TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 55

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Ho, all who are thirsty, Come for water, Even if you have no money; Come, buy food and eat: Buy food without money, Wine and milk without cost.

HOY KOL-tza-MAY l'-KU la-MA-yim va-a-SHER AYN-lo KA-sef l'-KU shiv-ROO v'-e-KHO-loo u-l'-KU shiv-ROO b'-LO-khe-SEF u-v'-LO m'-KHEER ya-YIN v'-kha-LAV

אה֤וֹי כׇּל־צָמֵא֙ לְכ֣וּ לַמַּ֔יִם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־ל֖וֹ כָּ֑סֶף לְכ֤וּ שִׁבְרוּ֙ וֶאֱכֹ֔לוּ וּלְכ֣וּ שִׁבְר֗וּ בְּלוֹא־כֶ֛סֶף וּבְל֥וֹא מְחִ֖יר יַ֥יִן וְחָלָֽב׃

2Why do you spend money for what is not bread, Your earnings for what does not satisfy? Give heed to Me, And you shall eat choice food And enjoy the richest viands.

la-MAH tish-k'-LU k'-SEF b'-LO le-KHEM vi-gi-A-khem b'-LO l'-so-VAH, shim-U sha-MO-a e-LAI v'-ikh-LU-TOV v'-tit-a-NAG ba-DE-shen naf-sh'-KHEM.

בלָ֤מָּה תִשְׁקְלוּ־כֶ֙סֶף֙ בְּלוֹא־לֶ֔חֶם וִיגִֽיעֲכֶ֖ם בְּל֣וֹא לְשׇׂבְעָ֑ה שִׁמְע֨וּ שָׁמ֤וֹעַ אֵלַי֙ וְאִכְלוּ־ט֔וֹב וְתִתְעַנַּ֥ג בַּדֶּ֖שֶׁן נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃

3Incline your ear and come to Me; Hearken, and you shall be revived. And I will make with you an everlasting covenant, The enduring loyalty promised to David.

ha-TU az-NE-khem u-le-KHU e-LAI shim-U u-te-KHI naf-SHE-khem ve-ekh-re-TA lakh-EM b'-REET o-LAM khas-DEI da-VID ha-ne-e-MA-nim

גהַטּ֤וּ אׇזְנְכֶם֙ וּלְכ֣וּ אֵלַ֔י שִׁמְע֖וּ וּתְחִ֣י נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וְאֶכְרְתָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם חַֽסְדֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הַנֶּֽאֱמָנִֽים׃

4As I made him a leader of peoples, A prince and commander of peoples,

HEN EYD l'-u-MEEM ne-ta-TEEV na-GID u-m'-tsa-VEH l'-u-MEEM

דהֵ֛ן עֵ֥ד לְאוּמִּ֖ים נְתַתִּ֑יו נָגִ֥יד וּמְצַוֵּ֖ה לְאֻמִּֽים׃

5So you shall summon a nation you did not know, And a nation that did not know you Shall come running to you— For the sake of Hashem your God, The Holy One of Yisrael who has glorified you.

HEIN go-YO lo-te-DA tik-RA v'-go-YO lo-ye-da-U-kha e-LE-kha ya-RO-tzu le-ma-AN a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha v'-lik-DOSH yis-ra-AYL ki fe-a-RAKH. (Selah)

ההֵ֣ן גּ֤וֹי לֹֽא־תֵדַע֙ תִּקְרָ֔א וְג֥וֹי לֹֽא־יְדָע֖וּךָ אֵלֶ֣יךָ יָר֑וּצוּ לְמַ֙עַן֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְלִקְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כִּ֥י פֵאֲרָֽךְ׃

6Seek Hashem while He can be found, Call to Him while He is near.

dir-SHU a-do-NAI b'-hi-ma-tz'-O k'-ra-U-hu bih-yo-TO ka-ROV

ודִּרְשׁ֥וּ יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּהִמָּֽצְא֑וֹ קְרָאֻ֖הוּ בִּֽהְיוֹת֥וֹ קָרֽוֹב׃

 55:6   Seek Hashem while He can be found

The prophetic counsel “seek Hashem while He can be found; call to him while He is near” introduces a section offering hope and reward for those who sincerely desire to repent. This chapter is traditionally read publicly on fast days, days meant for introspection and inner reflection, and commentators provide many interpretations to its meaning. Some understand the phrase “seek Hashem while He can be found” as referring to the month before the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, when prayer is especially desirable. The Jerusalem Talmud understands it in terms of location, “seek Hashem where He is found — in the synagogues, and in the study halls.” The underlying message is the same: If you seek Hashem out in the right way, you will be able to find Him, and He is always there awaiting your return.

