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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 8

Translation and Transliteration of 

1At that time—declares Hashem—the bones of the kings of Yehuda, of its officers, of the Kohanim, of the Neviim, and of the inhabitants of Yerushalayim shall be taken out of their graves

ba-EYT ha-HEE ne-UM a-do-NAI (yo-tzi-U) [yo-TZI-u] et-a-tz-MOT mal-khay y'-hu-DAH v'-et-a-tz-MOT sa-RAV v'-et-a-tz-MOT ko-ha-NEEM v'-ET a-tz-MOT ha-ko-vee-EEM v'-ET a-tz-MOT yo-sh'-vay y'-ru-sha-LA-im mi-ki-v'-RE-hem

אבָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֣יא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֡ה (ויציאו) [יוֹצִ֣יאוּ] אֶת־עַצְמ֣וֹת מַלְכֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֣ה וְאֶת־עַצְמוֹת־שָׂרָיו֩ וְאֶת־עַצְמ֨וֹת הַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים וְאֵ֣ת ׀ עַצְמ֣וֹת הַנְּבִיאִ֗ים וְאֵ֛ת עַצְמ֥וֹת יוֹשְׁבֵֽי־יְרוּשָׁלָ֖͏ִם מִקִּבְרֵיהֶֽם׃

2and exposed to the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven which they loved and served and followed, to which they turned and bowed down. They shall not be gathered for reburial; they shall become dung upon the face of the earth.

u-sh'-ta-KHUM la-SHE-mesh v'-la-ya-RAY-akh u-l'-KOL t'-va ha-sha-MA-yim a-SHER a-HAY-vum va-a-SHER a-va-DUM va-a-SHER ha-l'-KHU a-cha-RAY-hem va-a-SHER d'-RA-shum va-a-SHER h'-sh'-ta-KHA-vu la-HEM, lo ya-a-S'-FU v'-lo yi-ka-VAY-ru l'-do-MEN al p'-NAY ha-a-da-MAH yi-H'-YU

בוּשְׁטָחוּם֩ לַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ וְלַיָּרֵ֜חַ וּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲהֵב֜וּם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר עֲבָדוּם֙ וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ הָלְכ֣וּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר דְּרָשׁ֔וּם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם לֹ֤א יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִקָּבֵ֔רוּ לְדֹ֛מֶן עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָ֖ה יִהְיֽוּ׃

3And death shall be preferable to life for all that are left of this wicked folk, in all the other places to which I shall banish them—declares the lord of Hosts.

v'-ni-V'-khar ma-VET me-kha-YIM l'-KOL ha-sh'-AY-REET ha-nish-a-REEM min ha-mish-PA-khah ha-ra-AH ha-ZOT b'-KOL ha-m'-KHO-MOT ha-nish-a-REEM a-SHER hi-DAKH-TEEM SHAM n'-UM a-do-NAI tz'-va-OT. (S)

גוְנִבְחַ֥ר מָ֙וֶת֙ מֵחַיִּ֔ים לְכֹ֗ל הַשְּׁאֵרִית֙ הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֔ים מִן־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את בְּכׇל־הַמְּקֹמ֤וֹת הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִדַּחְתִּ֣ים שָׁ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

4Say to them: Thus said Hashem: When men fall, do they not get up again? If they turn aside, do they not turn back?

v'-a-MAR-ta a-LE-hem KOH a-MAR a-do-NAI ha-yi-p'-LU v'-LO ya-KU-mu im ya-SHU-v v'-LO ya-SHU-v

דוְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲיִפְּל֖וּ וְלֹ֣א יָק֑וּמוּ אִם־יָשׁ֖וּב וְלֹ֥א יָשֽׁוּב׃

5Why is this people—Yerushalayim—rebellious With a persistent rebellion? They cling to deceit, They refuse to return.

ma-DU-a sho-ve-VA ha-AM ha-ZEH ye-ru-sha-LA-im me-shu-VA ni-TZA-chat he-che-ZI-ku ba-tar-MIT me-a-NU la-SHU-v

המַדּ֨וּעַ שׁוֹבְבָ֜ה הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֛ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם מְשֻׁבָ֣ה נִצַּ֑חַת הֶחֱזִ֙יקוּ֙ בַּתַּרְמִ֔ת מֵאֲנ֖וּ לָשֽׁוּב׃

