א׳
מִזְמ֖וֹר לְדָוִ֣ד לְהַזְכִּֽיר׃
1
A psalm of David. Lehazkir.
1
A Psalm of David, to make memorial.
מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד לְהַזְכִּיר. לְאוֹמְרוֹ בִּשְׁעַת צָרָה, לְהַזְכִּיר צָרָתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּכְנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמָרוֹ:
A song of David, to make remembrance To recite it in time of distress, to make remembrance of the distress of Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, and he recited it as relating to all Israel.
ב׳
יְֽהוָ֗ה אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥ תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃
2
O LORD, do not punish me in wrath;
do not chastise me in fury.
2
O LORD, rebuke me not in Thine anger; neither chasten me in Thy wrath.
ג׳
כִּֽי־חִ֭צֶּיךָ נִ֣חֲתוּ בִ֑י וַתִּנְחַ֖ת עָלַ֣י יָדֶֽךָ׃
3
For Your arrows have struck me;
Your blows have fallen upon me.
3
For Thine arrows are gone deep into me, and Thy hand is come down upon me.
נִחֲתוּ. נִזְרְקוּ. לְשׁוֹן נַחַת נוֹפֵל בִּנְטִיַּת קֶשֶׁת, וּלְפִי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי דְּרִיכַת הַקֶּשֶׁת נִזְרָקִים הַחִצִּים, כְּתִיב נִחֲתוּ בִי, וְכֵן (שמות טו:ט) ״אָרִיק חַרְבִּי״, הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב אָרִיק תַּעְרִי, אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁכְּשֶׁמּוֹצִיאִין חֶרֶב מִתַּעְרָהּ הַתַּעַר רֵיק מִמֶּנָּה, לְכָךְ תּוֹלֶה הָרֵיקוּת בַּחֶרֶב, וְכֵן (תהלים יח:לה) ״וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה״. וְאֵין הַנּוּ״ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּבָה, שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה שֹׁרֶשׁ הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר נִנְחֲתוּ בִי, אֲבָל נוּ״ן שֶׁל נָחֲתוּ וְכֵן שֶׁל וַתִּנְחַת אֵינָהּ שֹׁרֶשׁ וְנוֹפֶלֶת לִפְרָקִים כְּמוֹ וְנוּ״ן שֶׁל נָגַף, נָשַׁךְ, נָדַר, נָקַם, כְּשֶׁמִּתְפַּעֵל יֹאמַר נִגַּף נִשַּׁךְ נִדַּר נִקַּם כְּמוֹ נִנְגַף נִנְשַׁךְ נִנְדַר נִנְקַם שֶׁהַדָּגֵשׁ בָּא בַתֵּבָה בִּמְקוֹם נוּ״ן, וְכֵן (ויקרא כו:לו) ״עָלֶה נִדָּף״, (איכה ג:מט) ״עֵינִי נִגְּרָה״, כְּמוֹ נִנְדַּף נִנְגְּרָה, כֵּן יֹאמַר נָחֲתוּ כְּמוֹ נִנְחֲתוּ, וְכֵן (תהלים יח:לה) ״וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה״ כְּמוֹ וְנִנְחֲתָה, שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַחֵי״ת לְהִתְנַהֵג כְּמִנְהַג דַּגְשׁוּת בְּרֹב מְקוֹמוֹת, כְּגוֹן (מלכים א יג:יח) ״כִּחֵשׁ לוֹ״, וּמִמִּשְׁקַל דָּגוּשׁ כְּמוֹ דִּבֵּר מִגִּזְרַת וַיְדַבֵּר, כָּךְ כִּחֵשׁ מִגִּזְרַת (בראשית יח:טו) ״וַתְּכַחֵשׁ שָׂרָה״, וְלֹא יֹאמַר כֵּחַשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מִן הַמְבָרֵךְ בֵּרַךְ וְלֹא יֹאמַר בִּרֵךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר דִּבֵּר, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דַּגְשׁוּת נִכָּר בְּרֵי״שׁ, אֲבָל בְּחֵי״ת נִכָּר דַּגְשׁוּת, וְכֵן (דברים לב:ה) ״שִׁחֵת,״ כְּמוֹ כִּפֵּר דִּבֵּר. אַף כָּאן יֹאמַר נָחֲתוּ כְּמוֹ נִגְּשׁוּ נִתְּנוּ מִגְּזַר נָחַת נָתַן נָגַשׁ, וְהַנּוּ״ן יְסוֹד נוֹפֵל לִכָּנֵס דָּגֵשׁ בִּמְקוֹמָהּ כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפַּעֵל, וְכֵן (שמואל א ב:ד) ״קֶשֶׁת גִּבֹּרִים חַתִּים״ מִגִּזְרַת נָחַת וְחָתַת, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מִן נָסַב סָבַב, מִן נָשַׁם שָׁמַם, (ויקרא כו:לב) ״וְנָשַׁמּוּ דַרְכֵיכֶם״, (שם) ״וְשָׁמְמוּ עָלֶיהָ״, וְכֵן בָּלַל נָבַל (בראשית יא:ט) ״כִּי שָׁם בָּלַל ה׳״, (בראשית יא:ז) ״וְנָבְלָה שָׁם שְׂפָתָם״, כֵּן יֹאמַר נָחַת וְחָתַת בִּלְשׁוֹן פָּעַל:
have been shot Heb. נחתו, have been cast. The expression of נחת applies to the bending of a bow, and since the arrows are shot by bending the bow, he wrote נחתו בי [literally] “were bent in me.” Similarly, (in Exod. 15:9): “I will unsheath my sword (אריק חרבי),” [lit. I emptied my sword.] The Torah should have written: אריק תערי, I will empty my sheath, but because when they draw the sword from its sheath, the sheath is emptied of it, he therefore relates the emptying to the sword. Similarly, (above 18:35): “a copper bow was bent (ונחתה).” The “nun” is not a radical, because, if it were a radical, it would have to be ננחתו, but the “nun” of נחתו, and so ותנחת, is not a radical but is sometimes dropped, like the “nun” of נגף, to smite; נשך, to bite; נדר, to vow; נקם, to avenge. And when it is passive we say: נִגַּף, smitten; נִשַׁךְ, bitten; נִדַּר, vowed; נִקַּם, avenged, like נִנְקַם, נִנְדַּר, נִנְשַׁךְ, נִנְגַּף. The “dagesh” in the word replaces the “nun.” Similarly (in Lev. 26:36), a rattling (נִדַף) leaf,” (in Lam. 3:49), “My eyes stream (נִגְרָה),” like נִנְגְּרָה. So does he say נִחֲתוּ like נִנְחֲתוּ, and so (above 18:35): “and a copper bow was bent (וְנִּחֲתָה),” like וְנִנְחֲתָה. It was customary for the “cheth” to be treated like the letters that do accept a “dagesh” in most places, e.g. (in I Kings 13:18): “He lied (כִּחֶשׁ) to him,” in the form that is punctuated by a “dagesh,” [i.e., the pi’el conjugation,] like דִבֶּר spoke, from the same conjugation as וַיְדַבֶּר, כִּחֶשׁ from the same conjugation as (Gen. 18: 15): “And Sarah lied (וַתְּכַחֵשׁ),” and we do not say כֵּחַשׁ as we say from הַמְבָרֵךְ, בֵּרַךְ and we do not say בִּרֵךְ as we say דִּבֵּר, because the power of the “dagesh”; is not recognizable in the “resh,” but in the “cheth” the power of the “dagesh” is recognizable, and so (in Deut. 32:5): “Have they injured (שִׁחֵת) Him?” like כִּפֵר, atoned, דִּבֵּר, spoke. Here, too, he says, נִחֲתוּ like נִגְּשׁוּ they approached, נִתְּנוּ, they were given, from the roots נחת, נגש, נתן, the “nun” being a defective radical, replaced by a “dagesh” in the passive voice. So is (I Sam. 2: 4): “The bows of the mighty are broken (חתים),” from the root נחת and חתת as you say from נסב, סבב, from נשם, שמם ; (Lev. 26:22), “and your ways shall become desolate (וְנָשַׁמוּ),” (ibid. verse 32), “shall wonder (וְשָׁמְמוּ) over it.” Similarly, בָּלַל, נָבֹל, (Gen. 11:9) “for there the Lord confused בָּלַל” (ibid. verse 7) “and let us confuse (וְנָבְלָה) their language there.” So does he say נחת and חתת in the active voice.
