gnashed (ויחרקו) their teeth”; e rechineynt in Old French. |
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| 13. The Lord will scoff at him because He saw that his day will come. |
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יג. אֲדֹנָי יִשְׂחַק לוֹ כִּי רָאָה כִּי יָבֹא יוֹמוֹ: |
| 14. The wicked initiated war and bent their bow to cast down the poor and the needy, to slay those who walk on a straight path. |
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יד. חֶרֶב | פָּתְחוּ רְשָׁעִים וְדָרְכוּ קַשְׁתָּם לְהַפִּיל עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן לִטְבוֹחַ יִשְׁרֵי דָרֶךְ: |
| initiated war: the wicked initiated quarrel and strife without previous provocation. |
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| 15. Their sword shall enter their heart, and their bows shall be broken. |
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טו. חַרְבָּם תָּבוֹא בְלִבָּם וְקַשְּׁתוֹתָם תִּשָּׁבַרְנָה: |
| 16. The few of the righteous are better than the multitude of many wicked men. |
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טז. טוֹב מְעַט לַצַּדִּיק מֵהֲמוֹן רְשָׁעִים רַבִּים: |
| The few of the righteous are better: The few men who go to the aid of the righteous are better. |
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| than the multitude of many wicked men: Amraphel and his allies initiated a war in the world for the purpose of capturing Lot and provoking Abraham, but the few who were with Abraham succeeded and wiped out all those armies. |
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| 17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord supports the righteous. |
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יז. כִּי זְרוֹעוֹת רְשָׁעִים תִּשָּׁבַרְנָה וְסוֹמֵךְ צַדִּיקִים יְהֹוָה: |
| 18. The Lord knows the days of the innocent, and their inheritance will be forever. |
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יח. יוֹדֵעַ יְהֹוָה יְמֵי תְמִימִם וְנַחֲלָתָם לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה: |
| The Lord knows the days of the innocent: He recognizes the deeds of their days, and their inheritance and the reception of their reward from Him shall be forever. |
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| 19. They will not be ashamed in time of calamity, and in days of famine they shall still be satisfied. |
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יט. לֹא יֵבֹשׁוּ בְּעֵת רָעָה וּבִימֵי רְעָבוֹן יִשְׂבָּעוּ: |
| 20. For the wicked will perish, and the enemies of the Lord are like disappearing light on the plains; they are consumed in smoke, yea they are consumed. |
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כ. כִּי רְשָׁעִים | יֹאבֵדוּ וְאֹיְבֵי יְהֹוָה כִּיקַר כָּרִים כָּלוּ בֶעָשָׁן כָּלוּ: |
| like disappearing light on the plains: Heb. כרים כיקר, like the light of the morning cloud, which appears at dawn and glistens on the broad plains, which does not last. כרים means a plain, as (in Isa. 30:23): “a wide plain (כר נרחב).” כיקר is an expression of “disappearing light (אור יקרות)” (as in Zech. 14:6). Others interpret כיקר כרים : like the glory of lambs that are fattened for the slaughter. |
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| 21. A wicked man borrows and does not pay, but the Righteous one is gracious and gives. |
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כא. לוֶֹה רָשָׁע וְלֹא יְשַׁלֵּם וְצַדִּיק חוֹנֵן וְנוֹתֵן: |
| A wicked man borrows and does not pay, but the Righteous is gracious and gives: The Holy One, blessed be He, Who is the Righteous One of the world, is gracious with His own and gives it to the one who lent what he [the borrower] stole from him. |
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| 22. For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, and those cursed by Him will be cut off. |
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כב. כִּי מְבֹרָכָיו יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וּמְקֻלָּלָיו יִכָּרֵתוּ: |
| For those blessed by Him: By the Righteous One of the world, shall inherit the land. |
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| 23. From the Lord a mighty man's steps are established, for He delights in his way. |
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כג. מֵיְהֹוָה מִצְעֲדֵי גֶבֶר כּוֹנָנוּ וְדַרְכּוֹ יֶחְפָּץ: |
| a mighty man’s steps: He who is mighty in the fear of the Holy One, blessed be He; les pas du fort in French, the steps of the strong one. |
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| are established: Fureut afettetes in French, are prepared for reality. |
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| 24. If he falls, he will not be cast down, for the Lord supports his hand. |
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כד. כִּי יִפֹּל לֹא יוּטָל כִּי יְהֹוָה סוֹמֵךְ יָדוֹ: |
| If he falls: Heb. יפל, aluverjera in Old French, falters, an expression of (Gen. 24: 64): “and she fell off the camel.” |
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| If: Heb. כי, like אם. |
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| he will not be cast down: He will not be cast away to be forsaken. |
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| 25. I was young, I also aged, and I have not seen a righteous man forsaken and his seed seeking bread. |
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כה. נַעַר | הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי וְלֹא רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ לָחֶם: |
