TORAH

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES

NEVI'IM

PROPHETS

KETUVIM

WRITINGS

Chapter 54

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Shout, O barren one, You who bore no child! Shout aloud for joy, You who did not travail! For the children of the wife forlorn Shall outnumber those of the espoused—said Hashem.

RO-nee a-ka-RAH lo ya-LA-dah pitz-KHEE ri-NAH v'-tza-ha-LEE lo-cha-LAH kee ra-BEEM b'-nay sho-MAY-mah mi-b'-nay b'-u-LAH a-MAR a-do-NAI

ארׇנִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה לֹ֣א יָלָ֑דָה פִּצְחִ֨י רִנָּ֤ה וְצַהֲלִי֙ לֹא־חָ֔לָה כִּֽי־רַבִּ֧ים בְּֽנֵי־שׁוֹמֵמָ֛ה מִבְּנֵ֥י בְעוּלָ֖ה אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃

2Enlarge the site of your tent, Extend the size of your dwelling, Do not stint! Lengthen the ropes, and drive the pegs firm.

har-KHEE-vee m'-KOM a-ho-LAYKH vee-ree-OT mish-k'-no-TA-yikh ya-TU al takh-SO-khee ha-a-REE-khee may-ta-RA-yikh vee-tay-do-TA-yikh kha-ZAY-kee

בהַרְחִ֣יבִי ׀ מְק֣וֹם אׇהֳלֵ֗ךְ וִֽירִיע֧וֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתַ֛יִךְ יַטּ֖וּ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֑כִי הַאֲרִ֙יכִי֙ מֵיתָרַ֔יִךְ וִיתֵדֹתַ֖יִךְ חַזֵּֽקִי׃

54:2 Enlarge the site of your tent

Rabbi Elijah Kremer, the Vilna Gaon (1720-1797)

This verse contains a call to action for Jews everywhere to settle every corner of Eretz Yisrael and “enlarge” their presence in the land. Based on this verse, the Vilna Gaon urged his students in the eighteenth century to move to Israel. “All the precious treasures included in the blessing of harchava (‘enlargement’) will come only when action is first taken by the People of Israel themselves in an awakening from below” said the Vilna Gaon. “Our task is to not sit passively and wait for redemption from exile, but rather to take action and bring it about.” The Jewish people are not prisoners of fate, but partners with God in shaping their destiny. When they take action and settle the land, He will respond in kind and hasten the ingathering of the exiles.

3For you shall spread out to the right and the left; Your offspring shall dispossess nations And shall people the desolate towns.

ki-ya-MEEN u-s'-mo-OT tif-RO-tzi v'-zar-EKH go-YIM yi-RAKH v'-a-REEM n'-sha-MOT yo-SHI-vu

גכִּֽי־יָמִ֥ין וּשְׂמֹ֖אול תִּפְרֹ֑צִי וְזַרְעֵךְ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם יִירָ֔שׁ וְעָרִ֥ים נְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יוֹשִֽׁיבוּ׃

4Fear not, you shall not be shamed; Do not cringe, you shall not be disgraced. For you shall forget The reproach of your youth, And remember no more The shame of your widowhood.

al-ti-RE-i, ki LO te-VO-shi, v'-al ti-ka-L'-mi, ki LO takh-pee-RI, ki BO-shet a-lu-MA-yikh tish-KA-khi, v'-kher-PAT al-m'-nu-TA-yikh LO tiz-k'-ri-OD

דאַל־תִּֽירְאִי֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א תֵב֔וֹשִׁי וְאַל־תִּכָּֽלְמִ֖י כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תַחְפִּ֑ירִי כִּ֣י בֹ֤שֶׁת עֲלוּמַ֙יִךְ֙ תִּשְׁכָּ֔חִי וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת אַלְמְנוּתַ֖יִךְ לֹ֥א תִזְכְּרִי־עֽוֹד׃

5For He who made you will espouse you— His name is “LORD of Hosts.” The Holy One of Yisrael will redeem you— He is called “God of all the Earth.”

ki vo-a-la-YIKH o-sa-YIKH a-do-NAI t'-va-OT sh'-MO, v'-go-a-LEKH k'-DO-sh YIS-ra-AYL e-lo-HAY kol-ha-A-retz yi-ka-RE.

