א׳
אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי־הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר ׀ לֹ֥א הָלַךְ֮ בַּעֲצַ֪ת רְשָׁ֫עִ֥ים וּבְדֶ֣רֶךְ חַ֭טָּאִים לֹ֥א עָמָ֑ד וּבְמוֹשַׁ֥ב לֵ֝צִ֗ים לֹ֣א יָשָֽׁב׃
1
Happy is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked,
or taken the path of sinners,
or joined the company of the insolent;
1
HAPPY IS the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful.
אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ. בַּעֲשָׂרָה לְשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל זֶמֶר נֶאֱמַר סֵפֶר זֶה, בְּנִצּוּחַ, בְּנִגּוּן, בְּמִזְמוֹר, בְּשִׁיר, בְּהַלֵּל, בִּתְפִלָּה, בִּבְרָכָה, בְּהוֹדָאָה, בְּאַשְׁרֵי, בְּהַלְלוּיָהּ, כְּנֶגֶד עֲשָׂרָה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁאֲמָרוּהוּ, אָדָם, מַלְכִּי צֶדֶק, אַבְרָהָם, מֹשֶׁה, דָּוִד, שְׁלֹמֹה, אָסָף, וּשְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי קֹרַח, וַחֲלוּקִין עַל יְדוּתוּן (קהלת רבה ז,לט). יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אָדָם הָיָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (דברי הימים א טז:לח), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אֵין יְדוּתוּן שֶׁבְּסֵפֶר זֶה אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם הַדָּתוֹת וְהַדִּינִים שֶׁל גְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁעָבְרוּ עָלָיו וְעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
The praises of a man This book was composed with ten expressions of song: 1) with conducting, 2) with melody, 3) with musical accompaniment, 4) with song, 5) with praise, 6) with prayer, 7) with blessing, 8) with thanksgiving, 9) with praises, and 10) with “Praise God.” These correspond to the ten men who composed them: 1) Adam, 2) Malchizedek, 3) Abraham, 4) Moses, 5) David, 6) Solomon, 7) Asaph, and 8-10) the three sons of Korah. Concerning Jeduthun, there is a dispute. Some say that Jeduthun was a man, as is written in Chronicles. Others maintain that Jeduthun mentioned in this Book means nothing else but the ordinances (דתות) and laws of the decrees that were passed over him and over Israel.
אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ. (לישפלישמנ״ץ בלע״ז) אִשּׁוּרָיו שֶׁל אִישׁ וּתְהִלּוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם אֵלּוּ הֵם אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ, כִּי מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹּא הָלַךְ לֹא עָמָד, וּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹּא עָמַד לֹא יָשָׁב:
The praises of a man Heb. אשרי les felicements(?) in Old French. The praises of a man, and these are the praises of a man: that he did not follow, because since he did not follow, he did not stand, and since he did not stand, he did not sit.
לֵצִים. (גאבור״ש בלע״ז. מלה נשנית גאבערס בל״א שפעטטער:)
scorners (Old French, gabors.)
ב׳
כִּ֤י אִ֥ם בְּתוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֗ה חֶ֫פְצ֥וֹ וּֽבְתוֹרָת֥וֹ יֶהְגֶּ֗ה יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃
2
rather, the teaching of the LORD is his delight,
and he studies that teaching day and night.
2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.
כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת ה׳ חֶפְצוֹ. הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁמּוֹשַׁב לֵצִים מְבִיאוֹ לִידֵי בִּטּוּל תּוֹרָה (עבודה זרה יח:):
But his desire is in the law of the Lord Hence you learn that the company of scorners brings one to neglect the study of Torah.
וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ יֶהְגֶּה. בִּתְחִלָּה הִיא נִקְרֵאת תּוֹרַת ה׳, וּמִשֶּׁעָמַל בָּהּ הִיא נִקְרֵאת תּוֹרָתוֹ (עבודה זרה יט.):
and in his law he meditates In the beginning, it is called the law of the Lord, and after he has toiled to master it, it is called his own Torah.