וַתִּנְחַת עָלַי יָדֶךָ. פֵּירוּשׁ לְחִצֶּיךָ נִחֲתוּ בִי, וְכֵן פִּתְרוֹנוֹ: מַה דֶּרֶךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לִירוֹת הַחִצִּים? יָד שֶׁלְּךָ הִיא נִחֲתָה בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְהַפִּיל עָלַי חִצִּים. וַתִּנְחַת לְשׁוֹן וַתֵּרֵד, וּבָזֶה הַנּוּ״ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּיבָה. וְכֵן ״וְנִחֲתָה קֶשֶׁת נְחוּשָׁה״ (לעיל יח:לה), אֵין הַנּוּ״ן שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּתֵּיבָה (ס״א אינו):
and Your hand has come down upon me This is the explanation of “Your arrows have been shot into me.” And this is its interpretation: What bent the bow to shoot the arrows? Your hand has come down upon the bow to shoot arrows at me. ותנחת is an expression of ותרד, it came down, and in this the “nun” is a radical. Similarly (18:35), “and a copper bow was broken (ונחתה),” in which the “nun” is not a radical.
ד׳
אֵין־מְתֹ֣ם בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי מִפְּנֵ֣י זַעְמֶ֑ךָ אֵין־שָׁל֥וֹם בַּ֝עֲצָמַ֗י מִפְּנֵ֥י חַטָּאתִֽי׃
4
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your rage,
no wholeness in my bones because of my sin.
4
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin.
מְתֹם. תְּמִימוּת, אינטרי״ן בְּלַעַ״ז:
soundness Perfection, anterin in Old French, wholeness.
ה׳
כִּ֣י עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי עָבְר֣וּ רֹאשִׁ֑י כְּמַשָּׂ֥א כָ֝בֵ֗ד יִכְבְּד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
5
For my iniquities have overwhelmed me;
they are like a heavy burden, more than I can bear.
5
For mine iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
יִכְבְּדוּ. כְּבֵדִים:
are too heavy Heb. יכבדו, are heavy.
ו׳
הִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ נָ֭מַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃
6
My wounds stink and fester
because of my folly.
6
My wounds are noisome, they fester, because of my foolishness.
ז׳
נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי שַׁחֹ֣תִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם קֹדֵ֥ר הִלָּֽכְתִּי׃
7
I am all bent and bowed;
I walk about in gloom all day long.
7
I am bent and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day.
נַעֲוֵיתִי. לְשׁוֹן אֲחָזַתּוֹ עֲוִית (חולין ס:), אֵישְׁטוֹרְדִישׁוֹ״ן בְּלַעַ״ז:
I am...stunned Heb. נעויתי an expression of (Chullin 60b): “Convulsions (עוית) seize him.” Etourdissant in French, stunning.
ח׳
כִּֽי־כְ֭סָלַי מָלְא֣וּ נִקְלֶ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין מְ֝תֹ֗ם בִּבְשָׂרִֽי׃
8
For my sinews are full of fever;
there is no soundness in my flesh.
8
For my loins are filled with burning; and there is no soundness in my flesh.
כְּסָלַי מָלְאוּ נִקְלֶה. בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי אֲנִי קַל בְּעֵינֵי עַצְמִי:
For my loins are full of self-effacement In my thoughts, I am insignificant in my own eyes.
ט׳
נְפוּג֣וֹתִי וְנִדְכֵּ֣יתִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד שָׁ֝אַ֗גְתִּי מִֽנַּהֲמַ֥ת לִבִּֽי׃
9
I am all benumbed and crushed;
I roar because of the turmoil in my mind.
9
I am benumbed and sore crushed; I groan by reason of the moaning of my heart.
נְפוּגוֹתִי. נֶחֱלַפְתִּי, לְשׁוֹן ״וַיָּפָג לִבּוֹ״ (בראשית מה:כו), ״מֵאֵין הֲפֻגוֹת״ (איכה ג:מט):
I passed out Heb. נפוגתי, I passed out, an expression of (Gen. 45:26), “and his heart fainted (ויפג) .” (Lam. 3:49), “without respite (הפגת).”
י׳
אֲֽדֹנָי נֶגְדְּךָ֥ כָל־תַּאֲוָתִ֑י וְ֝אַנְחָתִ֗י מִמְּךָ֥ לֹא־נִסְתָּֽרָה׃
10
O Lord, You are aware of all my entreaties;
my groaning is not hidden from You.
10
Lord, all my desire is before Thee; and my sighing is not hid from Thee.