הכִּ֤י בֹעֲלַ֙יִךְ֙ עֹשַׂ֔יִךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמ֑וֹ וְגֹֽאֲלֵךְ֙ קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י כׇל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יִקָּרֵֽא׃

6Hashem has called you back As a wife forlorn and forsaken. Can one cast off the wife of his youth? —said your God.

ki-k'-i-SHAH a-ZU-vah va-a-tzu-VAT ru-akh k'-ra-akh a-do-NAI v'-AY-shet n'-u-REEM ki ti-ma-ES a-MAR e-lo-HA-yikh

וכִּֽי־כְאִשָּׁ֧ה עֲזוּבָ֛ה וַעֲצ֥וּבַת ר֖וּחַ קְרָאָ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֵ֧שֶׁת נְעוּרִ֛ים כִּ֥י תִמָּאֵ֖ס אָמַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃

7For a little while I forsook you, But with vast love I will bring you back.

b'-RE-ga ka-TON a-za-V'-TEEKH u-va-ra-cha-MEEM g'-do-LEEM a-ka-b'-TZAYKH

זבְּרֶ֥גַע קָטֹ֖ן עֲזַבְתִּ֑יךְ וּבְרַחֲמִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים אֲקַבְּצֵֽךְ׃

8In slight anger, for a moment, I hid My face from you; But with kindness everlasting I will take you back in love —said Hashem your Redeemer.

b'-SHE-tsef KE-tsef his-ta-RE-tee fa-NAI re-GA mi-MEKH u-v'-KHE-sed o-LAM ri-KHAM-TEEKH a-MAR go-a-LEKH a-do-NAI. (Selah)

חבְּשֶׁ֣צֶף קֶ֗צֶף הִסְתַּ֨רְתִּי פָנַ֥י רֶ֙גַע֙ מִמֵּ֔ךְ וּבְחֶ֥סֶד עוֹלָ֖ם רִחַמְתִּ֑יךְ אָמַ֥ר גֹּאֲלֵ֖ךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃

9For this to Me is like the waters of Noach: As I swore that the waters of Noach Nevermore would flood the earth, So I swear that I will not Be angry with you or rebuke you.

ki-MAY no-AKH ZOT li a-SHER nish-BA-tee may-a-VOR may-no-AKH OD al ha-A-retz KEN nish-BA-tee mi-k'-TSOF a-la-YIKH u-mi-ge-AR-baKH

טכִּֽי־מֵ֥י נֹ֙חַ֙ זֹ֣את לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי מֵעֲבֹ֥ר מֵי־נֹ֛חַ ע֖וֹד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֥ן נִשְׁבַּ֛עְתִּי מִקְּצֹ֥ף עָלַ֖יִךְ וּמִגְּעׇר־בָּֽךְ׃

10For the mountains may move And the hills be shaken, But my loyalty shall never move from you, Nor My covenant of friendship be shaken —said Hashem, who takes you back in love.

ki he-ha-REEM ya-MU-shu v'-ha-ge-va-OT te-mu-TEE-na, v'-chas-DEE me-i-TEKH lo ya-MU-shu u-ve-REET she-lo-MEE lo ta-MU-t, a-MAR me-ra-cha-MEKH a-do-NAI. (Selah)

יכִּ֤י הֶהָרִים֙ יָמ֔וּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָע֖וֹת תְּמוּטֶ֑ינָה וְחַסְדִּ֞י מֵאִתֵּ֣ךְ לֹא־יָמ֗וּשׁ וּבְרִ֤ית שְׁלוֹמִי֙ לֹ֣א תָמ֔וּט אָמַ֥ר מְרַחֲמֵ֖ךְ יְהֹוָֽה׃

11Unhappy, storm-tossed one, uncomforted! I will lay carbuncles as your building stones And make your foundations of sapphires.

a-nee-YAH so-a-RAH lo nu-KHA-mah, hi-NEH a-NO-khee mar-BITS ba-PUKH a-va-NA-yikh, vi-sad-TEEKH ba-sa-pee-REEM

