Dishonest Scales
(Deuteronomy 25:13–16; Ezekiel 45:10–12)

1  מֹאזְנֵ֣י (Scales) מִ֭רְמָה (of deceit) תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (are an abomination) יְהוָ֑ה (to YHWH),

וְאֶ֖בֶן (and a stone) שְׁלֵמָ֣ה (whole) רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃ (is His delight).

2  בָּֽא־ (Has come) זָ֭דוֹן (Pride) וַיָּבֹ֣א (also comes) קָל֑וֹן (and shame),

וְֽאֶת־ (and with) צְנוּעִ֥ים (the humble) חָכְמָֽה׃ (is wisdom).

3  תֻּמַּ֣ת (The integrity) יְשָׁרִ֣ים (of the upright ones) תַּנְחֵ֑ם (guides them),

וְסֶ֖לֶף (and the perversity) בּוֹגְדִ֣ים (of the treacherous ones) וְשַׁדָּם׃ (destroys them).

4  לֹא־ (Not) יוֹעִ֣יל (will profit) ה֭וֹן (Wealth) בְּי֣וֹם (in the day) עֶבְרָ֑ה (of wrath),

וּ֝צְדָקָ֗ה (and righteousness) תַּצִּ֥יל (delivers) מִמָּֽוֶת׃ (from death).

5  צִדְקַ֣ת (The righteousness) תָּ֭מִים (of a blameless one) תְּיַשֵּׁ֣ר (makes straight) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (his way),

וּ֝בְרִשְׁעָת֗וֹ (and in his wickedness) יִפֹּ֥ל (will fall) רָשָֽׁע׃ (a wicked one).

6  צִדְקַ֣ת (The righteousness) יְ֭שָׁרִים (of the upright ones) תַּצִּילֵ֑ם (will deliver them)

וּ֝בְהַוַּ֗ת (and by their own desires) בֹּגְדִ֥ים (those acting treacherously) יִלָּכֵֽדוּ׃ (are captured).

7  בְּמ֤וֹת (With the death) אָדָ֣ם (of a man) רָ֭שָׁע (wicked), תֹּאבַ֣ד (perishes) תִּקְוָ֑ה (expectation)

וְתוֹחֶ֖לֶת (and the hope) אוֹנִ֣ים (of his vigor) אָבָֽדָה׃ (perishes).

8  צַ֭דִּיק (A righteous one) מִצָּרָ֣ה (from distress) נֶחֱלָ֑ץ (is drawn out),

וַיָּבֹ֖א (and it comes) רָשָׁ֣ע (to the wicked) תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ (in his place).

9  בְּפֶ֗ה (With the mouth) חָ֭נֵף (a godless one) יַשְׁחִ֣ת (destroys) רֵעֵ֑הוּ (his neighbor),

וּ֝בְדַ֗עַת (and with knowledge) צַדִּיקִ֥ים (righteous ones) יֵחָלֵֽצוּ׃ (will be delivered).

10  בְּט֣וּב (In the good) צַ֭דִּיקִים (of the righteous ones) תַּעֲלֹ֣ץ (rejoices) קִרְיָ֑ה (a city),

וּבַאֲבֹ֖ד (and in the destruction) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of wicked ones) רִנָּֽה׃ (is a shout of joy).

11  בְּבִרְכַּ֣ת (By the blessing) יְ֭שָׁרִים (of the upright) תָּר֣וּם (is lifted high) קָ֑רֶת (a city),

וּבְפִ֥י (and by the mouth) רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים (of the wicked ones) תֵּהָרֵֽס׃ (it is torn down).

12  בָּז־ (The one despising) לְרֵעֵ֥הוּ (his neighbor) חֲסַר־ (is lacking) לֵ֑ב (of heart),

וְאִ֖ישׁ (and a man) תְּבוּנ֣וֹת (of understanding) יַחֲרִֽישׁ׃ (keeps quiet).

13  הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (One going about) רָ֭כִיל (slandering) מְגַלֶּה־ (is revealing) סּ֑וֹד (secret counsel),

וְנֶאֱמַן־ (and the one faithful) ר֝֗וּחַ (of spirit) מְכַסֶּ֥ה (conceals) דָבָֽר׃ (the matter).

14  בְּאֵ֣ין (Without) תַּ֭חְבֻּלוֹת (counsels) יִפָּל־ (falls) עָ֑ם (a people),

וּ֝תְשׁוּעָ֗ה (and salvation) בְּרֹ֣ב (is in many) יוֹעֵֽץ׃ (giving counsel).

15  רַע־ (Evil) יֵ֭רוֹעַ (One will surely suffer) כִּי־ (if) עָ֣רַב (one pledges security) זָ֑ר (for a stranger),

וְשֹׂנֵ֖א (and one who hates) תֹקְעִ֣ים (striking hands) בּוֹטֵֽחַ׃ (remains secure).

