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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 11

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. Of David. In Hashem I take refuge; how can you say to me, “Take to the hills like a bird!

la-menatze-akh, le-da-VID, ba-do-NAI, kha-see-TEE, EKH to-M'-RU, le-naf-SHEE, (no-DEE) [noo-DEE], har-KHEM tzi-POR

אלַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד בַּֽיהֹוָ֨ה ׀ חָסִ֗יתִי אֵ֭יךְ תֹּאמְר֣וּ לְנַפְשִׁ֑י (נודו) [נ֝֗וּדִי] הַרְכֶ֥ם צִפּֽוֹר׃

2For see, the wicked bend the bow, they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright.

KI hi-NEH ha-r'-sha-EEM yid-r'-KHUN KE-shet ko-n'-NU khee-TZAM al-YE-ter li-ROT b'-mo-o-FEL l'-yish-ray-LEV

בכִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים יִדְרְכ֬וּן קֶ֗שֶׁת כּוֹנְנ֣וּ חִצָּ֣ם עַל־יֶ֑תֶר לִיר֥וֹת בְּמוֹ־אֹ֝֗פֶל לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃

3When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous man do?”

ki ha-sha-TOT ye-ha-RES-un, tza-DIK mah pa-AL

גכִּ֣י הַ֭שָּׁתוֹת יֵהָרֵס֑וּן צַ֝דִּ֗יק מַה־פָּעָֽל׃

4Hashem is in His holy palace; Hashem—His throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His gaze searches mankind.

a-do-NAI b'-he-KHAL kod-SHO, a-do-NAI ba-sha-MA-yim ki-s'-O, e-NAI-yu ye-khe-ZU, a-fa-PA-yu yi-v'-kha-NU, b'-NAY a-DAM

דיְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ בְּֽהֵ֘יכַ֤ל קׇדְשׁ֗וֹ יְהֹוָה֮ בַּשָּׁמַ֢יִם כִּ֫סְא֥וֹ עֵינָ֥יו יֶחֱז֑וּ עַפְעַפָּ֥יו יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

5Hashem seeks out the righteous man, but loathes the wicked one who loves injustice.

a-do-NAI tza-DEEK yiv-KHAN v'-ra-SHA v'-o-HEV kha-MAS sa-NE-a NA-f'-sho

היְהֹוָה֮ צַדִּ֢יק יִ֫בְחָ֥ן וְ֭רָשָׁע וְאֹהֵ֣ב חָמָ֑ס שָֽׂנְאָ֥ה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

6He will rain down upon the wicked blazing coals and sulfur; a scorching wind shall be their lot.

yam-TAYR al r'-sha-EEM pa-KHEEM AYSH v'-gof-REET v'-RU-akh zil-a-FOT m'-NAT ko-SAM

ויַמְטֵ֥ר עַל־רְשָׁעִ֗ים פַּ֫חִ֥ים אֵ֣שׁ וְ֭גׇפְרִית וְר֥וּחַ זִלְעָפ֗וֹת מְנָ֣ת כּוֹסָֽם׃

 11:6   Blazing coals and sulfur

Dead Sea Works factory

The words aish v’gofreet (אש וגפרית), ‘blazing coals and sulfur,’ remind us of when the Lord rained down burning sulfuric coals on Sodom and Gomorrah in order to destroy them, as described in Sefer Bereishit (19:24) .  There, the Torah uses the expression gofreet va-aish (גפרית ואש), ‘sulfurous fire.’ In the Bible, Hashem sends down from the heavens rain to sustain, manna to nourish, and burning fires to eradicate evil from the land. While in Sefer Bereishit sulfuric fire is associated with death and destruction, in the modern State of Israel it represents life, rejuvenation and prosperity. In 1911, Moshe Novomeysky, a European industrialist, visited the Dead Sea for the first time and understood its potential as a treasure trove for minerals, phosphates, sulfurs and potash. He created the Palestine Potash Company which would later turn into Dead Sea Works, one of Israel’s most important export companies and one of the world’s largest producers of potash products.

7For Hashem is righteous; He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face.

ki-TZAD-dik a-do-NAI tze-da-KOT a-HEV ya-SHAR ye-khe-ZU fa-NEE-mo.

זכִּֽי־צַדִּ֣יק יְ֭הֹוָה צְדָק֣וֹת אָהֵ֑ב יָ֝שָׁ֗ר יֶחֱז֥וּ פָנֵֽימוֹ׃