Psalms 73:4

For they suffer no pain; ¹  their bodies ²  are strong and well-fed. ³ 

They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat.

They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so healthy and strong.

At the top, envying the wicked who have it made,

For they have no pain; their bodies are fat and strong.

For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek.

For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm.

For they suffer no pain; ¹  their bodies ²  are strong and well-fed. ³ 

¹ tn In Isa 58:6, the only other occurrence of this word in the OT, the term refers to “bonds” or “ropes.” In Ps 73:4 it is used metaphorically of pain and suffering that restricts one’s enjoyment of life.

² tn Or “bellies.”

³ tc Or “fat.” The MT of v. 4 reads as follows: “for there are no pains at their death, and fat [is] their body.” Since a reference to the death of the wicked seems incongruous in the immediate context (note v. 5) and premature in the argument of the psalm (see vv. 18-20, 27), some prefer to emend the text by redividing it. The term לְמוֹתָם (lÿmotam,“at their death”) is changed to לָמוֹ תָּם (lamo tam, “[there are no pains] to them, strong [and fat are their bodies]”). The term תָּם (tam, “complete; sound”) is used of physical beauty in Song 5:2; 6:9. This emendation is the basis for the present translation. However, in defense of the MT (the traditional Hebrew text), one may point to an Aramaic inscription from Nerab which views a painful death as a curse and a nonpainful death in one’s old age as a sign of divine favor. See ANET 661.