כָּל תַּאֲוָתִי. אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ צְרָכַי:
all my desire You know my needs.
י"א
לִבִּ֣י סְ֭חַרְחַר עֲזָבַ֣נִי כֹחִ֑י וְֽאוֹר־עֵינַ֥י גַּם־הֵ֝֗ם אֵ֣ין אִתִּֽי׃
11
My mind reels;
my strength fails me;
my eyes too have lost their luster.
11
My heart fluttereth, my strength faileth me; as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
סְחַרְחַר. מֻקָּף יָגוֹן, וְזֶהוּ מִתֵּיבוֹת הַכְּפוּלוֹת, כְּמוֹ ״יְרַקְרַק אֲדַמְדַּם״ (ויקרא יג:מט), סְגַלְגַּל (נדרים סו:), ״חֳמַרְמְרוּ״ (איכה א:כ):
engulfed Heb. סחרחר, surrounded by grief. This is one of the double words, like (Lev. 13: 49), “dark green (ירקרק), dark red (אדמדם),” (Ned. 66b) “round (סגלגל)” (Lam. 1:20), “my spirits are troubled (חמר מרו).”
י"ב
אֹֽהֲבַ֨י ׀ וְרֵעַ֗י מִנֶּ֣גֶד נִגְעִ֣י יַעֲמֹ֑דוּ וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י מֵרָחֹ֥ק עָמָֽדוּ׃
12
My friends and companions stand back from my affliction;
my kinsmen stand far off.
12
My friends and my companions stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
מִנֶּגֶד נִגְעִי יַעֲמֹדוּ. אוֹתָם נִרְאִין לִי כְּאוֹהֲבִים בִּשְׁעַת הֲנָאָתָן, וּכְשֶׁרוֹאִין שֶׁהַנֶּגַע בָּא עָלַי אֵין עוֹמְדִין לִי בִּשְׁעַת דָּחְקִי, אֶלָּא מִנֶּגְדִּי יַעֲמֹדוּ וְאֵינָם עוֹזְרִים לִי:
stand aloof from my affliction Those who appear to me as lovers in time of their pleasure, and when they see that the affliction comes upon me, they do not stand up for me in the time of my strait, but stand aloof and do not aid me.
וּקְרוֹבַי. שֶׁמַּרְאִים לִי עַצְמָם קְרוֹבִים:
and those close to me who showed themselves to be close to me.
י"ג
וַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י נַפְשִׁ֗י וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣י רָ֭עָתִי דִּבְּר֣וּ הַוּ֑וֹת וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת כָּל־הַיּ֥וֹם יֶהְגּֽוּ׃
13
Those who seek my life lay traps;
those who wish me harm speak malice;
they utter deceit all the time.
13
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me; and they that seek my hurt speak crafty devices, and utter deceits all the day.
וַיְנַקְשׁוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי. מוֹקְשִׁים לִי:
And those who seek my life lay traps They seek traps for me.
יֶהְגּוּ. יַחְשְׁבוּ:
י"ד
וַאֲנִ֣י כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ לֹ֣א אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיו׃
14
But I am like a deaf man, unhearing,
like a dumb man who cannot speak up;
14
But I am as a deaf man, I hear not; and I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
וַאֲנִי כְחֵרֵשׁ. יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹמְעִים חֶרְפָּתָם מִן הַמְּחָרְפִים, וְאֵינָם מְשִׁיבִים. וְלָמָּה? כִּי לְךָ הוֹחַלְתִּי, שֶׁתִּגְאָלֵנִי וְתוֹשִׁיעֵנִי מֵהֶם (שבת פח:):
But I am as a deaf person Israel hears their reproach from the nations but does not respond. Why? Because I hoped for You, O Lord, that You would redeem me and save me from them.
ט"ו
וָאֱהִ֗י כְּ֭אִישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְאֵ֥ין בְּ֝פִ֗יו תּוֹכָחֽוֹת׃
15
I am like one who does not hear,
who has no retort on his lips.
15
Yea, I am become as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no arguments.
ט"ז
כִּֽי־לְךָ֣ יְהוָ֣ה הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי אַתָּ֥ה תַ֝עֲנֶ֗ה אֲדֹנָ֥י אֱלֹהָֽי׃
16
But I wait for You, O LORD;
You will answer, O Lord, my God.
16
For in Thee, O LORD, do I hope; Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God.
י"ז
כִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֑י בְּמ֥וֹט רַ֝גְלִ֗י עָלַ֥י הִגְדִּֽילוּ׃
17
For I fear they will rejoice over me;
when my foot gives way they will vaunt themselves against me.
17
For I said: 'Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.'
כִּי אָמַרְתִּי פֶּן יִשְׂמְחוּ לִי. לְכָךְ אָנוּ שׁוֹתְקִים, כִּי אוֹמְרִים אָנוּ בְּלִבֵּנוּ: אִם נְשִׁיבֵם עַזּוּת, שֶׁמָּא יִרְאוּ בְּמַפַּלְתֵּנוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ לָנוּ בְּמוֹט רַגְלֵינוּ, וְיַגְדִּילוּ עָלֵינוּ לוֹמַר: הֲלֹא הֱיִיתֶם מִתְפָּאֲרִים בִּתְשׁוּעַתְכֶם?
For I said, “Lest they rejoice over me” For this reason we remain silent, because we say to ourselves, “If we answer them brazenly, they may witness our downfall and rejoice over us when our feet falter, and they will magnify themselves over us saying, ‘Weren’t you boasting of your salvation?’”
י"ח
כִּֽי־אֲ֭נִי לְצֶ֣לַע נָכ֑וֹן וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃
18
For I am on the verge of collapse;
my pain is always with me.
18
For I am ready to halt, and my pain is continually before me.
כִּי אֲנִי לְצֶלַע נָכוֹן. לְכָךְ אָנוּ דּוֹאֲגִים פֶּן יִשְׂמְחוּ לָנוּ, לְפִי שֶׁמְּלֻמָּדִים אָנוּ בְּמַכּוֹת וּמוּכָנִים וּמְזֻמָּנִים לְשֶׁבֶר תָּמִיד:
For I am ready for disaster For this reason, we are concerned lest they rejoice over us, because we are accustomed to blows and are always ready and prepared for disaster.
וּמַכְאוֹבִי נֶגְדִּי. מְזֻמָּן הוּא לָבֹא עָלַי תָּמִיד:
and my pain is always before me It is always prepared to come before me.
י"ט
כִּֽי־עֲוֺנִ֥י אַגִּ֑יד אֶ֝דְאַ֗ג מֵֽחַטָּאתִֽי׃
19
I acknowledge my iniquity;
I am fearful over my sin;
19
For I do declare mine iniquity; I am full of care because of my sin.
כִּי עֲוֺנִי אַגִּיד. לִבִּי מַגִּיד לִי אֶת עֲוֺנִי, וּלְפִיכָךְ אֲנִי דּוֹאֵג וְיָרֵא מֵחַטָּאתִי, שֶׁלֹּא יִגְרֹם לִי צֶלַע וּמַכְאוֹב:
For I relate my iniquity My heart tells me my iniquity. Therefore, I worry, and fear my sin, lest it cause me disaster and pain.
כ׳
וְֽ֭אֹיְבַי חַיִּ֣ים עָצֵ֑מוּ וְרַבּ֖וּ שֹׂנְאַ֣י שָֽׁקֶר׃
20
for my mortal enemies are numerous;
my treacherous foes are many.
20
But mine enemies are strong in health; and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
חַיִּים עָצֵמוּ. מַעֲצִימִים חַיִּים בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְטוֹבָה:
are in the vigor of life They are in the vigor of life with tranquility and goodness.
וְרַבּוּ. וְהִגְדִּילוּ שׂוֹנְאַי עַל דִּבְרֵי שָׁקֶר:
have become great And those who hate me because of false words have become exalted.
כ"א
וּמְשַׁלְּמֵ֣י רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה יִ֝שְׂטְנ֗וּנִי תַּ֣חַת רדופי־[רָֽדְפִי־] טֽוֹב׃
21
Those who repay evil for good
harass me for pursuing good.
21
They also that repay evil for good are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good.
תַּחַת רָדְפִי טוֹב. בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ דְּבֵקִים בַּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבְמִצְווֹתָיו:
for my pursuit of goodness Because we cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to His commandments.
כ"ב
אַל־תַּֽעַזְבֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
22
Do not abandon me, O LORD;
my God, be not far from me;
22
Forsake me not, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me.
כ"ג
ח֥וּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתִֽי׃
23
hasten to my aid,
O Lord, my deliverance.
23
Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.