Tehillim 73

1 Truly Elohim is tov to Yisroel,

even to the barei levav (pure of heart) .

²But as for me, my raglayim had almost stumbled;

my steps had well near slipped.

³For I had kina (envy) of the holelim (arrogant ones) ,

when I saw the shalom of the resha'im.

⁴For there are no chartzubot (fetters, bonds, pains) in their mot;

healthy is their belly.

⁵They are not in amal (trouble) as enosh;

neither are they plagued like adam.

⁶Therefore ga'avah encircleth them like a chain necklace;

chamas enwraps them like a garment.

⁷Their eyes bulge with chelev;

they have more than levav could imagine.

⁸They mock, and speak wickedly concerning oshek (oppression) ;

they speak from marom (on high) .

⁹They set their mouth against Shomayim,

and their leshon stalketh in ha'aretz.

¹⁰Therefore their people return here;

and mayim to the full are swallowed down by them.

¹¹And they say, How doth El (G-d) know?

And is there knowledge in Elyon?

¹²Hinei, these are the resha'im;

at ease olam, they increase in riches.

¹³Surely in vain have I cleansed my lev,

and washed my hands in innocency.

¹⁴For kol hayom have I been plagued,

and chastened in the bekarim (mornings) .

¹⁵If I say, I will speak thus;

hinei, I would have dealt faithlessly with the dor banecha (the generation of Thy children) .

¹⁶When I thought to comprehend this,

it was amal (difficulty) in my eyes;

¹⁷Until I went into the Mikdeshei El;

then I had binah (understanding) of their (the wickedʼs) destiny.

¹⁸Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places;

Thou castedst them down into mashu'ot (ruins, destruction) .

¹⁹How are they brought into desolation, as in a rega (moment) !

They are utterly consumed with balahot (terrors) .

²⁰As a chalom when one awaketh;

so, Adonoi, when Thou art aroused, Thou shalt despise their tzelem (shadowy form) .

²¹Thus my levav was grieved,

and I was pricked in my mind.

²²So senseless was I, and ignorant;

I was like behemot before Thee.

²³Nevertheless I am with Thee tamid (always) ;

Thou hast taken hold of me by my yamin.

²⁴Thou shalt guide me with Thy etzah (counsel) ,

and afterward take me to kavod (glory) .

²⁵Whom have I in Shomayim but Thee?

And there is none upon HaAretz that I desire beside Thee.

²⁶My flesh and my levav may fail;

but Elohim is the Tzur of my levav, and my chelek l'olam.

²⁷For, hinei, they that are far from Thee shall perish;

Thou hast destroyed all them that go zoneh (a-whoring) from Thee.

²⁸But kiravat Elohim (drawing near to Elohim) is tov for me;

I make in Adonoi Hashem my refuge,

that I may declare all Thy deeds.