7Let the wicked give up his ways, The sinful man his plans; Let him turn back to Hashem, And He will pardon him; To our God, For he freely forgives.

ya-a-ZOV ra-SHA dar-KO v'-ISH a-VON ma-kh'-sh'-vo-TAV v'-ya-SHOV el a-do-NAI vi-ra-kha-MAY-hu v'-el e-lo-HAY-nu kee-yar-BEH lis-lo-ACH

זיַעֲזֹ֤ב רָשָׁע֙ דַּרְכּ֔וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אָ֖וֶן מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֑יו וְיָשֹׁ֤ב אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ וִֽירַחֲמֵ֔הוּ וְאֶל־אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ כִּֽי־יַרְבֶּ֥ה לִסְלֽוֹחַ׃

8For My plans are not your plans, Nor are My ways your ways —declares Hashem.

ki lo makh-sh'-vo-TAI makh-sh'-vo-TAY-khem v'-lo dar-khay-KHEM d'-ra-KHAI n'-UM a-do-NAI

חכִּ֣י לֹ֤א מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי֙ מַחְשְׁב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם דְּרָכָ֑י נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה׃

9But as the heavens are high above the earth, So are My ways high above your ways And My plans above your plans.

ki-ga-VE-hu sha-MA-yim me-a-RETZ, KEN ga-VE-hu d'-ra-KHAI mi-dar-KHE-khem, u-makh-sh'-vo-TAI mi-makh-sh'-vo-TEI-khem

טכִּֽי־גָבְה֥וּ שָׁמַ֖יִם מֵאָ֑רֶץ כֵּ֣ן גָּבְה֤וּ דְרָכַי֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֔ם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַ֖י מִמַּחְשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃

10For as the rain or snow drops from heaven And returns not there, But soaks the earth And makes it bring forth vegetation, Yielding seed for sowing and bread for eating,

ki ka-a-SHER ye-RED ha-GE-shem v'-ha-SHE-leg min ha-sha-MA-yim v'-sha-MAH lo ya-SHU-v, ki im-hir-VAH et ha-A-retz v'-ho-lee-DAH v'-hitz-mi-KHAH, v'-na-TAN ze-RAH la-ZO-re-a, v'-le-KHEM la-o-KHEL

יכִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵרֵד֩ הַגֶּ֨שֶׁם וְהַשֶּׁ֜לֶג מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וְשָׁ֙מָּה֙ לֹ֣א יָשׁ֔וּב כִּ֚י אִם־הִרְוָ֣ה אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהוֹלִידָ֖הּ וְהִצְמִיחָ֑הּ וְנָ֤תַן זֶ֙רַע֙ לַזֹּרֵ֔עַ וְלֶ֖חֶם לָאֹכֵֽל׃

11So is the word that issues from My mouth: It does not come back to Me unfulfilled, But performs what I purpose, Achieves what I sent it to do.

KEN yih-YEH d'-va-REE a-SHER yay-TSEH mi-PI lo ya-SHU-vay e-LAI ray-KAM, KEE im a-SAH et a-SHER kha-FA-tzee v'-hitz-LEE-akh a-SHER sh'-la-KH'-tee-v.

יאכֵּ֣ן יִהְיֶ֤ה דְבָרִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִפִּ֔י לֹא־יָשׁ֥וּב אֵלַ֖י רֵיקָ֑ם כִּ֤י אִם־עָשָׂה֙ אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפַ֔צְתִּי וְהִצְלִ֖יחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁלַחְתִּֽיו׃

12Yea, you shall leave in joy and be led home secure. Before you, mount and hill shall shout aloud, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

ki-v'-si-m'-kha tay-TSE-u u-v'-sha-LOM tu-va-LUN, he-ha-REEM v'-ha-ge-va-OT yif-tz'-KHU lif-NE-khem ree-NAH, v'-kol a-tzay ha-sa-DEH yim-cha-U-kaf

יבכִּֽי־בְשִׂמְחָ֣ה תֵצֵ֔אוּ וּבְשָׁל֖וֹם תּוּבָל֑וּן הֶהָרִ֣ים וְהַגְּבָע֗וֹת יִפְצְח֤וּ לִפְנֵיכֶם֙ רִנָּ֔ה וְכׇל־עֲצֵ֥י הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה יִמְחֲאוּ־כָֽף׃

13Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise Instead of the nettle, a myrtle shall rise. These shall stand as a testimony to Hashem, As an everlasting sign that shall not perish.

ta-KHAT ha-na-a-TZUTZ ya-a-LEH ve-ROSH (ta-KHAT) [ve-ta-KHAT] ha-sir-PAD ya-a-LEH ha-DAS ve-ha-YA la-a-do-NAI le-SHEM le-OT o-LAM lo yi-ka-RET.

יגתַּ֤חַת הַֽנַּעֲצוּץ֙ יַעֲלֶ֣ה בְר֔וֹשׁ (תחת) [וְתַ֥חַת] הַסִּרְפַּ֖ד יַעֲלֶ֣ה הֲדַ֑ס וְהָיָ֤ה לַֽיהֹוָה֙ לְשֵׁ֔ם לְא֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ם לֹ֥א יִכָּרֵֽת׃