Commentary for Deuteronomy 28:29

עשוק [THOU SHALT BE] WRONGED — i.e. against every action of yours there will be dispute.

והיית אך עשוק וגזול כל הימים, “and you will only be cheated and robbed all the days.” The same message is repeated once more in verse 33 with a minor variation, the word רצוץ, “downtrodden,” being substituted for the word “robbed,” in our verse here. As usual, the word אך or רק, represents some exclusion to what preceded them. In this instance the word אך excludes other nations who will never be as downtrodden as the Jewish people when they are being disciplined by the Lord. On the other hand, the word רק, in connection with the elevation of the Jewish people in verse 13, also means that such an elevation as will be experienced by the Jewish people as part of the blessings is unparalleled amongst the Gentile nations.

Whatever you do will be subject to altercation. You cannot say [the term עשוק is related to] “You shall not withhold the wages (לא תעשוק) of your fellow” (Vayikra 19:13), which means to withhold the wages of a hireling, as this has nothing to do with our parsha. And robbery is already mentioned [in the word following]. Therefore Rashi explains the term (עשוק) is related to (Bereishis 26:20), “He named the well עשק [Quarrel], because they had quarreled with him.”