51:7 Listen to me, you who know what is right,
you people who are aware of my law! 1
Don’t be afraid of the insults of men;
don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!
51:12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. 2
Why are you afraid of mortal men,
of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass? 3
51:13 Why do you forget 4 the Lord, who made you,
who stretched out the sky 5
and founded the earth?
Why do you constantly tremble all day long 6
at the anger of the oppressor,
when he makes plans to destroy?
Where is the anger of the oppressor? 7
1 tn Heb “people (who have) my law in their heart.”
2 tc The plural suffix should probably be emended to the second masculine singular (which is used in v. 13). The final mem (ם) is probably dittographic; note the mem at the beginning of the next word.
3 tn Heb “Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, and of the son of man who [as] grass is given up?” The feminine singular forms should probably be emended to the masculine singular (see v. 13). They have probably been influenced by the construction אַתְּ־הִיא (’at-hi’) in vv. 9-10.
4 tn Heb “and that you forget.”
5 tn Or “the heavens” (also in v. 16). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.
6 tn Heb “and that you tremble constantly all the day.”
7 tn The question anticipates the answer, “Ready to disappear!” See v. 14.