21:13 They live out 1 their years in prosperity
and go down 2 to the grave 3 in peace.
21:30 that the evil man is spared
from the day of his misfortune,
that he is delivered 4
from the day of God’s wrath?
21:31 No one denounces his conduct to his face;
no one repays him for what 5 he has done. 6
21:32 And when he is carried to the tombs,
and watch is kept 7 over the funeral mound, 8
1 tc The Kethib has “they wear out” but the Qere and the versions have יְכַלּוּ (yÿkhallu, “bring to an end”). The verb כָּלָה (kalah) means “to finish; to complete,” and here with the object “their days,” it means that they bring their life to a (successful) conclusion. Both readings are acceptable in the context, with very little difference in the overall meaning (which according to Gordis is proof the Qere does not always correct the Kethib).
2 tc The MT has יֵחָתּוּ (yekhattu, “they are frightened [or broken]”), taking the verb from חָתַת (khatat, “be terrified”). But most would slightly repoint it to יֵחָתוּ (yekhatu), an Aramaism, “they go down,” from נָחַת (nakhat, “go down”). See Job 17:16.
3 tn The word רֶגַע (rega’) has been interpreted as “in a moment” or “in peace” (on the basis of Arabic raja`a, “return to rest”). Gordis thinks this is a case of talhin – both meanings present in the mind of the writer.
4 tn The verb means “to be led forth.” To be “led forth in the day of trouble” means to be delivered.
5 tn The expression “and he has done” is taken here to mean “what he has done.”
6 tn Heb “Who declares his way to his face? // Who repays him for what he has done?” These rhetorical questions, which expect a negative answer (“No one!”) have been translated as indicative statements to bring out their force clearly.
7 tn The verb says “he will watch.” The subject is unspecified, so the translation is passive.
8 tn The Hebrew word refers to the tumulus, the burial mound that is erected on the spot where the person is buried.