א׳
לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ רִיבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־יְרִיבַ֑י לְ֝חַ֗ם אֶת־לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃
1
Of David.
O LORD, strive with my adversaries,
give battle to my foes,
1
[A Psalm] of David. Strive, O LORD, with them that strive with me; Fight against them that fight against me.
רִיבָה ה׳ אֶת יְרִיבַי. עֲשֵׂה מְרִיבָה עִם אוֹתָם שֶׁעוֹשִׂים מְרִיבָה עִמִּי:
O Lord, strive with those who strive against me Make a quarrel with those who make quarrels with me.
לְחַם. לְשׁוֹן מִלְחָמָה, וְכֵן לֹחֲמָי: הִלָּחֵם עִם הַנִּלְחָמִים עִמִּי:
battle Heb. לחם an expression of war (מלחמה), and so לחמי, battle those who battle with me.
ב׳
הַחֲזֵ֣ק מָגֵ֣ן וְצִנָּ֑ה וְ֝ק֗וּמָה בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי׃
2
take up shield and buckler,
and come to my defense;
2
Take hold of shield and buckler, And rise up to my help.
ג׳
וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק חֲנִ֣ית וּ֭סְגֹר לִקְרַ֣את רֹדְפָ֑י אֱמֹ֥ר לְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י יְֽשֻׁעָתֵ֥ךְ אָֽנִי׃
3
ready the spear and javelin
against my pursuers;
tell me, “I am your deliverance.”
3
Draw out also the spear, and the battle-axe, against them that pursue me; Say unto my soul: 'I am Thy salvation.'
וְהָרֵק חֲנִית. הִזְדַּיֵּן, כְּמוֹ ״אָרִיק חַרְבִּי״ (שמות טו:ט), ״וַיָּרֶק אֶת חֲנִיכָיו״ (בראשית יד:יד):
And arm Yourself with a spear Heb. והרק. Arm Yourself, as (in Exod. 15:9) “I will arm myself (אריק) with my sword”; (Gen. 14:14), “And he armed (וירק) his trained men.”
וּסְגֹר לִקְרַאת רֹדְפָי. הָגֵן בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיהֶם כִּמְחִיצָּה:
and bar the way before my pursuers Protect between me and them, as a barrier.
לְנַפְשִׁי. אִימוֹיְמֵאִימָ״שׁ בְּלַעַ״ז, כְּמוֹ ״כָּרוּ שׁוּחָה לְנַפְשִׁי״ (ירמיהו יח:כ):
to my soul A moi meme in French, to myself, as (in Jer. 18:20): “for they have dug a pit for me (לנפשי).”
ד׳
יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָח֣וֹר וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃
4
Let those who seek my life
be frustrated and put to shame;
let those who plan to harm me
fall back in disgrace.
4
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion that seek after my soul; Let them be turned back and be abashed that devise my hurt.
ה׳
יִֽהְי֗וּ כְּמֹ֥ץ לִפְנֵי־ר֑וּחַ וּמַלְאַ֖ךְ יְהוָ֣ה דּוֹחֶֽה׃
5
Let them be as chaff in the wind,
the LORD’s angel driving them on.
5
Let them be as chaff before the wind, The angel of the LORD thrusting them.
ו׳
יְֽהִי־דַרְכָּ֗ם חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹת וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ יְ֝הוָ֗ה רֹדְפָֽם׃
6
Let their path be dark and slippery,
with the LORD’s angel in pursuit.
6
Let their way be dark and slippery, The angel of the LORD pursuing them.
חֹשֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת. שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחֲלִיקוּ רַגְלֵיהֶם בַּחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת, וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ אֵינוֹ מַנִּיחָם לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִן הַחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר ״לָכֵן יִהְיֶה דַרְכָּם לָהֶם כַּחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת בָּאֲפֵלָה יִדָּחוּ וְנָפְלוּ בָהּ״ (ירמיה כג:יב):
dark and slippery Both together, so that their feet should slip on the slippery places and the darkness should not allow them to beware of the slippery places, as it is written (in Jer. 23: 12): “Therefore, their way shall be for them like slippery places in the dark: ‘let them be thrust and fall therein.’ “
ז׳
כִּֽי־חִנָּ֣ם טָֽמְנוּ־לִ֭י שַׁ֣חַת רִשְׁתָּ֑ם חִ֝נָּ֗ם חָפְר֥וּ לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
7
For without cause they hid a net to trap me;
without cause they dug a pit for me.
