א׳
שִׁ֥יר מִזְמ֗וֹר לִבְנֵ֫י קֹ֥רַח לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ עַל־מָחֲלַ֣ת לְעַנּ֑וֹת מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל לְהֵימָ֥ן הָאֶזְרָחִֽי׃
1
A song. A psalm of the Korahites. For the leader; on maḥalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1
A Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Leader; upon Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.
עַל מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת. עַל חוֹלַת אַהֲבָה וְעִנּוּיָהּ, שֶׁהִיא מְעֻנָּה בְּיִסּוּרֵי הַגָּלוּת:
about the sick and afflicted one Heb. על-מחלתלענות, concerning the one sick with love and afflicted, for she is afflicted with the pains of the exile.
מַשְׂכִּיל. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַשְׂכִּיל, עַל יְדֵי תּוּרְגְּמָן נֶאֱמַר; שֶׁהָיָה הַנָּבִיא מַעֲמִיד תּוּרְגְּמָן לְפָנָיו, וּכְשֶׁרוּחַ הַנְּבוּאָה בָּאָה לוֹ, אוֹמֵר אֶת הַנְּבוּאָה לַתּוּרְגְּמָן, וְהוּא מַשְׁמִיעָהּ (פסחים קיז.):
of Heman the Ezrahite One of the musicians who played a musical instrument, and the sons of Korah established this psalm that Heman should recite it on the “duchan” [the platform].
לְהֵימָן הָאֶזְרָחִי. אֶחָד מִן הַמְשׁוֹרְרִים בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר, וְיִסְּדוּהוּ בְּנֵי קֹרַח אֶת הַמִּזְמוֹר הַזֶּה שֶׁיֹּאמְרֵהוּ הֵימָן עַל הַדּוּכָן (דברי הימים א ו:לג):
of Heman the Ezrahite He was one of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, for his lineage is delineated in (I Chron. 2:6): “And the sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Chalcol, and Darda [sic].” All five were great sages, as is said in reference to Solomon (I Kings 5: 11): “And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezraite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol,” and they established the Psalms, which were set down in the Book of Psalms. Therefore, they are called the sons of Mahol. So have I found in exact commentaries.
לְהֵימָן הָאֶזְרָחִי. מִבְּנֵי זֶרַח בֶּן יְהוּדָה הָיָה, שֶׁהוּא מְיֻחָס (דברי הימים א ב:ו) וּבְנֵי זֶרַח זִמְרִי וְאֵיתָן וְהֵימָן וְכַלְכֹּל וְדַרְדַּע כֻּלָּם חֲמִשָּׁה. הָיוּ חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּשְׁלֹמֹה (מלכים א ה:יא) ״וַיֶּחְכַּם מִכָּל הָאָדָם מֵאֵיתָן הָאֶזְרָחִי וְהֵימָן וְכַלְכֹּל וְדַרְדַּע בְּנֵי מָחוֹל״. וְיִסְּדוּ מִזְמוֹרִים וְנִקְבְּעוּ בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים, לְכָךְ נִקְרְאוּ בְּנֵי מָחוֹל. כָּךְ מָצָאתִי בְּפֵרוּשִׁים מְדֻיָּקִים:
a maskil Wherever it says “maskil,” it was said through an interpreter. The prophet would set up an interpreter before him, and when he perceived a prophecy coming upon him, he would recite the prophecy to the interpreter, who would make it heard.
ב׳
יְ֭הוָה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י יוֹם־צָעַ֖קְתִּי בַלַּ֣יְלָה נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃
2
O LORD, God of my deliverance,
when I cry out in the night before You,
2
O LORD, God of my salvation, What time I cry in the night before Thee,
יוֹם צָעַקְתִּי. וְגַם בַלַּיְלָה אֲנִי נָכוֹן נֶגְדֶּךָ:
I cried by day; at night And also at night I am ready before You.
