4 Now to him who works, the loin (wages, batzalon [remuneration]) is not credited to one's account as a favor or gift of chesed but as a choiv (debt).
5 But to the man who does not "work" but has emunah and bitachon in the One who takes the impious man lacking chasidus and accounts him to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d), such a man who does not "work " but has emunah (faith), such emunah is credited to him for TZEDAKAH ("righteousness" BERESHIS 15:6).
6 As also Dovid HaMelech speaks of the me'ushar (blessedness) of the person whom Hashem reckons to be YITZDAK IM HASHEM (justified with G-d) without dependence on [zechusearning] ma'asim (works) [T.N. with merit (zechus) viewed as "pay" earned for "work" rendered--see Ro 4:4]:
7 "Ashrey (blessed, happy) are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered over;
8 ASHREY ADAM LO YAKHSHOV HASHEM LO AVON. Blessed, happy is the one whose sin Hashem will by no means count." (Ps 32:1-2).
9 This me'ushar (blessedness), then, does it come on those of the bris milah (the circumcised) or also on those without the bris milah (the uncircumcised)? For we say, emunah "was counted, reckoned, credited" to Avraham Avinu for TZEDAKAH ("righteousness" BERESHIS 15:6).
10 When then was it "reckoned"? When Avraham Avinu had the bris milah and was in the state of circumcision? Or when Avraham Avinu did not have the bris milah and was in the state of uncircumcision?