Psalm 58 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 58:9
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Psalm 58
Judgment against corrupt speech
Verse 58:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:1] For the director. “Do not destroy.” Of David. A Miktam.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:1] For the end. Do not destroy. Of David, for an inscription on a pillar.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Miktam becomes Greek pillar inscription.
Verse 58:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:2] Is the righteousness you ought to speak indeed silenced—
the upright judgments you ought to give the children of humankind?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:2] Do you then truly speak righteousness?
Do you judge uprightly, sons of humankind?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew elem follows Rashi's silence about justice; Greek asks whether the addressees speak and judge justly without a silence term. Reception: Rashi relates the challenge to Abner's failure to defend David before Saul (RASHI-PS58, 2). Category basis: Both challenge the hearers' administration of justice. Silence versus questioning just speech is a meaningful rhetorical detail; the note does not establish a major contrary moral assertion.
Verse 58:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:3] Indeed, in your heart you work injustices;
on earth you weigh out the violence of your hands.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:3] For indeed in your heart you work lawless deeds on earth;
your hands weave injustice together.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew weighing becomes Greek weaving.
Verse 58:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:4] The wicked are estranged from the womb;
from the belly, speakers of falsehood go astray.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:4] Sinners were estranged from the womb;
from the belly they went astray and spoke lies.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The estrangement and lying agree.
Verse 58:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:5] Their venom is like a serpent's venom,
like a deaf cobra that shuts its ear,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:5] Their fury is in the likeness of a serpent,
like that of a deaf asp that stops up its ears,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew venom becomes Greek fury; the Hebrew ear is singular.
Verse 58:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:6] which does not hear the voice of charmers,
or the skilled caster of spells.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:6] which will not hear the voice of enchanters,
or a spell being cast by a wise person.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The refusal to hear incantation agrees.
Verse 58:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:7] God, tear down their teeth in their mouth;
shatter the young lions' molars, YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:7] God shattered their teeth in their mouth;
the Lord crushed the lions' grinders.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew commands become Greek past actions; Greek does not specify young lions.
Verse 58:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:8] Let them be despised; let them walk as through water.
He will aim His arrows, so that they are cut down.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:8] They will be reduced to nothing like water passing away;
He will stretch His bow until they grow weak.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew follows Rashi's self-disgust, walking through water and God aiming arrows at the enemies. Greek has passing water and a bow stretched until weakness. The Hebrew read plural arrows is explicitly verified against the written form (RASHI-PS58, 8). Category basis: Both envision the enemies' reduction and weakening under divine attack. The water, arrows/bow and destruction images differ in detail, with no addition governing the comparison.
Verse 58:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:9] Like a snail melting as it goes,
like a stillbirth and a mole, they have not seen the sun.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:9] Like wax that melted, they will be taken away;
fire fell, and they did not see the sun.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew snail, stillbirth and mole follow alternatives directly discussed by Rashi; the woman’s stillbirth construction is also possible. Greek instead has melted wax and fallen fire. These difficult images remain open to specialist review (RASHI-PS58, 9).
Verse 58:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:10] Before your tender thorns know the buckthorn,
with vigor and with wrath He will sweep them away.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:10] Before your thorns understand the buckthorn,
as though alive, as in anger, He will swallow you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew storm-sweeping becomes Greek swallowing, with different objects. Reception: Rashi understands tender thorns becoming hard and vigorous divine removal; the alternative pots-and-thorn-fuel construction is not imposed on this reading (RASHI-PS58, 10). Category basis: Storm-sweeping versus swallowing and them versus you change the means and addressee of the same impending destructive action; no added material or major outcome change is established.
Verse 58:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:11] The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance;
he will wash his feet in the wicked one's blood.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:11] A righteous person will rejoice when he sees vengeance upon the ungodly;
he will wash his hands in the sinner's blood.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew feet become Greek hands; Greek names the ungodly as the objects of vengeance.
Verse 58:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[58:12] A human being will say, “Surely there is fruit for the righteous;
surely there is God judging on earth.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[57:12] A human being will say, “Then there is indeed fruit for the righteous;
then there is God judging them on earth.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew has the plural form judging with elohim; singular God follows Rashi's explanation of the divine Judge. Greek explicitly adds them (RASHI-PS58, 12).