א׳
תְּ֭פִלָּה לְעָנִ֣י כִֽי־יַעֲטֹ֑ף וְלִפְנֵ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ שִׂיחֽוֹ׃
1
A prayer of the lowly man when he is faint and pours forth his plea before the LORD.
1
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he fainteth, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD.
תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי. יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם עַם עָנִי:
A prayer for a poor man Israel, who is a poor people.
כִּי יַעֲטֹף. בְּהִתְעַטֵּף נַפְשָׁם בְּצָרָה (יונה ב:ח):
when he enwraps himself when their soul is enwrapped in distress.
ב׳
יְ֭הוָה שִׁמְעָ֣ה תְפִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝שַׁוְעָתִ֗י אֵלֶ֥יךָ תָבֽוֹא׃
2
O LORD, hear my prayer;
let my cry come before You.
2
O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto Thee.
ג׳
אַל־תַּסְתֵּ֬ר פָּנֶ֨יךָ ׀ מִמֶּנִּי֮ בְּי֪וֹם צַ֫ר לִ֥י הַטֵּֽה־אֵלַ֥י אָזְנֶ֑ךָ בְּי֥וֹם אֶ֝קְרָ֗א מַהֵ֥ר עֲנֵֽנִי׃
3
Do not hide Your face from me
in my time of trouble;
turn Your ear to me;
when I cry, answer me speedily.
3
Hide not Thy face from me in the day of my distress; incline Thine ear unto me; in the day when I call answer me speedily.
ד׳
כִּֽי־כָל֣וּ בְעָשָׁ֣ן יָמָ֑י וְ֝עַצְמוֹתַ֗י כְּמוֹ־קֵ֥ד נִחָֽרוּ׃
4
For my days have vanished like smoke
and my bones are charred like a hearth.
4
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as a hearth.
נִחָרוּ. הַנּוּ״ן מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת, כְּמוֹ ״נַעֲשׂוּ״ (תהלים לג:ו), ״נִקְבּוּ״ (במדבר א:יז), וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן יֹבֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ ״וְעַצְמִי חָרָה מִנִּי חֹרֶב״ (איוב ל:ל), ״נָחַר מַפֻּחַ״ (ירמיה ו:כט):
are dried up Heb. נחרו. The “nun” serves as a prefix, as: נַעֲשׂוּ, they were made, נִקְנוּ, they were acquired; and it is an expression of dryness, as (Job 30:30): “and my bones dried out (חרה) from the heat”; (Jer. 6:29), “the bellows is heated (נחר).”
ה׳
הוּכָּֽה־כָ֭עֵשֶׂב וַיִּבַ֣שׁ לִבִּ֑י כִּֽי־שָׁ֝כַ֗חְתִּי מֵאֲכֹ֥ל לַחְמִֽי׃
5
My body is stricken and withered like grass;
too wasted to eat my food;
5
My heart is smitten like grass, and withered; for I forget to eat my bread.
ו׳
מִקּ֥וֹל אַנְחָתִ֑י דָּבְקָ֥ה עַ֝צְמִ֗י לִבְשָׂרִֽי׃
6
on account of my vehement groaning
my bones show through my skin.
6
By reason of the voice of my sighing My bones cleave to my flesh.
ז׳
דָּ֭מִיתִי לִקְאַ֣ת מִדְבָּ֑ר הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כְּכ֣וֹס חֳרָבֽוֹת׃
7
I am like a great owl in the wilderness,
an owl among the ruins.
7
I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am become as an owl of the waste places.
דָּמִיתִי לִקְאַת מִדְבָּר. לִקְאַת שֵׁם עוֹף הוּא:
Like a bird of Heb. לקאת. It is the name of a bird.
כְּכוֹס חֳרָבוֹת. שֵׁם עוֹף, כְּמוֹ ״אֶת הַכּוֹס וְאֶת הַשָּׁלָךְ וְאֶת הַיַּנְשׁוּף״ (ויקרא יא:יז):
Like an owl of the wasteland Heb. ככוס, the name of a bird, as (Lev. 11:17): “The owl (הכוס), the cormorant, and the night owl.”
חֳרָבוֹת. מִדְבָּרוֹת. דָּמִיתִי לִקְאַת מִדְבָּר. כָּךְ אָנוּ נְדוּדִים מִמְּקוֹמֵנוּ לָלֶכֶת בַּגּוֹלָה:
wasteland deserts. I was like a bird of the desert. So do we wander from our place to go into exile.
ח׳
שָׁקַ֥דְתִּי וָאֶֽהְיֶ֑ה כְּ֝צִפּ֗וֹר בּוֹדֵ֥ד עַל־גָּֽג׃
8
I lie awake; I am like
a lone bird upon a roof.
8
I watch, and am become like a sparrow that is alone upon the housetop.
שָׁקַדְתִּי. הִתְבּוֹנַנְתִּי בְּעַצְמִי וְהִנְּנִי כְּצִפּוֹר הַבּוֹדֵד עַל גָּג, יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדּוֹ בְּאֵין זוּג:
I pondered I pondered about myself, and behold I am like a lonely bird on a roof, sitting alone without a mate.
בּוֹדֵד. יוֹשֵׁב בָּדָד:
lonely Heb. בודד, sitting alone.
ט׳
כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם חֵרְפ֣וּנִי אוֹיְבָ֑י מְ֝הוֹלָלַ֗י בִּ֣י נִשְׁבָּֽעוּ׃
9
All day long my enemies revile me;
my deriders use my name to curse.
9
Mine enemies taunt me all the day; they that are mad against me do curse by me.
מְהוֹלָלַי. הַמִּתְלוֹצְצִים בִּי, לְשׁוֹן ״הוֹלְלוּת״ (קהלת א:יז):
those who scorn me Heb. מהוללי, those who scorn me, an expression of mockery.
בִּי נִשְׁבָּעוּ. רָאוּ בְרָעָתִי וְנִשְׁבָּעִים בִּי וְאוֹמְרִים: אִם לֹא יֶאֱרַע בִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֵרַע לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כֹּה יַעֲשֶׂה לִי כְּמוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
swear by me They saw my misfortune and they swear by me and say, “If it is not so, what happened to Israel should happen to me.” “So may the Lord do to me as to Israel.”
י׳
כִּי־אֵ֭פֶר כַּלֶּ֣חֶם אָכָ֑לְתִּי וְ֝שִׁקֻּוַ֗י בִּבְכִ֥י מָסָֽכְתִּי׃
10
For I have eaten ashes like bread
and mixed my drink with tears,
10
For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
בִּבְכִי מָסָכְתִּי. בְּדִמְעָה מָזַגְתִּי:
I mixed with weeping. I mixed with tears.
י"א
מִפְּנֵֽי־זַֽעַמְךָ֥ וְקִצְפֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י נְ֝שָׂאתַ֗נִי וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵֽנִי׃
11
because of Your wrath and Your fury;
for You have cast me far away.
11
Because of Thine indignation and Thy wrath; for Thou hast taken me up, and cast me away.
כִּי נְשָׂאתַנִי. תְּחִלָּה וְהִגְבַּהְתַּנִי, וְעַתָּה הִשְׁלַכְתַּנִי מִשָּׁמַיִם אָרֶץ (איכה ב:א); וְאִם לֹא נְשָׂאתַנִי תְּחִלָּה, לֹא הָיְתָה חֶרְפָּתִי רַבָּה כָּל כָּךְ:
for You picked me up First You picked me up and now You cast me down from heaven to the earth, and if You had not picked me up first, my disgrace would not be so great.
י"ב
יָ֭מַי כְּצֵ֣ל נָט֑וּי וַ֝אֲנִ֗י כָּעֵ֥שֶׂב אִיבָֽשׁ׃
12
My days are like a lengthening shadow;
I wither like grass.
12
My days are like a lengthening shadow; and I am withered like grass.
כְּצֵל נָטוּי. לְעֵת עֶרֶב, כְּשֶׁהַצְּלָלִים נוֹטִים, וּכְשֶׁחֲשֵׁכָה, אֵין נִכָּרִים אֶלָּא כָּלִים וְהוֹלְכִים:
Like a lengthening shadow At eventide, when the shadows lengthen, and when it becomes dark, they are not recognizable, but progressively disappear.
י"ג
וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֑ב וְ֝זִכְרְךָ֗ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃
13
But You, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
Your fame endures throughout the ages.
13
But Thou, O LORD, sittest enthroned for ever; and Thy name is unto all generations.
וְאַתָּה. אֲשֶׁר לְעוֹלָם תֵּשֵׁב, וְנִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָנוּ בְּךָ (שמות לב:יג) – כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאַתָּה קַיָּם, יֵשׁ עָלֶיךָ לְקַיְּמֵנוּ. לְפִיכָךְ:
But You Who will be enthroned forever, and Who swore to us by Yourself, just as You exist, it is incumbent upon You to fulfill it. Therefore...
י"ד
אַתָּ֣ה תָ֭קוּם תְּרַחֵ֣ם צִיּ֑וֹן כִּי־עֵ֥ת לְ֝חֶֽנְנָ֗הּ כִּי־בָ֥א מוֹעֵֽד׃
14
You will surely arise and take pity on Zion,
for it is time to be gracious to her;
the appointed time has come.
14
Thou wilt arise, and have compassion upon Zion; for it is time to be gracious unto her, for the appointed time is come.
