TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 20
Translation and Transliteration of
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1It was the year that the Tartan came to Ashdod—being sent by King Sargon of Assyria—and attacked Ashdod and took it.
bi-SHnat BO tar-TAN ash-DO-da, bi-SHO-akh o-TO sar-GON me-LEKH a-SHUR, vai-yi-LA-khem b'-ash-DO-da vai-yil-K'-da
אבִּשְׁנַ֨ת בֹּ֤א תַרְתָּן֙ אַשְׁדּ֔וֹדָה בִּשְׁלֹ֣חַ אֹת֔וֹ סַֽרְג֖וֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם בְּאַשְׁדּ֖וֹד וַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃
2Previously, Hashem had spoken to Yeshayahu son of Amotz, saying, “Go, untie the sackcloth from your loins and take your sandals off your feet,” which he had done, going naked and barefoot.
ba-AYT ha-HEE di-BER a-do-NAI b'-YAD y'-sha-YA-hu ven a-MOTZ lay-MOR LAYKH u-fi-takh-TA ha-SAK may-AL mot-NE-kha v'-na-al-KHA ta-kha-LOTZ may-AL rag-LE-kha va-YA-as KAYN ha-LOKH a-ROM v'-ya-KHAYF
בבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָה֮ בְּיַ֣ד יְשַֽׁעְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־אָמוֹץ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ לֵ֗ךְ וּפִתַּחְתָּ֤ הַשַּׂק֙ מֵעַ֣ל מׇתְנֶ֔יךָ וְנַעַלְךָ֥ תַחֲלֹ֖ץ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ כֵּ֔ן הָלֹ֖ךְ עָר֥וֹם וְיָחֵֽף׃
20:2 Go, untie the sackcloth from your loins
Egypt encouraged the Philistines to revolt against Assyria, and supported the rebellion for three years (713-711 BCE), only to then cowardly hand the Philistine king of Ashdod over to the Assyrians. In an attempt to dissuade Yehuda from similarly relying on Egypt for protection against the Assyrian army, Yeshayahu becomes a living sign to the people. He is to loosen his clothes at his loins, wear no upper garments, and go barefoot. This behavior is designed to signify that the Egyptians and Ethiopians will be led away as captives by the king of Assyria, and to remind the people not to rebel against Hashem’s message or try to rely on Egypt for salvation. Though it is tempting to rely on people or material wealth for success, Yeshayahu‘s message is that God is the only true source of success and salvation.
3And now Hashem said, “It is a sign and a portent for Egypt and Nubia. Just as My servant Yeshayahu has gone naked and barefoot for three years,
vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI ka-a-SHER ha-LAKH av-DEE y'-sha-a-YA-hu a-ROM v'-ya-KHAYF, sha-LOSH sha-NEEM, ot u-mo-FAYT al mitz-RA-yim v'-al KUSH
גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלַ֛ךְ עַבְדִּ֥י יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖הוּ עָר֣וֹם וְיָחֵ֑ף שָׁלֹ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ א֣וֹת וּמוֹפֵ֔ת עַל־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְעַל־כּֽוּשׁ׃
4so shall the king of Assyria drive off the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Nubia, young and old, naked and barefoot and with bared buttocks—to the shame of Egypt!
KEN yin-HAG me-LEKH-a-SHUR et-she-VEE mitz-RA-yim v'-et-ga-LUT kush ne-a-REEM u-ze-KE-neem a-ROM v'-ya-KHEF va-kha-SHU-fai SHET er-VAT mitz-RA-yim
דכֵּ֣ן יִנְהַ֣ג מֶֽלֶךְ־אַ֠שּׁ֠וּר אֶת־שְׁבִ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם וְאֶת־גָּל֥וּת כּ֛וּשׁ נְעָרִ֥ים וּזְקֵנִ֖ים עָר֣וֹם וְיָחֵ֑ף וַחֲשׂוּפַ֥י שֵׁ֖ת עֶרְוַ֥ת מִצְרָֽיִם׃
5And they shall be dismayed and chagrined because of Nubia their hope and Egypt their boast.
v'-kha-TU va-BO-shu mi-KUSH ma-BA-tam u-min mitz-RA-yim tif-a-RA-tam
הוְחַתּ֖וּ וָבֹ֑שׁוּ מִכּוּשׁ֙ מַבָּטָ֔ם וּמִן־מִצְרַ֖יִם תִּפְאַרְתָּֽם׃
6In that day, the dwellers of this coastland shall say, ‘If this could happen to those we looked to, to whom we fled for help and rescue from the king of Assyria, how can we ourselves escape?'”
v'-a-MAR yo-SHAYV ha-I ha-ZEH ba-YOM ha-HU, hi-NEH-KHO ma-BATE-nu a-SHER-na-S'-NU sham l'-ez-RAH l'-hi-NA-tzel mi-p'-NEI me-LEKH a-SHUR, v'-AYKH ni-MA-LET a-NAKH-NU.
ווְ֠אָמַ֠ר יֹשֵׁ֨ב הָאִ֣י הַזֶּה֮ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַהוּא֒ הִנֵּה־כֹ֣ה מַבָּטֵ֗נוּ אֲשֶׁר־נַ֤סְנוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה לְהִ֨נָּצֵ֔ל מִפְּנֵ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֑וּר וְאֵ֖יךְ נִמָּלֵ֥ט אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃
