חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ: אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף: גַּם ה' יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ: צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו:
Loving-kindness and truth met; justice and peace kissed. Truth will spring up from the earth; justice will look down from heaven. God will also bestow good and our land will yield its produce. Justice will go before God as God sets out on God's way.
[AJWS translation]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What sort of world does this text describe?
2. What does it mean that "justice will go before God"?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)