אַתָּה תָקוּם תְּרַחֵם צִיּוֹן כִּי עֵת לְחֶנְנָהּ. כִּי בְךָ הִבְטַחְתָּ (דברים לב:לו) ״כִּי יִרְאֶה כִּי אָזְלַת יָד״, וַהֲרֵי אָזְלַת יָד:
You will rise, You will have mercy on Zion for it is time to favor it For so You promised (Deut. 32:36): “When He sees that their power is gone,” and it is indeed gone.
ט"ו
כִּֽי־רָצ֣וּ עֲ֭בָדֶיךָ אֶת־אֲבָנֶ֑יהָ וְֽאֶת־עֲפָרָ֥הּ יְחֹנֵֽנוּ׃
15
Your servants take delight in its stones,
and cherish its dust.
15
For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and love her dust.
כִּי רָצוּ. אָהֲבוּ אַף אֶת אֲבָנֶיהָ וְאֶת עֲפָרָהּ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: כְּשֶׁיָּצָא יְכָנְיָה וְגָלוּתוֹ, נָשְׂאוּ עִמָּהֶם מֵאַבְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וַעֲפָרָהּ לִבְנוֹת לָהֶם בְּבָבֶל בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת:
For Your servants desired They loved even its stones and its earth. [According to] Midrash Aggadah, when Jeconiah and his exile left, they carried with them some of the stones and the earth of Jerusalem to build a synagogue for themselves there in Babylon.
ט"ז
וְיִֽירְא֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וְֽכָל־מַלְכֵ֥י הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ אֶת־כְּבוֹדֶֽךָ׃
16
The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all the kings of the earth, Your glory.
16
So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory;
וְיִירְאוּ גוֹיִם אֶת. שִׁמְךָ כְּשֶׁתּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת עַמְּךָ:
And the nations will fear Your name when You save Your people.
י"ז
כִּֽי־בָנָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה צִיּ֑וֹן נִ֝רְאָ֗ה בִּכְבוֹדֽוֹ׃
17
For the LORD has built Zion;
He has appeared in all His glory.
17
When the LORD hath built up Zion, when He hath appeared in His glory;
י"ח
פָּ֭נָה אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֣ת הָעַרְעָ֑ר וְלֹֽא־בָ֝זָ֗ה אֶת־תְּפִלָּתָֽם׃
18
He has turned to the prayer of the destitute
and has not spurned their prayer.
18
When He hath regarded the prayer of the destitute, And hath not despised their prayer.
הָעַרְעָר. הַצּוֹעֵק, כְּמוֹ (ישעיהו טו:ה) ״זַעֲקַת שֶׁבֶר יְעֹעֵרוּ״. דָּבָר אַחֵר: עַרְעָר, הָרוּס וְנִשְׁחָת, כְּמוֹ (תהלים קלז:ז) ״עָרוּ עָרוּ״:
He has turned to the prayer of those who cried out Heb. הערער, who cries out, as (Isa. 15:5): “a cry of destruction they will raise (יעוערו).” Another explanation: ערער means devastated and destroyed, as (below 137:7) “who say, ‘Raze it, raze it.’ “
י"ט
תִּכָּ֣תֶב זֹ֭את לְד֣וֹר אַחֲר֑וֹן וְעַ֥ם נִ֝בְרָ֗א יְהַלֶּל־יָֽהּ׃
19
May this be written down for a coming generation,
that people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
19
This shall be written for the generation to come; And a people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
תִּכָּתֶב זֹאת. כָּךְ יֹאמְרוּ רוֹאֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה: תִּכָּתֵב הַיְשׁוּעָה הַזֹּאת לְסַפֵּר אוֹתָהּ לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן:
Let this be inscribed So will those who see the salvation say, “let this salvation be inscribed for the latest generation.”
וְעַם נִבְרָא. שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה, לָצֵאת מֵעַבְדוּת לְחֵרוּת, מֵאֹפֶל לְאוֹר גָּדוֹל:
and a created people that became a new creature to emerge from slavery to freedom and from darkness to a great light.
כ׳
כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׁקִיף מִמְּר֣וֹם קָדְשׁ֑וֹ יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַ֤יִם ׀ אֶל־אֶ֬רֶץ הִבִּֽיט׃
20
For He looks down from His holy height;
the LORD beholds the earth from heaven
20
For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
אֶל אֶרֶץ הִבִּיט. לִרְאוֹת בָּעֳנִי עַמּוֹ:
looked...to earth to see the affliction of His people.
כ"א
לִ֭שְׁמֹעַ אֶנְקַ֣ת אָסִ֑יר לְ֝פַתֵּ֗חַ בְּנֵ֣י תְמוּתָֽה׃
21
to hear the groans of the prisoner,
to release those condemned to death;
21
To hear the groaning of the prisoner; To loose those that are appointed to death;
תְּמוּתָה. חוֹלֶה לָמוּת, אינמורינד״א בְּלַעַ״ז):
the dying Heb. תמותה, mortally ill, enmorindes in Old French (as above 79:11).