| I was young: This verse was recited by the Prince of the World (the chief angel), for if it was David, he was not so old. |
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| 26. All day long he is gracious and lends, and his seed is due for a blessing. |
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כו. כָּל הַיּוֹם חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה וְזַרְעוֹ לִבְרָכָה: |
| All day long: the righteous man is gracious to the poor and lends to them. |
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| and his seed: This seed that he sows with his charity will ultimately be blessed. |
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| 27. Shun evil and do good, and dwell forever. |
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כז. סוּר מֵרָע וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב וּשְׁכֹן לְעוֹלָם: |
| 28. For the Lord loves justice, and He shall not forsake His pious ones; they will be guarded forever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. |
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כח. כִּי יְהֹוָה | אֹהֵב מִשְׁפָּט וְלֹא יַעֲזֹב אֶת חֲסִידָיו לְעוֹלָם נִשְׁמָרוּ וְזֶרַע רְשָׁעִים נִכְרָת: |
| 29. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell forever in it. |
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כט. צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁכְּנוּ לָעַד עָלֶיהָ: |
| 30. The righteous man's mouth utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks judgment. |
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ל. פִּי צַדִּיק יֶהְגֶּה חָכְמָה וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ תְּדַבֵּר מִשְׁפָּט: |
| The righteous man’s mouth utters: at first words of wisdom in his heart to see the law that the Torah decided for each thing, and afterwards his tongue speaks judgment. |
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| 31. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not falter. |
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לא. תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהָיו בְּלִבּוֹ לֹא תִמְעַד אֲשֻׁרָיו: |
| his feet do not falter: His steps do not slip. |
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| 32. The wicked man watches for the righteous man and seeks to put him to death. |
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לב. צוֹפֶה רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲמִיתוֹ: |
| 33. The Lord shall not leave him in his hands, and He shall not condemn him [the righteous] when he [the wicked] is judged. |
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לג. יְהֹוָה לֹא יַעַזְבֶנּוּ בְיָדוֹ וְלֹא יַרְשִׁיעֶנּוּ בְּהִשָּׁפְטוֹ: |
| 34. Hope to the Lord and keep His way; He will exalt you to inherit the land, and you will witness the destruction of the wicked. |
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לד. קַוֵּה אֶל יְהֹוָה | וּשְׁמֹר דַּרְכּוֹ וִירוֹמִמְךָ לָרֶשֶׁת אָרֶץ בְּהִכָּרֵת רְשָׁעִים תִּרְאֶה: |
| 35. I saw a wicked man, powerful, well-rooted as a native who is fresh. |
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לה. רָאִיתִי רָשָׁע עָרִיץ וּמִתְעָרֶה כְּאֶזְרָח רַעֲנָן: |
| well-rooted: Heb. ומתערה, rooted, as (in Isa. 19:7): “the well-rooted plants (ערות) by the stream.” In the language of the Mishnah there are many [examples]: e.g. (Oktzin 3:8): “A tree that was cut off but is yet rooted by its bark.” |
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| as a native who is fresh: As one of the natives of the land who are well-rooted and abounding with property. And so did Menachem (p. 20) explain it: כאזרח רענן moist and growing like a well-rooted tree, and the native (אזרח) of the natives (מאזרחי) of humans are men of roots. |
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| 36. And he passed away and behold! he is not here, and I sought him and he was not found. |
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לו. וַיַּעֲבֹר וְהִנֵּה אֵינֶנּוּ וָאֲבַקְשֵׁהוּ וְלֹא נִמְצָא: |
| 37. Observe the innocent and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. |
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לז. שְׁמָר תָּם וּרְאֵה יָשָׁר כִּי אַחֲרִית לְאִישׁ שָׁלוֹם: |
| Observe the innocent: Scrutinize the ways of the innocent to learn from their deeds. |
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| for there is a future for the man of peace: If he has no beginning, he has a future, but the transgressors, the sinners and the wicked their future has been cut off and they have been destroyed together. |
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| 38. But transgressors were destroyed together; the future of the wicked was cut off. |
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לח. וּפֹשְׁעִים נִשְׁמְדוּ יַחְדָּו אַחֲרִית רְשָׁעִים נִכְרָתָה: |
| 39. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, their stronghold in time of distress. |
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לט. וּתְשׁוּעַת צַדִּיקִים מֵיְהֹוָה מָעוּזָּם בְּעֵת צָרָה: |
| 40. The Lord helped them and rescued them; He rescued them from the wicked and saved them because they took refuge in Him. |
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מ. וַיַּעְזְרֵם יְהֹוָה וַיְפַלְּטֵם יְפַלְּטֵם מֵרְשָׁעִים וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם כִּי חָסוּ בוֹ: |
Mitzvahs & Traditions
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