ג׳
תָּב֣וֹא לְ֭פָנֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתִ֑י הַטֵּֽה־אָ֝זְנְךָ֗ לְרִנָּתִֽי׃
3
let my prayer reach You;
incline Your ear to my cry.
3
Let my prayer come before Thee, Incline Thine ear unto my cry.
ד׳
כִּֽי־שָֽׂבְעָ֣ה בְרָע֣וֹת נַפְשִׁ֑י וְחַיַּ֗י לִשְׁא֥וֹל הִגִּֽיעוּ׃
4
For I am sated with misfortune;
I am at the brink of Sheol.
4
For my soul is sated with troubles, And my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
כִּי שָׂבְעָה בְרָעוֹת נַפְשִׁי. עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא אוֹמֵר:
For my soul is sated with troubles He says this concerning the people of Israel.
ה׳
נֶ֭חְשַׁבְתִּי עִם־י֣וֹרְדֵי ב֑וֹר הָ֝יִ֗יתִי כְּגֶ֣בֶר אֵֽין־אֱיָֽל׃
5
I am numbered with those who go down to the Pit;
I am a helpless man
5
I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am become as a man that hath no help;
אֵין אֱיָל. אֵין כֹּחַ, כְּמוֹ ״אֱיָלוּתִי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה״ (תהלים כב:כ):
without strength Heb. איל, as (above 22:20): “My strength (אילותי), hasten to my assistance.”
ו׳
בַּמֵּתִ֗ים חָ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּמ֤וֹ חֲלָלִ֨ים ׀ שֹׁ֥כְבֵי קֶ֗בֶר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹ֣א זְכַרְתָּ֣ם ע֑וֹד וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה מִיָּדְךָ֥ נִגְזָֽרוּ׃
6
abandoned among the dead,
like bodies lying in the grave
of whom You are mindful no more,
and who are cut off from Your care.
6
Set apart among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, Whom Thou rememberest no more; And they are cut off from Thy hand. .
בַּמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי. הִנְנִי בֵּין הַמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְכָל שֶׁהֵם הַמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁים מִן הָעוֹלָם:
among the dead, who are free I am among the dead, free from the world, and like the slain, who are free from the world.
מִיָּדְךָ נִגְזָרוּ. מִמִּצְווֹתֶיךָ נִגְזְרוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם:
and who were cut off by Your hand By Your blows, they were cut off from the world.
ז׳
שַׁ֭תַּנִי בְּב֣וֹר תַּחְתִּיּ֑וֹת בְּ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים בִּמְצֹלֽוֹת׃
7
You have put me at the bottom of the Pit,
in the darkest places, in the depths.
7
Thou hast laid me in the nether-most pit, In dark places, in the deeps.
בְּבוֹר תַּחְתִּיּוֹת. הוּא הַגָּלוּת:
You have put me into the lowest pit That is the exile.
ח׳
עָ֭לַי סָמְכָ֣ה חֲמָתֶ֑ךָ וְכָל־מִ֝שְׁבָּרֶ֗יךָ עִנִּ֥יתָ סֶּֽלָה׃
8
Your fury lies heavy upon me;
You afflict me with all Your breakers. Selah.
8
Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And all Thy waves Thou pressest down. Selah
סָמְכָה. נִשְׁעֲנָה וְתָלָה עָלַי:
lies hard leans and hangs [sic] on me.
וְכָל־מִשְׁבָּרֶיךָ עִנִּיתָ סֶּלָה. מִשְׁבָּרִים לְשׁוֹן גַּלֵּי הַיָּם הֵם, כָּל סַעֲרַת אַפְּךָ, בְּכֻלָּם עִנִּיתָ אוֹתִי תָּמִיד (עירובין נד.):
and [with] all Your waves You have afflicted [me] constantly Heb. משבריך, an expression of the waves of the sea. They are all the storms of Your wrath; with all of them have You constantly afflicted me.