כ"ב
לְסַפֵּ֣ר בְּ֭צִיּוֹן שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וּ֝תְהִלָּת֗וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
22
that the fame of the LORD may be recounted in Zion,
His praises in Jerusalem,
22
That men may tell of the name of the LORD in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem; .
כ"ג
בְּהִקָּבֵ֣ץ עַמִּ֣ים יַחְדָּ֑ו וּ֝מַמְלָכ֗וֹת לַעֲבֹ֥ד אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
23
when the nations gather together,
the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
23
When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
כ"ד
עִנָּ֖ה בַדֶּ֥רֶךְ כחו [כֹּחִ֗י] קִצַּ֥ר יָמָֽי׃
24
He drained my strength in mid-course,
He shortened my days.
24
He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days.
עִנָּה בַדֶּרֶךְ כֹּחִי. חוֹזֵר לְקוֹבְלוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן: כִּי נְשָׂאתַנִי וַתַּשְׁלִיכֵנִי, יָמַי כְּצֵל נָטוּי, עִנָּה בַדֶּרֶךְ אוֹיְבִי כֹּחִי:
He has afflicted my strength on the way He returns to his original complaint, “for You picked me up and cast me down. My days are like a lengthening shadow.” My enemy afflicted my strength on the way.
כ"ה
אֹמַ֗ר אֵלִ֗י אַֽל־תַּ֭עֲלֵנִי בַּחֲצִ֣י יָמָ֑י בְּד֖וֹר דּוֹרִ֣ים שְׁנוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
25
I say, “O my God, do not take me away
in the midst of my days,
You whose years go on for generations on end.
25
I say: 'O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days, Thou whose years endure throughout all generations.
אוֹמַר. לַה׳ אֵלִי. אַתָּה:
I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
אַל תַּעֲלֵנִי בַּחֲצִי יָמָי. אַל תְּסַלֵּק אוֹתָנוּ לְהַשְׁמִידֵנוּ מִן הָאֲדָמָה בְּיַד אוֹיְבֵינוּ בַּחֲצִי יָמֵינוּ. וּמַה הֵם יָמֵינוּ? כָּל יְמוֹת דוֹר דּוֹרִים שְׁנוֹתֶיךָ, הִבְטַחְתָּ לְקַיְּמֵנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּסוֹף הַמִּזְמוֹר וּשְׁנוֹתֶיךָ לֹא יִתָּמּוּ, וְזֶרַע עֲבָדֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ יִכּוֹן:
do not take me away in the middle of my days Do not take us away to destroy us from the earth in the hands of our enemies in the middle of our days. And what are our days? All the days of all generations, of Your years, You promised to keep us alive before You, as he says at the end of the psalm, “and Your years do not end...and their seed will be established before You.”
כ"ו
לְ֭פָנִים הָאָ֣רֶץ יָסַ֑דְתָּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדֶ֣יךָ שָׁמָֽיִם׃
26
Of old You established the earth;
the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26
Of old Thou didst lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of Thy hands.
לְפָנִים. מִתְּחִלָּה:
In the beginning Heb. לפנים, from the beginning.
כ"ז
הֵ֤מָּה ׀ יֹאבֵדוּ֮ וְאַתָּ֪ה תַ֫עֲמֹ֥ד וְ֭כֻלָּם כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֑וּ כַּלְּב֖וּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵ֣ם וְֽיַחֲלֹֽפוּ׃
27
They shall perish, but You shall endure;
they shall all wear out like a garment;
You change them like clothing and they pass away.
27
They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall pass away;
כַּלְּבוּשׁ תַּחֲלִיפֵם. כְּאָדָם הַהוֹפֵךְ לְבוּשׁוֹ לְפוֹשְׁטוֹ:
like raiment You will turn them over like a person who turns his garment inside out to take it off.
כ"ח
וְאַתָּה־ה֑וּא וּ֝שְׁנוֹתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִתָּֽמּוּ׃
28
But You are the same, and Your years never end.
28
But Thou art the selfsame, And Thy years shall have no end.
וְאַתָּה הוּא. הָעוֹמֵד וְקַיָּם:
But You are He Who stands and exists.
כ"ט
בְּנֵֽי־עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ יִשְׁכּ֑וֹנוּ וְ֝זַרְעָ֗ם לְפָנֶ֥יךָ יִכּֽוֹן׃
29
May the children of Your servants dwell securely
and their offspring endure in Your presence.”
29
The children of Thy servants shall dwell securely, And their seed shall be established before Thee.'