יֶהְגֶּה. כָּל לְשׁוֹן הֶגֶה בַּלֵּב הוּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר ״וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי״ (תהלים יט:טו), ״לִבְּךָ יֶהְגֶּה אֵימָה״ (ישעיהו לג:יח), ״כִּי שֹׁד יֶהְגֶּה לִבָּם״ (משלי כד:ב):
he meditates Heb. יהגה. Every expression of הגה refers to the heart, as you say (below 19:15): “and the meditation (והגיון) of my heart”; (Isa. 33:18), “Your heart shall meditate (יהגה) in fear”; (Prov. 24:2), “For their heart thinks (יהגה) of plunder.”
ג׳
וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁת֪וּל עַֽל־פַּלְגֵ֫י מָ֥יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְי֨וֹ ׀ יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתּ֗וֹ וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־יִבּ֑וֹל וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ׃
3
He is like a tree planted beside streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season,
whose foliage never fades,
and whatever it produces thrives.
3
And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf doth not wither; and in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper.
שָׁתוּל. פְּלַנְדִי״ץ בְּלַעַ״ז:
planted Heb. שתול, plonte in Old French (plante).
פַּלְגֵי. רָאוּיְיָארוֹ״שׁ בְּלַעַ״ז:
rivulets ruyseys in Old French, (ruisseaux), brooks (as in Ezek. 32:6).
וְעָלֵהוּ לֹא יִבּוֹל. אֲפִלּוּ הַפְּסֹלֶת שֶׁבּוֹ לְצֹרֶךְ הִיא. שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לְצֹרֶךְ הִיא וּצְרִיכָה לִמּוּד (עבודה זרה יט:):
and its leaves do not wilt Even the inferior part of it serves a purpose. The conversation of Torah scholars is essential and requires study.
לֹא יִבּוֹל. לְשׁוֹן כָּמוֹשׁ, פְּלִישְׁטִי״ר בְּלַעַ״ז:
do not wilt Heb. יבול, an expression of wilting, fleistre in Old French.
ד׳
לֹא־כֵ֥ן הָרְשָׁעִ֑ים כִּ֥י אִם־כַּ֝מֹּ֗ץ אֲֽשֶׁר־תִּדְּפֶ֥נּוּ רֽוּחַ׃
4
Not so the wicked;
rather, they are like chaff that wind blows away.
4
Not so the wicked; but they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
כַּמּוֹץ. לְשׁוֹן קַשׁ, קוֹמְבְּלָ״א בְּלַעַ״ז:
like chaff An expression of straw, come bale in Old French (comme paille), like straw.
ה׳
עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ לֹא־יָקֻ֣מוּ רְ֭שָׁעִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים בַּעֲדַ֥ת צַדִּיקִֽים׃
5
Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment,
nor will sinners, in the assembly of the righteous.
5
Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
עַל כֵּן וְגוֹ׳. דָּבוּק הוּא לַמִּקְרָא שֶׁל אַחֲרָיו:
Therefore, etc. This refers to the verse following it.
ו׳
כִּֽי־יוֹדֵ֣עַ יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃
6
For the LORD cherishes the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked is doomed.
6
For the LORD regardeth the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish.
כִּי יוֹדֵעַ ה׳ וְגוֹ׳. לְפִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים, וּלְפָנָיו הוּא לְהַכִּירָהּ תָּמִיד, וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים שְׂנוּאָה בְּעֵינָיו וּמַעֲבִירָהּ מִלְּפָנָיו, עַל כֵּן לֹא תְהֵא הֲקָמַת רֶגֶל לָרְשָׁעִים לְיוֹם הַדִּין, וְלַחַטָּאִים לִיכָּתֵב בַּעֲדַת צַדִּיקִים:
For the Lord knows the way, etc. Because He knows the way of the righteous, and it is before Him to recognize it constantly; the way of the wicked is hateful to Him, and He removes it from before Him. Therefore, the foot of the wicked will not stand up on the day of judgment, neither shall the sinners be written in the congregation of the righteous.