po.al denotes deeds and labor performed by people, and what God does in the passages that speak of him.

The term most often denotes a person's actions or deeds, especially where conduct is assessed, repaid, or characterized. It also names God's actions and can refer to labor or employment pursued for sustenance or wages.

1. A person's deeds and conduct · dominant

   In Jeremiah 50:29 the singular construct form stands in the call to repay Babylon according to what it has done; in Proverbs 24:12 the APB renders the clause as repayment to each person according to his "work." The plural absolute form in 2 Samuel 23:20 occurs in Benaiah's description alongside his striking of opponents and killing a lion.

   Jeremiah 50:29Proverbs 24:12Proverbs 20:11Psalm 28:42 Samuel 23:201 Chronicles 11:22
2. God's actions · common

   In Deuteronomy 32:4 the singular construct form is possessed by the Rock and is called perfect, while Isaiah 5:12 contrasts feast-goers' disregard for the LORD's action with their failure to see the action of his hands. Habakkuk 3:2 likewise addresses the LORD concerning his action and asks that it be revived and made known.

   Deuteronomy 32:4Isaiah 5:12Habakkuk 3:2Psalm 90:16Psalm 95:9Isaiah 45:11
3. Labor and its recompense · occasional

   In Job 24:5 the construct form occurs with wild donkeys going out in search of food, and in Psalm 104:23 it is paired with a person's service until evening. Ruth 2:12 places the term in a blessing that also asks for full wages, while Jeremiah 22:13 concerns a neighbor made to labor without pay.

   Job 24:5Psalm 104:23Ruth 2:12Jeremiah 22:13Job 7:2

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the term with "work" or "works," but also uses "deeds," "labor," and an action clause in different contexts. These renderings show the verse-level presentation rather than a fixed English equivalent.