6I have listened and heard: They do not speak honestly. No one regrets his wickedness And says, “What have I done!” They all persist in their wayward course Like a steed dashing forward in the fray.

hi-kh'-shav-TEE va-eesh-MAH lo-KHEN y'-da-be-ROO, AYN eeSH ni-KHAM al ra-a-TO lay-MOR, MEH a-see-TEE, KU-LO shaV b'-mir-OO-taM, k'-SOOS sho-TEF ba-mil-kha-MAH

והִקְשַׁ֤בְתִּי וָֽאֶשְׁמָע֙ לוֹא־כֵ֣ן יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ אֵ֣ין אִ֗ישׁ נִחָם֙ עַל־רָ֣עָת֔וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתִי כֻּלֹּ֗ה שָׁ֚ב (במרצותם) [בִּמְר֣וּצָתָ֔ם] כְּס֥וּס שׁוֹטֵ֖ף בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

7Even the stork in the sky knows her seasons, And the turtledove, swift, and crane Keep the time of their coming; But My people pay no heed To the law of Hashem.

gam-kha-see-DAH va-sha-MA-yim ya-d'-AH mo-a-DE-ha, v'-tor (v'-SEES) [v'-SEES] v'-a-GUR sha-M'-RU et-ET bo-A-na, v'-a-MEE lo ya-d'-U AYT mish-PAT a-do-NAI

זגַּם־חֲסִידָ֣ה בַשָּׁמַ֗יִם יָֽדְעָה֙ מוֹעֲדֶ֔יהָ וְתֹ֤ר (וסוס) [וְסִיס֙] וְעָג֔וּר שָׁמְר֖וּ אֶת־עֵ֣ת בֹּאָ֑נָה וְעַמִּ֕י לֹ֣א יָדְע֔וּ אֵ֖ת מִשְׁפַּ֥ט יְהֹוָֽה׃

8How can you say, “We are wise, And we possess the Instruction of Hashem”? Assuredly, for naught has the pen labored, For naught the scribes!

AY-kha to-M'-RU kha-KHA-meem a-na-KH'-nu v'-to-RAT a-do-NAI i-TA-nu a-KHEN hi-NEH la-SHE-ker a-SA ayt SHE-ker so-f'-REEM

חאֵיכָ֤ה תֹֽאמְרוּ֙ חֲכָמִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וְתוֹרַ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה אִתָּ֑נוּ אָכֵן֙ הִנֵּ֣ה לַשֶּׁ֣קֶר עָשָׂ֔ה עֵ֖ט שֶׁ֥קֶר סֹפְרִֽים׃

9The wise shall be put to shame, Shall be dismayed and caught; See, they reject the word of Hashem, So their wisdom amounts to nothing.

ho-VISH-u cha-KA-meem, cha-TU va-yi-la-KAY-du, hi-NEH vid-var a-do-NAI ma-A-su, v'-choch-MAT meh la-HEM

טהֹבִ֣שׁוּ חֲכָמִ֔ים חַ֖תּוּ וַיִּלָּכֵ֑דוּ הִנֵּ֤ה בִדְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ מָאָ֔סוּ וְחׇכְמַ֥ת מֶ֖ה לָהֶֽם׃

10Assuredly, I will give their wives to others, And their fields to dispossessors; For from the smallest to the greatest, They are all greedy for gain; Kohen and Navi alike, They all act falsely.

la-KHEN e-TEYN et-NE-she-HEM la-a-KHE-rim se-do-TE-hem le-yor-SHEEM, KEE mi-ka-TON ve-ad-GA-dol, KU-loh bo-TSE-a ba-TSE-a, mi-na-VEE ve-ad-KO-hen, KU-loh o-SEH sha-KER.

