Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
73 (Mizmor of Asaph). Truly Elohim is tov to Yisroel, even to the barei levav (pure of heart).
2 But as for me, my raglayim had almost stumbled; my steps had well near slipped.
3 For I had kina (envy) of the holelim (arrogant ones), when I saw the shalom of the resha’im.
4 For there are no chartzubot (fetters, bonds, pains) in their mot; healthy is their belly.
5 They are not in amal (trouble) as enosh; neither are they plagued like adam.
6 Therefore ga’avah encircleth them like a chain necklace; chamas enwraps them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with chelev; they have more than levav could imagine.
8 They mock, and speak wickedly concerning oshek (oppression); they speak from marom (on high).
9 They set their mouth against Shomayim, and their leshon stalketh in ha’aretz.
10 Therefore their people return here; and mayim to the full are swallowed down by them.
11 And they say, How doth El (G-d) know? And is there knowledge in Elyon?
12 Hinei, these are the resha’im; at ease olam, they increase in riches.
13 Surely in vain have I cleansed my lev, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For kol hayom have I been plagued, and chastened in the bekarim (mornings).
15 If I say, I will speak thus; hinei, I would have dealt faithlessly with the dor banecha (the generation of Thy children).
16 When I thought to comprehend this, it was amal (difficulty) in my eyes;
17 Until I went into the Mikdeshei El; then I had binah (understanding) of their (the wicked’s) destiny.
18 Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places; Thou castedst them down into mashu’ot (ruins, destruction).
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a rega (moment)! They are utterly consumed with balahot (terrors).
20 As a chalom when one awaketh; so, Adonoi, when Thou art aroused [in judgment], Thou shalt despise their tzelem (shadowy form).
11 A balance of mirmah (dishonesty, deception) is abomination to Hashem, but an even shelemah (perfect stone, just weight) is His ratzon.
2 When zadon (pride) cometh, then cometh kalon (shame, disgrace), but with the humble is chochmah.
3 The integrity of the yesharim (upright ones) shall guide them, but the deceit of the bogedim (treacherous ones) shall destroy them.
4 Hon (riches) profit not in the yom evrah (day of wrath), but tzedakah (righteousness) delivereth from mavet.
5 The tzidkat tamim (righteousness of the blameless) shall make his derech straight, but the rasha shall fall by his own evil.
6 The tzidkat yesharim shall deliver them, but bogedim (treacherous ones) shall be caught in their own evil desire.
7 At the mot adam rasha, his tikveh shall perish, and the expectation of his [surviving] strong ones perisheth.
8 The tzaddik is delivered out of tzoros, but the rashah cometh on to take his place.
9 A chanef (hypocrite, man without G-d) with his peh (mouth) destroyeth his re’a, but through da’as (knowledge) shall the tzaddikim be delivered.
10 When it goeth well with the tzaddikim, the city rejoiceth, and when the resha’im perish, there is rinnah (joyful shouting).
11 By the birkat yesharim the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the peh (mouth) of the resha’im.
12 He that is devoid of lev [of understanding] despiseth his re’a, but an ish tevunot holdeth his peace.
13 A bringer of rekhil (gossip, rekhilut) revealeth sod (secrets, confidences), but he that is of a ne’eman ruach concealeth the matter.
14 Where no strategic policy is, the nation falls, but in the multitude of yoetz (counsellors, advisors) there is teshu’ah (victory, safety).
15 He that is guaranty for a zar shall suffer for it, and he that hateth pledging collateral is secure.
16 An eshet chen retaineth kavod (honor, respect), but ruthless men retain osher.
17 The ish chesed (merciful man) doeth good to his own nefesh, but he that is cruel harmeth his own self.
18 The reshah worketh a wage of sheker, but to him that soweth tzedakah (righteousness) shall be a sachar emes (sure reward).
19 As tzedakah (righteousness) leadeth to Chayyim, so he that pursueth ra’ah pursueth it to his own mot (death).
20 They that are of a perverse lev are an abomination to Hashem, but such as are upright in their derech are His delight.
21 Though yad join in yad, the rah shall not go unpunished, but the zera of the tzaddikim shall be delivered.
22 As a ring of zahav in the snout of a chazir, so is an isha yafah which is without ta’am (judgment, discretion).
23 The ta’avat tzaddikim is only tov, but the tikveh of the resha’im is wrath.
24 There is that which scattereth, and yet increaseth more; and there is that which withholdeth more than is yosher, but it leadeth to machsor (want, need, poverty).
25 The nefesh brocha (generous person) shall be made to prosper, and he that watereth shall be refreshed also himself.
26 He that withholdeth grain, the people shall curse him, but brocha shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
27 He that diligently seeketh tov procureth ratzon, but he that seeketh ra’ah, it shall come unto him.
28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the tzaddik shall flourish like the green leaf.
29 He that troubleth his own bais shall inherit the ruach (wind), and the fool shall be eved to the chacham lev.
30 The p’ri tzedek is Etz Chayyim, and he that winneth nefashot is chacham (wise).
31 If the tzaddik are recompensed on ha’aretz (the earth), much more the rashah and the choteh (sinner).
3 Let your hitbonenut (meditation) be on the one who endured such opposition from chote’im (sinners), that you may not be weary in your neshamot, losing heart.
4 For you have not yet resisted to the point of death al kiddush ha-Shem in your struggle against Chet;
5 And you have let slip from zikaron (remembrance) the dvar haChizzuk which he speaks to you as banim, "My son, do not despise the musar of Hashem, do not lose heart, resent when rebuked by Him”;
6 KI ES ASHER YE’EHAV HASHEM YOKHI’ACH ("for whom Hashem loves he disciplines" and he punishes ES BEN YIRTZEH every son he receives" MISHLE 3:11-12; IYOV 5:17).
7 For you endure nisyonos for the sake of musar. And Hashem is dealing with you as banim. For what ben is there whom an Abba does not give musar?
8 But if you are without musar, in which all the yeladim share, then you are not banim but mamzerim.
9 Furthermore, we had Avot on HaAretz, who were morim that we reverenced and treated with kavod. Should we not even more subject ourselves to the Avi HaRuchot and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time, as seemed tov to them, but Hashem disciplines us for tov lanu in order that we might share in his kedushah.
11 All musar for the moment seems not to be na’im (pleasant), but seems to bring agmat nefesh; yet afterwards to those who have been taught by musar, it yields the p’ri haShalom and the p’ri haTzedek.
12 Therefore, "Bring chizzuk to the weak hands and the feeble knees; Isa 35:3),
13 And make the drakhim straight for your feet, so that the ever (limb, member) which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather have refu’ah (healing).
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