יאעֲנִיָּ֥ה סֹעֲרָ֖ה לֹ֣א נֻחָ֑מָה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י מַרְבִּ֤יץ בַּפּוּךְ֙ אֲבָנַ֔יִךְ וִֽיסַדְתִּ֖יךְ בַּסַּפִּירִֽים׃

12I will make your battlements of rubies, Your gates of precious stones, The whole encircling wall of gems.

v'-sam-TEE kad-KHOD shim-sho-TAY-ikh u-sh'-a-ra-YIKH l'-av-NAY ek-DACH v'-kol-ge-vu-LAYKH l'-av-NAY-khe-FETZ

יבוְשַׂמְתִּ֤י כַּֽדְכֹד֙ שִׁמְשֹׁתַ֔יִךְ וּשְׁעָרַ֖יִךְ לְאַבְנֵ֣י אֶקְדָּ֑ח וְכׇל־גְּבוּלֵ֖ךְ לְאַבְנֵי־חֵֽפֶץ׃

13And all your children shall be disciples of Hashem, And great shall be the happiness of your children;

v'-KOL ba-NA-yikh li-mu-DAY a-do-NAI v'-RAV sh'-LOM ba-NA-yikh

יגוְכׇל־בָּנַ֖יִךְ לִמּוּדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְרַ֖ב שְׁל֥וֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃

14You shall be established through righteousness. You shall be safe from oppression, And shall have no fear; From ruin, and it shall not come near you.

bi-tz-da-KAH ti-KO-na-NEE ra-cha-QI me-o-SHEK, ki-LO ti-ra-I u-mi-m'-chi-TAH ki-LO ti-k'-RAV e-la-YIKH

ידבִּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּכּוֹנָ֑נִי רַחֲקִ֤י מֵעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א תִירָ֔אִי וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה כִּ֥י לֹֽא־תִקְרַ֖ב אֵלָֽיִךְ׃

15Surely no harm can be done Without My consent: Whoever would harm you Shall fall because of you.

HEN GOR YA-GUR E-FES ME-O-TI, MI-GAR I-TAKH A-LA-YIKH YI-POL.

טוהֵ֣ן גּ֥וֹר יָג֛וּר אֶ֖פֶס מֵאוֹתִ֑י מִי־גָ֥ר אִתָּ֖ךְ עָלַ֥יִךְ יִפּֽוֹל׃

16It is I who created the smith To fan the charcoal fire And produce the tools for his work; So it is I who create The instruments of havoc.

(hen) [hi-NEH] a-NO-khi ba-RA-tee kha-RASH no-FAY-akh b'-ESH pe-KHAM u-mo-TZEE k'-LEE l'-ma-a-SE-hu v'-a-NO-khi ba-RA-tee mash-KHEET l'-kha-BEL

טז(הן) [הִנֵּ֤ה] אָנֹכִי֙ בָּרָ֣אתִי חָרָ֔שׁ נֹפֵ֙חַ֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ פֶּחָ֔ם וּמוֹצִ֥יא כְלִ֖י לְמַעֲשֵׂ֑הוּ וְאָנֹכִ֛י בָּרָ֥אתִי מַשְׁחִ֖ית לְחַבֵּֽל׃

17No weapon formed against you Shall succeed, And every tongue that contends with you at law You shall defeat. Such is the lot of the servants of Hashem, Such their triumph through Me —declares Hashem.

kol-k'-LEE yu-TZAR a-LA-yikh lo yitz-LAKH v'-kol-la-SHON ta-KUM-i-TAKH la-mish-PAT tar-shi-I-zee, zo-at na-kha-LAT av-DAY a-do-NAI v'-tzid-ka-TAM may-i-TI ne-um-a-do-NAI. (Selah)

יזכׇּל־כְּלִ֞י יוּצַ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א יִצְלָ֔ח וְכׇל־לָשׁ֛וֹן תָּקוּם־אִתָּ֥ךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ עַבְדֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֧ה וְצִדְקָתָ֛ם מֵאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