16  אֵֽשֶׁת־ (A woman) חֵ֭ן (of grace) תִּתְמֹ֣ךְ (holds fast to) כָּב֑וֹד (honor),

וְ֝עָרִיצִ֗ים (and the ruthless ones) יִתְמְכוּ־ (grasp) עֹֽשֶׁר׃ (riches).

17  גֹּמֵ֣ל (Deals well) נַ֭פְשׁוֹ (with his soul) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) חָ֑סֶד (of kindness),

וְעֹכֵ֥ר (and troubles) שְׁ֝אֵר֗וֹ (his flesh) אַכְזָרִֽי׃ (a cruel one).

18  רָשָׁ֗ע (A wicked one) עֹשֶׂ֥ה (makes) פְעֻלַּת־ (a reward) שָׁ֑קֶר (of deception),

וְזֹרֵ֥עַ (and the one sowing) צְ֝דָקָ֗ה (righteousness) שֶׂ֣כֶר (has a wage) אֱמֶֽת׃ (of truth).

19  כֵּן־ (Rightly) צְדָקָ֥ה (is righteousness) לְחַיִּ֑ים (for life),

וּמְרַדֵּ֖ף (and the one pursuing) רָעָ֣ה (evil) לְמוֹתֽוֹ׃ (is unto his own death).

20  תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת (An abomination) יְ֭הוָה (to YHWH) עִקְּשֵׁי־ (are the crooked) לֵ֑ב (of heart),

וּ֝רְצוֹנ֗וֹ (are His delight) תְּמִ֣ימֵי (and those blameless) דָֽרֶךְ׃ (in their way).

21  יָ֣ד (Hand) לְ֭יָד (to hand), לֹא־ (not) יִנָּ֣קֶה (is acquitted) רָּ֑ע (a wicked one),

וְזֶ֖רַע (and the seed) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (of the righteous) נִמְלָֽט׃ (will escape punishment).

22  נֶ֣זֶם (A ring) זָ֭הָב (of gold) בְּאַ֣ף (in the nose) חֲזִ֑יר (of a pig)

אִשָּׁ֥ה (is a woman) יָ֝פָ֗ה (beautiful) וְסָ֣רַת (and lacking) טָֽעַם׃ (discretion).

23  תַּאֲוַ֣ת (The desire) צַדִּיקִ֣ים (of the righteous) אַךְ־ (is only) ט֑וֹב (good);

תִּקְוַ֖ת (and the hope) רְשָׁעִ֣ים (of the wicked) עֶבְרָֽה׃ (is wrath).

24  יֵ֣שׁ (There is) מְ֭פַזֵּר (one dispersing) וְנוֹסָ֥ף (and increasing) ע֑וֹד (more),

וְחוֹשֵׂ֥ךְ (and one withholding) מִ֝יֹּ֗שֶׁר (from uprightness) אַךְ־ (only) לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃ (for lack).

25  נֶֽפֶשׁ־ (A soul) בְּרָכָ֥ה (of blessing) תְדֻשָּׁ֑ן (is made fat),

וּ֝מַרְוֶ֗ה (and the one who drenches), גַּם־ (also) ה֥וּא (he) יוֹרֶֽא׃ (will sprout).

26  מֹ֣נֵֽעַ (The one withholding) בָּ֭ר (grain), יִקְּבֻ֣הוּ (will curse him) לְא֑וֹם (the people),

וּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה (and blessing) לְרֹ֣אשׁ (is on the head) מַשְׁבִּֽיר׃ (of the one selling).

27  שֹׁ֣חֵֽר (The one earnestly seeking) ט֭וֹב (good) יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ (seeks) רָצ֑וֹן (favor),

וְדֹרֵ֖שׁ (and the one seeking) רָעָ֣ה (evil), תְבוֹאֶֽנּוּ׃ (it will come to him).

28  בּוֹטֵ֣חַ (The one trusting) בְּ֭עָשְׁרוֹ (in his riches), ה֣וּא (he) יִפֹּ֑ל (will fall),

וְ֝כֶעָלֶ֗ה (and like the leaf) צַדִּיקִ֥ים (the righteous ones) יִפְרָֽחוּ׃ (will sprout).

29  עוֹכֵ֣ר (The one troubling) בֵּ֭יתוֹ (his own house) יִנְחַל־ (will inherit) ר֑וּחַ (the wind),

וְעֶ֥בֶד (and a servant) אֱ֝וִ֗יל (the fool is) לַחֲכַם־ (to the wise) לֵֽב׃ (of heart).

30  פְּֽרִי־ (The fruit) צַ֭דִּיק (of a righteous one) עֵ֣ץ (is a tree) חַיִּ֑ים (of life),

וְלֹקֵ֖חַ (and the one taking) נְפָשׂ֣וֹת (souls) חָכָֽם׃ (is wise).

31  הֵ֣ן (Behold), צַ֭דִּיק (a righteous one) בָּאָ֣רֶץ (in the land) יְשֻׁלָּ֑ם (will be repaid),

אַ֝֗ף (also) כִּֽי־ (surely) רָשָׁ֥ע (the ungodly) וְחוֹטֵֽא׃ (and the sinner).