ט׳
הִרְחַ֥קְתָּ מְיֻדָּעַ֗י מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי שַׁתַּ֣נִי תוֹעֵב֣וֹת לָ֑מוֹ כָּ֝לֻ֗א וְלֹ֣א אֵצֵֽא׃
9
You make my companions shun me;
You make me abhorrent to them;
I am shut in and do not go out.
9
Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them; I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
שַׁתַּנִי תוֹעֵבוֹת לָמוֹ. הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁהָיִיתִי חֲשׁוּבָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם, עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי נִמְאֶסֶת לָהֶם:
You have made me an abomination to them The nations, in whose eyes I was esteemed—now I am repugnant to them.
כָּלוּא. נֶחְבַּשׁ בַּכֶּלֶא וְאֵינִי יָכוֹל לָצֵאת:
[I am] imprisoned Confined in a prison, and I cannot go out.
י׳
עֵינִ֥י דָאֲבָ֗ה מִנִּ֫י עֹ֥נִי קְרָאתִ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה בְּכָל־י֑וֹם שִׁטַּ֖חְתִּי אֵלֶ֣יךָ כַפָּֽי׃
10
My eyes pine away from affliction;
I call to You, O LORD, each day;
I stretch out my hands to You.
10
Mine eye languisheth by reason of affliction; I have called upon Thee, O LORD, every day, I have spread forth my hands unto Thee.
י"א
הֲלַמֵּתִ֥ים תַּעֲשֶׂה־פֶּ֑לֶא אִם־רְ֝פָאִ֗ים יָק֤וּמוּ ׀ יוֹד֬וּךָ סֶּֽלָה׃
11
Do You work wonders for the dead?
Do the shades rise to praise You? Selah.
11
Wilt Thou work wonders for the dead? Or shall the shades arise and give Thee thanks? Selah
הֲלַמֵּתִים. הֲלָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁאַף בְּחַיֵּיהֶם קְרוּיִין מֵתִים (ברכות יח.), הֲלָהֶם אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה פֶּלֶא וְנִסִּים?
Will You perform a wonder for the dead? Do You perform a wonder and miracles for the wicked, who are called dead even in their lifetime?
אִם רְפָאִים יָקוּמוּ יוֹדוּךָ. שֶׁמָּא אֵלּוּ הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁרִפּוּ יְדֵיהֶם מֵעֲבוֹדָתְךָ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ יָקוּמוּ וְיוֹדוּךָ? בִּתְמִיהָה:
Will the shades rise and thank You Heb. רפאים, lit. the weak. Will the nations that weakened their [Israel’s] hands from Your service rise and thank You? This is a wonder.
י"ב
הַיְסֻפַּ֣ר בַּקֶּ֣בֶר חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בָּאֲבַדּֽוֹן׃
12
Is Your faithful care recounted in the grave,
Your constancy in the place of perdition?
12
Shall Thy mercy be declared in the grave? Or Thy faithfulness in destruction?
הֲיְסֻפַּר בַּקֶּבֶר חַסְדֶּךָ. אִם נָמוּת בְּיַד אוֹיְבֵינוּ, כְּלוּם נוּכַל לְסַפֵּר שִׁבְחֲךָ בַּקֶּבֶר?
Will Your kindness be told in the grave if we die in the hands of our enemies, will we be able to recite Your praise in the grave?
י"ג
הֲיִוָּדַ֣ע בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ פִּלְאֶ֑ךָ וְ֝צִדְקָתְךָ֗ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ נְשִׁיָּֽה׃
13
Are Your wonders made known in the netherworld,
Your beneficent deeds in the land of oblivion?
13
Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark? And Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
י"ד
וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה שִׁוַּ֑עְתִּי וּ֝בַבֹּ֗קֶר תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י תְקַדְּמֶֽךָּ׃
14
As for me, I cry out to You, O LORD;
each morning my prayer greets You.
