Psalms 12:8

for the wicked seem to be everywhere, ¹  when people promote evil. ² 

The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured among men.

The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.

From the wicked who collect honors For their wonderful lies.

The sinners are walking on every side, and evil is honoured among the children of men.

On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among humankind.

The wicked prowl on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

for the wicked seem to be everywhere, ¹  when people promote evil. ² 

¹ tn Heb “the wicked walk all around.” One could translate v. 8a as an independent clause, in which case it would be a concluding observation in proverbial style. The present translation assumes that v. 8a is a subordinate explanatory clause, or perhaps a subordinate temporal clause (“while the wicked walk all around”). The adverb סָבִיב (saviv, “around”), in combination with the Hitpael form of the verb “walk” (which indicates repeated action), pictures the wicked as ubiquitous. They have seemingly overrun society.

² tn Heb “when evil is lifted up by the sons of man.” The abstract noun זֻלּוּת (zulut, “evil”) occurs only here. On the basis of evidence from the cognate languages (see HALOT 272 s.v.), one might propose the meaning “base character,” or “morally foolish behavior.”