Contact Us

TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 10

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Why, Hashem, do You stand aloof, heedless in times of trouble?

la-MA a-do-NAI ta-a-MOD b'-ra-KHOK ta-a-LIM l'-i-TOT ba-tza-RAH

אלָמָ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה תַּֽעֲמֹ֣ד בְּרָח֑וֹק תַּ֝עְלִ֗ים לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃

2The wicked in his arrogance hounds the lowly— may they be caught in the schemes they devise!

b'-ga-a-VAT ra-SHA yid-LAK a-NEE, yi-ta-F'-su bi-m'-zi-MOT zu kha-SHA-vu

בבְּגַאֲוַ֣ת רָ֭שָׁע יִדְלַ֣ק עָנִ֑י יִתָּֽפְשׂ֓וּ ׀ בִּמְזִמּ֖וֹת ז֣וּ חָשָֽׁבוּ׃

3The wicked crows about his unbridled lusts; the grasping man reviles and scorns Hashem.

ki-hi-LEL ra-SHA al-ta-a-VAT naf-SHO u-BO-tse-akh BE-rekh ni-ET a-do-NAI

גכִּֽי־הִלֵּ֣ל רָ֭שָׁע עַל־תַּאֲוַ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּבֹצֵ֥עַ בֵּ֝רֵ֗ךְ נִ֘אֵ֥ץ ׀ יְהֹוָֽה׃

4The wicked, arrogant as he is, in all his scheming [thinks], “He does not call to account; Hashem does not care.”

ra-SHA ko-GO-bah a-PO bal-yid-ROSH, AYN e-lo-HIM kol-m'-zi-MO-tav

דרָשָׁ֗ע כְּגֹ֣בַהּ אַ֭פּוֹ בַּל־יִדְרֹ֑שׁ אֵ֥ין אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים כׇּל־מְזִמּוֹתָֽיו׃

5His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are far beyond him; he snorts at all his foes.

ya-KHEE-lu d'-ra-KHAV b'-kol-AYT ma-ROM mish-PA-te-KHA mi-NEG-do, kol-tzo-r'-RAV ya-fee-AKH ba-HEM

היָ֘חִ֤ילוּ דְרָכָ֨ו ׀ בְּכׇל־עֵ֗ת מָר֣וֹם מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ כׇּל־צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו יָפִ֥יחַ בָּהֶֽם׃

6He thinks, “I shall not be shaken, through all time never be in trouble.”

a-MAR b'-li-VO bal e-MOT, l'-DOR va-DOR a-SHER lo b'-RA

ואָמַ֣ר בְּ֭לִבּוֹ בַּל־אֶמּ֑וֹט לְדֹ֥ר וָ֝דֹ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־בְרָֽע׃

7His mouth is full of oaths, deceit, and fraud; mischief and evil are under his tongue.

a-LAH pi-HU ma-LE v'-mir-MOT va-TOKH, ta-KHAT l'-sho-NO a-MAL va-a-VEN

זאָלָ֤ה פִּ֣יהוּ מָ֭לֵא וּמִרְמ֣וֹת וָתֹ֑ךְ תַּ֥חַת לְ֝שׁוֹנ֗וֹ עָמָ֥ל וָאָֽוֶן׃

8He lurks in outlying places; from a covert he slays the innocent; his eyes spy out the hapless.

yay-SHAYV b'-ma-RAV kha-tzay-REEM ba-mis-ta-REEM ya-ha-ROG na-KEE ay-NAV l'-khay-l'-KHA yitz-PO-nu

חיֵשֵׁ֤ב ׀ בְּמַאְרַ֬ב חֲצֵרִ֗ים בַּֽ֭מִּסְתָּרִים יַהֲרֹ֣ג נָקִ֑י עֵ֝ינָ֗יו לְֽחֵלְכָ֥ה יִצְפֹּֽנוּ׃

 10:8   He lurks in outlying places

This psalm depicts the enemies of Israel who use the land’s hidden spaces , marav chatzayrim (מארב חצרים), to attack Hashem’s people. In 1946, before the establishment of the State of Israel, Jews courageously went out on the night after Yom Kippur, the ‘Day of Atonement,’ and created new settlements that became known as the “eleven points in the Negev,” in order to establish a presence on the ground to prevent attacks by Arabs, and hegemony of Arabs over the Jews, in southern Israel. One of the places chosen for Jewish settlement was Hatzerim (חצרים), founded with just fifty inhabitants who struggled agriculturally due to the land’s brackish soil. Ultimately, however, they changed their focus from agriculture to industrial development and quickly established one of the leading agricultural companies in Israel. Today, the Netafim corporation, which developed drip-irrigation technology and is based in Hatzerim, provides solutions for many water-scarce countries around the world.

Winter in the Negev desert.

