10:2 to keep the poor from getting fair treatment,
and to deprive 1 the oppressed among my people of justice,
so they can steal what widows own,
and loot what belongs to orphans. 2
16:5 Then a trustworthy king will be established;
he will rule in a reliable manner,
this one from David’s family. 3
He will be sure to make just decisions
and will be experienced in executing justice. 4
26:9 I 5 look for 6 you during the night,
my spirit within me seeks you at dawn,
for when your judgments come upon the earth,
those who live in the world learn about justice. 7
26:10 If the wicked are shown mercy,
they do not learn about justice. 8
Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; 9
they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.
51:5 I am ready to vindicate, 10
I am ready to deliver, 11
I will establish justice among the nations. 12
The coastlands 13 wait patiently for me;
they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power. 14
59:4 No one is concerned about justice; 15
no one sets forth his case truthfully.
They depend on false words 16 and tell lies;
they conceive of oppression 17
and give birth to sin.
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 18 like body armor, 19
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 20
He puts on the garments of vengeance 21
and wears zeal like a robe.
1 tn Or “rob” (ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV); KJV “take away the right from the poor.”
2 tn Heb “so that widows are their plunder, and they can loot orphans.”
sn On the socio-economic background of vv. 1-2, see the note at 1:23.
3 tn Heb “and a throne will be established in faithfulness, and he will sit on it in reliability, in the tent of David.”
4 tn Heb “one who judges and seeks justice, and one experienced in fairness.” Many understand מְהִר (mÿhir) to mean “quick, prompt” (see BDB 555 s.v. מָהִיר), but HALOT 552 s.v. מָהִיר offers the meaning “skillful, experienced,” and translates the phrase in v. 5 “zealous for what is right.”
5 tn Heb “with my soul I.” This is a figure for the speaker himself (“I”).
6 tn Or “long for, desire.” The speaker acknowledges that he is eager to see God come in judgment (see vv. 8, 9b).
7 tn The translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “those who live in the world learn to live in a righteous manner” (cf. NCV).
8 tn As in verse 9b, the translation understands צֶדֶק (tsedeq) in the sense of “justice,” but it is possible that it carries the nuance “righteousness,” in which case one might translate, “they do not learn to live in a righteous manner.”
9 tn Heb “in a land of uprightness they act unjustly”; NRSV “they deal perversely.”
10 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”] is near.”
11 tn Heb “my deliverance goes forth.”
12 tn Heb “and my arms will judge [on behalf of] nations.”
13 tn Or “islands” (NIV); TEV “Distant lands.”
14 tn Heb “for my arm” (so NIV, NRSV).
15 tn Heb “no one pleads with justice.”
16 tn Heb “nothing”; NAB “emptiness.”
17 tn Or “trouble” (NIV), or “harm.”
18 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
19 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
20 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
21 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”