Psalm 25/Notes/Grammar.v. 3.408927
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
- On the phrase worthless people who act unfaithfully (הַבּוֹגְדִים רֵיקָם), see the lexical note. Literally, the phrase is: "those who act unfaithfully worthlessly (i.e., in a morally worthless manner)." The phrase is difficult to translate into English, because there is no single English verb that expresses the meaning of the verb בגד. In English, it is necessary to add an adverbial ("act unfaithfully" or "act treacherously"). But when an adverbial is added in English, it makes it awkward to translate the adverb רֵיקָם also as an adverbial: "those who act treacherously worthlessly." The paraphrase "worthless people who act unfaithfully" captures the sense of the phrase in English. The adverbial רֵיקָם is expressive, emphasizing the speaker's moral evaluation.