101:3 I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. 1
I hate doing evil; 2
I will have no part of it. 3
101:4 I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; 4
I will not permit 5 evil.
101:5 I will destroy anyone who slanders his neighbor in secret.
I will not tolerate anyone who has a cocky demeanor and an arrogant attitude. 6
1 tn Heb “I will not set before my eyes a thing of worthlessness.”
2 tn Heb “the doing of swerving [deeds] I hate.” The Hebrew term סֵטִים (setim) is probably an alternate spelling of שֵׂטִים (setim), which appears in many medieval Hebrew
3 tn Heb “it [i.e., the doing of evil deeds] does not cling to me.”
4 tn Heb “a perverse heart will turn aside from me.” The adjective עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqesh) has the basic nuance “twisted; crooked” and by extension refers to someone or something that is morally perverse (see Ps 18:26). It appears frequently in the Book of Proverbs, where it is used of evil people (22:5), speech (8:8; 19:1), thoughts (11:20; 17:20), and life styles (2:15; 28:6).
5 tn Heb “know.” The king will not willingly allow perverse individuals to remain in his royal court.
6 tn Heb “[one who has] pride of eyes and wideness [i.e., arrogance] of heart, him I will not endure.”