7
For without cause have they hid for me the pit, even their net, Without cause have they digged for my soul. .
חָפְרוּ לְנַפְשִׁי. שׁוּחָה לִיפּוֹל בָּהּ:
they have dug it for my soul they have dug a pit into which I should fall.
ח׳
תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ שׁוֹאָה֮ לֹֽא־יֵ֫דָ֥ע וְרִשְׁתּ֣וֹ אֲשֶׁר־טָמַ֣ן תִּלְכְּד֑וֹ בְּ֝שׁוֹאָ֗ה יִפָּל־בָּֽהּ׃
8
Let disaster overtake them unawares;
let the net they hid catch them;
let them fall into it when disaster [strikes].
8
Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself; With destruction let him fall therein.
שׁוֹאָה. חֹשֶׁךְ, בְּרוּאִינָ״ה בְּלַעַ״ז:
darkness Heb. שואה, darkness, broine in Old French, obscurity.
וְרִשְׁתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר טָמַן. כֵּן דֶּרֶךְ לִטְמוֹן הָרֶשֶׁת וּלְכַסּוֹתוֹ בְּקַשׁ אוֹ בְּעָפָר, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַרְגִּישׁ בָּהּ הָעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ עַד שֶׁנִּלְכַּד בָּהּ:
and his net that he hid So is the custom to hide the net and to cover it with straw or with earth, in order that the one who passes over it should not notice it until he is trapped in it.
ט׳
וְ֭נַפְשִׁי תָּגִ֣יל בַּיהוָ֑ה תָּ֝שִׂישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃
9
Then shall I exult in the LORD,
rejoice in His deliverance.
9
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
וְנַפְשִׁי תָּגִיל. כְּשֶׁאֶרְאֶה בְּמַפַּלְתָּם:
And my soul shall exult when I see their downfall.
י׳
כָּ֥ל עַצְמוֹתַ֨י ׀ תֹּאמַרְנָה֮ יְהוָ֗ה מִ֥י כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ מַצִּ֣יל עָ֭נִי מֵחָזָ֣ק מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְעָנִ֥י וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃
10
All my bones shall say,
“LORD, who is like You?
You save the poor from one stronger than he,
the poor and needy from his despoiler.”
10
All my bones shall say: 'LORD, who is like unto Thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, Yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?'
כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי. יְקַלְּסוּךָ עַל כָּךְ, כִּי עַתָּה:
All my bones will praise You for everything, for now...
י"א
יְ֭קוּמוּן עֵדֵ֣י חָמָ֑ס אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי׃
11
Malicious witnesses appear
who question me about things I do not know.
11
Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not.
יְקוּמוּן. עָלַי תָּמִיד עֵדֵי חָמָס וְגוֹ׳:
False witnesses rise up constantly against me, etc.
י"ב
יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי רָ֭עָה תַּ֥חַת טוֹבָ֗ה שְׁכ֣וֹל לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
12
They repay me evil for good,
[seeking] my bereavement.
12
They repay me evil for good; Bereavement is come to my soul.
י"ג
וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם לְב֬וּשִׁי שָׂ֗ק עִנֵּ֣יתִי בַצּ֣וֹם נַפְשִׁ֑י וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י עַל־חֵיקִ֥י תָשֽׁוּב׃
13
Yet, when they were ill,
my dress was sackcloth,
I kept a fast—
may what I prayed for happen to me!
13
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer, may it return into mine own bosom.
וּתְפִלָּתִי עַל חֵיקִי תָשׁוּב. כְּלוֹמַר: וְאִם יֹאמְרוּ לֹא עִנֵּיתִי נַפְשִׁי אֶלָּא לְרָעָתָם, שֶׁיִּכְבַּד עֲלֵיהֶם חָלְיָם, תְּפִלָּתִי שֶׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם תָּשׁוּב עָלַי:
and may my prayer return upon my bosom That is to say: If they say that I afflicted myself only for their detriment, that their illness should become more serious, may my prayer that I prayed for them return to me.
י"ד
כְּרֵֽעַ־כְּאָ֣ח לִ֭י הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי כַּאֲבֶל־אֵ֝֗ם קֹדֵ֥ר שַׁחֽוֹתִי׃
14
I walked about as though it were my friend or my brother;
I was bowed with gloom, like one mourning for his mother.
14
I went about as though it had been my friend or my brother; I bowed down mournful, as one that mourneth for his mother.
כְּרֵעַ כְּאָח לִי הִתְהַלָּכְתִּי. כְּאִלּוּ הָיוּ לִי אָחִי וְרֵעִי הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי, מֵיצַר עֲלֵיהֶם עַל צָרָתָם:
I walked about as though it were a friend or as though it were my own brother As though it were my brother or my friend; I walked about depressed because of their distress.
כַּאֲבֶל. אִם כְּבֵן הַמִּתְאַבֵּל עַל אִמּוֹ, אוֹ כְּאֵם הַמִּתְאַבֶּלֶת עַל בְּנָהּ:
as the mourning of a mother As a son who mourns for his mother or as a mother who mourns for her son.
קוֹדֵר. לְשׁוֹן שַׁחֲרוּת:
with gloom Heb. קדר, an expression of blackness.
שַׁחוֹתִי. לְשׁוֹן שִׁפְלוּת:
I was bowed An expression of humility.
ט"ו
וּבְצַלְעִי֮ שָׂמְח֪וּ וְֽנֶאֱ֫סָ֥פוּ נֶאֶסְפ֬וּ עָלַ֣י נֵ֭כִים וְלֹ֣א יָדַ֑עְתִּי קָֽרְע֥וּ וְלֹא־דָֽמּוּ׃
15
But when I stumble, they gleefully gather;
wretches gather against me,
I know not why;
they tear at me without end.
15
But when I halt they rejoice, and gather themselves together; The abjects gather themselves together against me, and those whom I know not; They tear me, and cease not;
וּבְצַלְעִי שָׂמְחוּ וְנֶאֱסָפוּ. וּכְשֶׁאֲנִי צוֹלֵעַ, שֶׁשֶּׁבֶר בָּא עָלַי, שָׂמְחוּ וְנֶאֱסָפוּ:
And, when I limped, they rejoiced and gathered And when I limped because I suffered a fracture, they rejoiced and gathered [around me].
נֶאֶסְפוּ עָלַי נֵכִים. אֲנָשִׁים פִּסְחִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ מְתַרְגְּמִינָן ״נָכֶה״: ״חֲגִירָא״ (תרגום יונתן מלכים ב כג:כט), וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ כְּמוֹ ״נְכָאִים״ (ישעיה טז:ז), אימנויישי״ץ בְּלַעַ״ז:
lame people gathered about me Heb. נכים, lame people, as we translate “Pharaoh-neco,” חגירא, lame. Menachem (p. 122f.) associated it with (Isa. 16: 7), נכאים, broken-hearted, amenuyze in Old French, crushed.
קָרְעוּ וְלֹא דָמּוּ. אִלּוּ הָיוּ קוֹרְעִין אֶת בְּשָׂרִי, לֹא הָיָה דָמִי שׁוֹתֵת לָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁמַּלְבִּינִין פָּנַי:
Were they to tear, they would not draw blood Were they to tear my flesh, my blood would not flow to the ground when they embarrass me [lit. make my face white].
ט"ז
בְּ֭חַנְפֵי לַעֲגֵ֣י מָע֑וֹג חָרֹ֖ק עָלַ֣י שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ׃
16
With impious, mocking grimace
they gnash their teeth at me.
16
With the profanest mockeries of backbiting They gnash at me with their teeth.
בְּחַנְפֵי לַעֲגֵי מָעוֹג וְגוֹ׳. בִּשְׁבִיל חֲנִיפוּת שֶׁל לֵיצָנוּת, אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, שֶׁמַּחֲנִיפִין לְשָׁאוּל בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיַּאֲכִילֵם וְיַשְׁקֵם, חוֹרְקִים עָלַי שִׁנֵּיהֶם:
Because of the flattery of scorn for food, they gnash, etc. Because of the flattery of scorn of eating and drinking, that they flatter Saul in order that he give them to eat and drink, they gnash their teeth against me.
מָעוֹג. לְשׁוֹן אֲכִילָה, כְּמוֹ ״אִם יֶשׁ לִי מָעוֹג״ דְּאֵלִיָּהוּ (מלכים א יז:יב). וּמְנַחֵם פָּתַר אוֹתוֹ לְשׁוֹן ״עֻגָה קְטַנָּה״ (מלכים א יז:יג), וְכֵן ״אִם יֶשׁ לִי מָעוֹג״:
food Heb. מעוג, an expression of eating, as (in I Kings 17:12): “if I have food (מעוג),” written regarding Elijah, but Menachem (p. 130) interpreted it as an expression of a loaf of bread, and so “if I have a cake (מעוג).”
י"ז
אֲדֹנָי֮ כַּמָּ֪ה תִּ֫רְאֶ֥ה הָשִׁ֣יבָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים יְחִידָתִֽי׃
17
O Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue me from their attacks,
my precious life, from the lions,
17
Lord, how long wilt Thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, Mine only one from the lions.
כַּמָּה תִּרְאֶה. כַּמָּה אֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם יֵשׁ לְפָנֶיךָ, לִרְאוֹת כָּל אֵלֶּה:
how long will You look on? How much patience do You have to look upon all these?
מִשּׁוֹאֵיהֶם. מֵחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁלָּהֶם:
from their darkness Heb. משאיהם, from their darkness.
מִכְּפִירִים יְחִידָתִי. מוּסָב עַל הָשִׁיבָה נַפְשִׁי: הָשִׁיבָה מִכְּפִירִים יְחִידָתִי, (יְחִידָתִי נִשְׁמָתִי ס״א אינו):
my only one from young lions This refers to “Return my soul.” Return my only one from young lions.
י"ח
א֭וֹדְךָ בְּקָהָ֣ל רָ֑ב בְּעַ֖ם עָצ֣וּם אֲהַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃
18
that I may praise You in a great congregation,
acclaim You in a mighty throng.
18
I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise Thee among a numerous people.
י"ט
אַֽל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֣י אֹיְבַ֣י שֶׁ֑קֶר שֹׂנְאַ֥י חִ֝נָּ֗ם יִקְרְצוּ־עָֽיִן׃
19
Let not my treacherous enemies rejoice over me,
or those who hate me without reason wink their eyes.
19
Let not them that are wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
אֹיְבַי שֶׁקֶר. שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאִין אוֹתִי עַל דְּבַר שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁמְּעִידִין עָלַי מַה שֶּׁלֹּא עָלָה בְמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מֵעוֹלָם. אַל יִשְׂמְחוּ בִּמְפַלְתִּי:
those who are my enemies for an unjust cause who hate me because of a false matter, that they testify against me what never entered my mind. Let them not rejoice at my downfall.
שׂוֹנְאַי. שֶׁשּׂוֹנְאִים אוֹתִי, אַל יִקְרְצוּ עָלַי עָיִן וְלִלְעוֹג בְּעֵינֵיהֶם עַל מַפַּלְתִּי:
who hate me Let those who hate me not wink their eyes at me, to mock my downfall with their eyes.
יִקְרְצוּ. צִינַאנְ״ט בְּלַעַ״ז:
יקרצו means seynt in Old French, signal.
כ׳
כִּ֤י לֹ֥א שָׁל֗וֹם יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ וְעַ֥ל רִגְעֵי־אֶ֑רֶץ דִּבְרֵ֥י מִ֝רְמוֹת יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃
20
For they do not offer amity,
but devise fraudulent schemes against harmless folk.