ילָכֵן֩ אֶתֵּ֨ן אֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶ֜ם לַאֲחֵרִ֗ים שְׂדֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְי֣וֹרְשִׁ֔ים כִּ֤י מִקָּטֹן֙ וְעַד־גָּד֔וֹל כֻּלֹּ֖ה בֹּצֵ֣עַ בָּ֑צַע מִנָּבִיא֙ וְעַד־כֹּהֵ֔ן כֻּלֹּ֖ה עֹ֥שֶׂה שָּֽׁקֶר׃

11They offer healing offhand For the wounds of My poor people, Saying, “All is well, all is well,” When nothing is well.

va-ye-RA-pu et SHE-ver bat a-MEE al ne-KA-lah lay-MOR sha-LOM sha-LOM v'-AYN sha-LOM

יאוַיְרַפּ֞וּ אֶת־שֶׁ֤בֶר בַּת־עַמִּי֙ עַל־נְקַלָּ֔ה לֵאמֹ֖ר שָׁל֣וֹם ׀ שָׁל֑וֹם וְאֵ֖ין שָׁלֽוֹם׃

12They have acted shamefully; They have done abhorrent things— Yet they do not feel shame, They cannot be made to blush. Assuredly, they shall fall among the falling, They shall stumble at the time of their doom —said Hashem.

ho-VI-shu KI to-E-va a-SU gam-BO-sho lo ye-BO-shu ve-hi-KA-lem lo ya-DA-u la-KHEN yi-pe-LU ba-nof-LIM be-et pe-ku-DA-tam yi-ka-SHU a-MAR a-do-NAI. (P)

יבהֹבִ֕שׁוּ כִּ֥י תוֹעֵבָ֖ה עָשׂ֑וּ גַּם־בּ֣וֹשׁ לֹֽא־יֵבֹ֗שׁוּ וְהִכָּלֵם֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ לָכֵ֞ן יִפְּל֣וּ בַנֹּפְלִ֗ים בְּעֵ֧ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֛ם יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃

13I will make an end of them —declares Hashem: No grapes left on the vine, No figs on the fig tree, The leaves all withered; Whatever I have given them is gone.

a-SOF a-SEE-fem ne-UM a-do-NAI, AYN a-na-VIM ba-GE-fen v'-AYN t'-E-nim ba-t'-E-na, v'-he-a-LEH na-VAYL va-e-TAYN la-HEM ya-a-v'-RUM

יגאָסֹ֥ף אֲסִיפֵ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה אֵין֩ עֲנָבִ֨ים בַּגֶּ֜פֶן וְאֵ֧ין תְּאֵנִ֣ים בַּתְּאֵנָ֗ה וְהֶעָלֶה֙ נָבֵ֔ל וָאֶתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יַעַבְרֽוּם׃

14Why are we sitting by? Let us gather into the fortified cities And meet our doom there. For Hashem our God has doomed us, He has made us drink a bitter draft, Because we sinned against Hashem.

al-MA a-na-KH'-nu yo-SHE-vim, he-a-S'-FU v'-na-VO el a-REI ha-miv-TZAR v'-ni-d'-MAH-SHAM, KEE a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY-nu ha-di-MA-nu va-yash-KE-nu may-ROSH, KEE kha-ta-NU la-a-do-NAI.

ידעַל־מָה֙ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ יֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים הֵאָסְפ֗וּ וְנָב֛וֹא אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָ֖ר וְנִדְּמָה־שָּׁ֑ם כִּי֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ הֲדִמָּ֙נוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣נוּ מֵי־רֹ֔אשׁ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהֹוָֽה׃

15We hoped for good fortune, but no happiness came; For a time of relief—instead there is terror!

ka-VEH l'-sha-LOM v'-AYN TOV l'-ET mar-PEH v'-hi-NEH b'-a-TAH

טוקַוֵּ֥ה לְשָׁל֖וֹם וְאֵ֣ין ט֑וֹב לְעֵ֥ת מַרְפֵּ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה בְעָתָֽה׃

16The snorting of their horses was heard from Dan; At the loud neighing of their steeds The whole land quaked. They came and devoured the land and what was in it, The towns and those who dwelt in them.

mi-DAN nish-MAH nakh-RAT su-SA-yav mi-KOL mitz-ha-LOT a-vee-RA-yav ra-a-SHA kol ha-A-retz va-ya-VO-u va-yo-KHE-lu e-RETZ u-me-lo-AH ir v'-yo-SHE-vay bah. (P)

טזמִדָּ֤ן נִשְׁמַע֙ נַחְרַ֣ת סוּסָ֔יו מִקּוֹל֙ מִצְהֲל֣וֹת אַבִּירָ֔יו רָעֲשָׁ֖ה כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּב֗וֹאוּ וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלוֹאָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃

17Lo, I will send serpents against you, Adders that cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you —declares Hashem.

ki HIN-ni me-sha-LAY-akh BA-khem n'-kha-SHEEM tzi-f'-O-neem a-SHER AYN-la-HEM la-KHASH v'-ni-sh'-Khu et-KHEM n'-um-a-do-NAI. (S)

יזכִּי֩ הִנְנִ֨י מְשַׁלֵּ֜חַ בָּכֶ֗ם נְחָשִׁים֙ צִפְעֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם לָ֑חַשׁ וְנִשְּׁכ֥וּ אֶתְכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

18When in grief I would seek comfort, My heart is sick within me.

mav-li-GI-ti a-LAY ya-GON, a-LAI li-BI da-VAI

יחמַבְלִ֥יגִיתִ֖י עֲלֵ֣י יָג֑וֹן עָלַ֖י לִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃

19“Is not Hashem in Tzion? Is not her King within her? Why then did they anger Me with their images, With alien futilities?” Hark! The outcry of my poor people From the land far and wide:

hi-ne-KOL sha-VO-at bat-a-MEE may-E-retz mar-cha-KEEM ha-a-do-NAI AYN b'-tzi-YON im mal-KAH AYN BAH ma-DU-a hikh-ee-SU-NEE b'-f'-si-LE-hem b'-hav-LAY n'-KAR

יטהִנֵּה־ק֞וֹל שַֽׁוְעַ֣ת בַּת־עַמִּ֗י מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ מַרְחַקִּ֔ים הַֽיהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣ין בְּצִיּ֔וֹן אִם־מַלְכָּ֖הּ אֵ֣ין בָּ֑הּ מַדּ֗וּעַ הִכְעִס֛וּנִי בִּפְסִלֵיהֶ֖ם בְּהַבְלֵ֥י נֵכָֽר׃

20“Harvest is past, Summer is gone, But we have not been saved.”

a-VAR ka-TZIR ka-LAH ka-YITZ va-a-NAKH-NU lo no-sha-ENU

כעָבַ֥ר קָצִ֖יר כָּ֣לָה קָ֑יִץ וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ ל֥וֹא נוֹשָֽׁעְנוּ׃

21Because my people is shattered I am shattered; I am dejected, seized by desolation.

al-SHE-ver bat-a-MEE ha-sh'-ba-RE-tee ka-DAR-tee sha-MA he-khe-zik-TA-nee

כאעַל־שֶׁ֥בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֖י הׇשְׁבָּ֑רְתִּי קָדַ֕רְתִּי שַׁמָּ֖ה הֶחֱזִקָֽתְנִי׃

22Is there no balm in Gilad? Can no physician be found? Why has healing not yet Come to my poor people?

ha-tzo-REE AYN b'-gil-AD im ro-FAY AYN SHAM KEE ma-DU-a LO a-l'-TAH a-ru-KHAT bat a-MEE

כבהַצֳּרִי֙ אֵ֣ין בְּגִלְעָ֔ד אִם־רֹפֵ֖א אֵ֣ין שָׁ֑ם כִּ֗י מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א עָֽלְתָ֔ה אֲרֻכַ֖ת בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃

 8:22   Is there no balm in Gilad

Yirmiyahu laments the people’s suffering. Despite condemning their immorality, impudence and hypocrisy, he nevertheless identifies with their pain. Wistfully, he calls out, “Is there no balm in Gilad?” Gilad is located on the plains of Jordan, across the river from Yerushalayim, and was famous for its medicines. The commentators understand this balm as a metaphor — righteousness and good deeds could have healed the people, but they were too distant.

23Oh, that my head were water, My eyes a fount of tears! Then would I weep day and night For the slain of my poor people.

mi-yi-TEN ro-SHI ma-YIM v'-ei-NI me-KOR di-ma v'-ev-KEH yo-MAM va-la-YE-la et khal-LEI vat-a-a-MI.

כגמִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן רֹאשִׁי֙ מַ֔יִם וְעֵינִ֖י מְק֣וֹר דִּמְעָ֑ה וְאֶבְכֶּה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אֵ֖ת חַֽלְלֵ֥י בַת־עַמִּֽי׃