which thus admonished David: “Do not challenge the wicked, because thou knowest not if thou hast strength to prevail against him; perhaps he is a tree which has never been uprooted1i.e. perhaps his soul is the first time on earth and thine the second time. and thou wilt be repulsed by him.
Also, do not look at the works of those who do unrighteousness, so that thou shouldst not need to be indignant with them; for whoever sees their works and is not zealous for God transgresses three negative precepts, namely: “Thou shalt have no strange gods before me”; “Thou shalt not make to thee any graven image”; and “Thou shalt not bow down to them nor serve them.”
אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְרֵעִים. מַאי אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְרֵעִים, אַל תִּתְחַבֵּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא אַל תַּעֲבִיד תַּחֲרוּת בַּמְרֵעִים, בְּגִין דְּלָא יָדַעְתְּ יְסוֹדָא דְגַרְמָךְ, וְלָא תֵיכוּל לֵיהּ, דִּילְמָא אִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּלָא אִתְעַקַּר לְעָלְמִין, וְתִדְחֵי קַמֵּיהּ.
which thus admonished David: “Do not challenge the wicked, because thou knowest not if thou hast strength to prevail against him; perhaps he is a tree which has never been uprooted1i.e. perhaps his soul is the first time on earth and thine the second time. and thou wilt be repulsed by him.
וְאַל תְּקַנֵּא בְּעוֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה, דְּלָא תַשְׁגַּח בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, וְלָא תֵיתֵי לְקַנְאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ, דְּכָל מַאן דְחָמֵי עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, וְלָא קַנֵּי לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַעֲבַר עַל תְּלַת לָאוִין. דִּכְתִיב, (שמות כ׳:ד׳) לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי. לא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה. לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם כִּי אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא.
Also, do not look at the works of those who do unrighteousness, so that thou shouldst not need to be indignant with them; for whoever sees their works and is not zealous for God transgresses three negative precepts, namely: “Thou shalt have no strange gods before me”; “Thou shalt not make to thee any graven image”; and “Thou shalt not bow down to them nor serve them.”