Drip irrigation in Hatzerim, Israel

9He waits in a covert like a lion in his lair; waits to seize the lowly; he seizes the lowly as he pulls his net shut;

ye-e-ROV ba-mis-TAR ke-ar-YEH be-su-KOH ye-e-ROV la-cha-TOF a-NEE yach-TOF a-NEE be-mosh-KHO ve-ri-sh'-TO

טיֶאֱרֹ֬ב בַּמִּסְתָּ֨ר ׀ כְּאַרְיֵ֬ה בְסֻכֹּ֗ה יֶ֭אֱרֹב לַחֲט֣וֹף עָנִ֑י יַחְטֹ֥ף עָ֝נִ֗י בְּמׇשְׁכ֥וֹ בְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

10he stoops, he crouches, and the hapless fall prey to his might.

(v'-d'-KA) [yid-KEH] ya-SHO-akh v'-NA-fal ba-a-tsu-MAV (kheil-KA-im) [khel ka-IM]

י(ודכה) [יִדְכֶּ֥ה] יָשֹׁ֑חַ וְנָפַ֥ל בַּ֝עֲצוּמָ֗יו (חלכאים) [חֵ֣ל כָּאִֽים]׃

11He thinks, “Hashem is not mindful, He hides His face, He never looks.”

a-MAR b'-li-VO sha-KHAK a-EL, his-TIR pa-NAV bal-ra-AH la-NE-tsakh

יאאָמַ֣ר בְּ֭לִבּוֹ שָׁ֣כַֽח אֵ֑ל הִסְתִּ֥יר פָּ֝נָ֗יו בַּל־רָאָ֥ה לָנֶֽצַח׃

12Rise, Hashem! Strike at him, O Hashem! Do not forget the lowly.

KU-ma a-do-NAI, AYL n'-SA y'-DE-kha, al tish-KAKH (a-NA-yim) [a-NA-veem]

יבקוּמָ֤ה יְהֹוָ֗ה אֵ֭ל נְשָׂ֣א יָדֶ֑ךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח (עניים) [עֲנָוִֽים]׃

13Why should the wicked man scorn Hashem, thinking You do not call to account?

al-MEH ni-ETZ ra-SHA e-lo-HEEM a-MAR b'-li-VO lo tid-ROSH

יגעַל־מֶ֤ה ׀ נִאֵ֖ץ רָשָׁ֥ע ׀ אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָמַ֥ר בְּ֝לִבּ֗וֹ לֹ֣א תִדְרֹֽשׁ׃

14You do look! You take note of mischief and vexation! To requite is in Your power. To You the hapless can entrust himself; You have ever been the orphan's help.

ra-i-TA ki-a-TAH a-MAL va-KHA-as ta-BEET la-TEET b'-ya-DE-kha a-LE-kha ya-a-ZOV khe-LE-kha ya-TOM a-TAH ha-YEE-ta o-ZER

ידרָאִ֡תָה כִּי־אַתָּ֤ה ׀ עָ֘מָ֤ל וָכַ֨עַס ׀ תַּבִּיט֮ לָתֵ֢ת בְּיָ֫דֶ֥ךָ עָ֭לֶיךָ יַעֲזֹ֣ב חֵלֵ֑כָה יָ֝ת֗וֹם אַתָּ֤ה ׀ הָיִ֬יתָ עוֹזֵֽר׃

15O break the power of the wicked and evil man, so that when You look for his wickedness You will find it no more.

SH'-vor z'-RO-a ra-SHA, va-RA ti-DROSH-ri-SHO bal-tim-TZA

טושְׁ֭בֹר זְר֣וֹעַ רָשָׁ֑ע וָ֝רָ֗ע תִּֽדְרוֹשׁ־רִשְׁע֥וֹ בַל־תִּמְצָֽא׃

16Hashem is king for ever and ever; the nations will perish from His land.

a-do-NAI me-LEKH o-LAM va-ED, av-DOO go-YIM me-ar-TZO.

טזיְהֹוָ֣ה מֶ֭לֶךְ עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד אָבְד֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃

17You will listen to the entreaty of the lowly, Hashem, You will make their hearts firm; You will incline Your ear

ta-a-VAT a-na-VIM sha-MA-ta a-do-NAI ta-KHEEN li-BAM takh-SHEEV oz-NE-kha

יזתַּאֲוַ֬ת עֲנָוִ֣ים שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ יְהֹוָ֑ה תָּכִ֥ין לִ֝בָּ֗ם תַּקְשִׁ֥יב אׇזְנֶֽךָ׃

18to Champion the orphan and the downtrodden, that men who are of the earth tyrannize no more.

lish-POHT ya-TOM va-DAKH bal yo-SEEF OD la-a-ROTZ e-NOSh min ha-A-retz.

יחלִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יָת֗וֹם וָ֫דָ֥ךְ בַּל־יוֹסִ֥יף ע֑וֹד לַעֲרֹ֥ץ אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