14
But as for me, unto Thee, O LORD, do I cry, And in the morning doth my prayer come to meet Thee.
ט"ו
לָמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה תִּזְנַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֑י תַּסְתִּ֖יר פָּנֶ֣יךָ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
15
Why, O LORD, do You reject me,
do You hide Your face from me?
15
LORD, why castest Thou off my soul? Why hidest Thou Thy face from me?
ט"ז
עָ֘נִ֤י אֲנִ֣י וְגֹוֵ֣עַ מִנֹּ֑עַר נָשָׂ֖אתִי אֵמֶ֣יךָ אָפֽוּנָה׃
16
From my youth I have been afflicted
and near death;
I suffer Your terrors wherever I turn.
16
I am afflicted and at the point of death from my youth up; I have borne Thy terrors, I am distracted.
וְגֹוֵעַ מִנֹּעַר. מֵת מִתּוֹךְ תִּשְׁנוֹק מִיתָה חֲטוּפָה, כְּמוֹ (שמות יד:כז) ״וַיְנַעֵר ה׳״. וַיְנַעֵר פֵּרֵשׁ מְנַחֵם לְשׁוֹן חֲבִיטָה, כְּמוֹ ״נוֹעֵר כַּפָּיו מִתְּמֹךְ בַּשֹּׁחַד״ (ישעיהו לג:טו), ״הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְׁבִי״ (ישעיהו נב:ב), ״וְהָיָה הֶחָסֹן לִנְעֹרֶת״ (ישעיהו א:לא), ״וְיִנָּעֲרוּ רְשָׁעִים מִמֶּנָּה״ (איוב לח:יג), ״כָּכָה יְהֵא נָעוּר וָרִיק״ (נחמיה ה:יג):
and close to sudden death Heb. וגוע מנער, dying from the strangulation of sudden death, as (Exod. 14:27): “and the Lord strangled (וינער).” Menachem (p. 123) defines וינער as an expression of beating, as (Isa. 33:15): “who shakes (נוער) his hands from taking hold of bribe”; (Isa. 52:2), “Shake yourself (התנערי) from the dust, arise”; (Isa. 1:31), “And the[ir] strength will become as tow (לנערת)”; (Job 38: 13), “so that the wicked will be shaken (וינערו) from it”; (Neh. 5:13), “even thus may he be shaken out (נעור) and emptied.”
אָפוּנָה. מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת וּמְבֻסֶּסֶת אֵימָתְךָ בְּלִבִּי, אָפוּנָה לְשׁוֹן ״דָּבָר דָּבֻר עַל אָפְנָיו״ (משלי כה:יא), עַל מְכוֹנָיו:
it is well-founded Heb. אפונה. Your fear is settled and based in my heart. אפוּנה is an expression of (Prov. 25:11): “a word spoken with proper basis (אפניו)”; on its basis.
י"ז
עָ֭לַי עָבְר֣וּ חֲרוֹנֶ֑יךָ בִּ֝עוּתֶ֗יךָ צִמְּתוּתֻֽנִי׃
17
Your fury overwhelms me;
Your terrors destroy me.
17
Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.
י"ח
סַבּ֣וּנִי כַ֭מַּיִם כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם הִקִּ֖יפוּ עָלַ֣י יָֽחַד׃
18
They swirl about me like water all day long;
they encircle me on every side.
18
They came round about me like water all the day; They compassed me about together.
י"ט
הִרְחַ֣קְתָּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי אֹהֵ֣ב וָרֵ֑עַ מְֽיֻדָּעַ֥י מַחְשָֽׁךְ׃
19
You have put friend and neighbor far from me
and my companions out of my sight.
19
Friend and companion hast Thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness.
מְיֻדָּעַי מַחְשָׁךְ. נֶחְשַׁכְתִּי וְנֶחְדַּלְתִּי מֵהֶם:
From my acquaintances, I am withdrawn Heb. מחשך. I am withdrawn and withheld from them.