20
For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
עַל רִגְעֵי אֶרֶץ. עַל דַּכָּאֵי אֶרֶץ, וְכֵן ״רֹגַע הַיָּם״ (ירמיהו לא:לה), ״עוֹרִי רָגַע״ (איוב ז:ה), וְכֵן פֵּרֵשׁ דּוּנַשׁ:
and against the crushed people of the earth Heb. רגעי, on the crushed people of the earth, and so (in Jer. 31:34): “Who stirs up (רגע) the sea”; (Job 7:5), “my skin wrinkled (רגע).” And so did Dunash explain it.
כ"א
וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ עָלַ֗י פִּ֫יהֶ֥ם אָ֭מְרוּ הֶאָ֣ח ׀ הֶאָ֑ח רָאֲתָ֥ה עֵינֵֽינוּ׃
21
They open wide their mouths at me,
saying, “Aha, aha, we have seen it!”
21
Yea, they open their mouth wide against me; They say: 'Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.'
הֶאָח הֶאָח. לְשׁוֹן שִׂמְחָה מִתְהַלֵּל בְּתַאֲוַת לִבּוֹ מֵרוֹב שִׂמְחָתָם שֶׁרוֹאִים תַּאֲוָתָם מִתְקַיֶּמֶת:
Aha! Aha! Heb. האח, an expression of joy of one who boasts with the lust of his heart, out of their [sic] great joy, that they see their lust gratified.
כ"ב
רָאִ֣יתָה יְ֭הוָה אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י אֲל־תִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
22
You have seen it, O LORD;
do not hold aloof!
O Lord, be not far from me!
22
Thou hast seen, O LORD; keep not silence; O Lord, be not far from me.
כ"ג
הָעִ֣ירָה וְ֭הָקִיצָה לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י אֱלֹהַ֖י וַֽאדֹנָ֣י לְרִיבִֽי׃
23
Wake, rouse Yourself for my cause,
for my claim, O my God and my Lord!
23
Rouse Thee, and awake to my judgment, Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
הָעִירָה וְהָקִיצָה. פַּמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה, לִשְׁפּוֹט מִשְׁפָּטִי מֵאוֹיְבַי (סנהדרין לח:):
Arouse Yourself and awaken the heavenly retinue to judge my cause from my enemies.
כ"ד
שָׁפְטֵ֣נִי כְ֭צִדְקְךָ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֗י וְאַל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִֽי׃
24
Take up my cause, O LORD my God, as You are beneficent,
and let them not rejoice over me.
24
Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Thy righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.
כ"ה
אַל־יֹאמְר֣וּ בְ֭לִבָּם הֶאָ֣ח נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ אַל־יֹ֝אמְר֗וּ בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ׃
25
Let them not think,
“Aha, just what we wished!”
Let them not say,
“We have destroyed him!”
25
Let them not say in their heart: 'Aha, we have our desire'; Let them not say: 'We have swallowed him up.'
כ"ו
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחְדָּו֮ שְׂמֵחֵ֪י רָעָ֫תִ֥י יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹ֥שֶׁת וּכְלִמָּ֑ה הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים עָלָֽי׃
26
May those who rejoice at my misfortune
be frustrated and utterly disgraced;
may those who vaunt themselves over me
be clad in frustration and shame.
26
Let them be ashamed and abashed together that rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and confusion that magnify themselves against me. .
כ"ז
יָרֹ֣נּוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮ חֲפֵצֵ֪י צִ֫דְקִ֥י וְיֹאמְר֣וּ תָ֭מִיד יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ שְׁל֣וֹם עַבְדּֽוֹ׃
27
May those who desire my vindication
sing forth joyously;
may they always say,
“Extolled be the LORD
who desires the well-being of His servant,”
27
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that delight in my righteousness; Yea, let them say continually: 'Magnified be the LORD, Who delighteth in the peace of His servant.'
כ"ח
וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה צִדְקֶ֑ךָ כָּל־הַ֝יּוֹם תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃
28
while my tongue shall recite Your beneficent acts,
Your praises all day long.
28
And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness, And of Thy praise all the day.