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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 115

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Not to us, Hashem, not to us but to Your name bring glory for the sake of Your love and Your faithfulness.

lo LA-nu a-do-NAI, lo-LA-nu ki l'-shim-KHA TEN ka-VO-d al khas-DE-kha, al a-mi-TE-kha

אלֹ֤א לָ֥נוּ יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹ֫א־לָ֥נוּ כִּֽי־לְ֭שִׁמְךָ תֵּ֣ן כָּב֑וֹד עַל־חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗ עַל־אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃

2Let the nations not say, “Where, now, is their God?”

la-MA yo-M'-RU ha-go-YIM a-YEH-na e-lo-HE-hem

בלָ֭מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַיֵּה־נָ֝֗א אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃

3when our God is in heaven and all that He wills He accomplishes.

v'-e-lo-HE-nu va-sha-MA-yim, kol a-SHER-cha-FAYTS a-SAH

גוֵאלֹהֵ֥ינוּ בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֣ץ עָשָֽׂה׃

4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

a-tza-VE-hem KE-sef v'-za-HAV ma-a-SEH y'-DEI a-DAM

דעֲֽ֭צַבֵּיהֶם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

5They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see;

PEH-la-HEM v'-LO y'-da-BE-ru, AY-na-YIM la-HEM v'-LO yir-U.

הפֶּֽה־לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ עֵינַ֥יִם לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֽוּ׃

6they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell;

o-z'-NA-yim la-HEM v'-lo yish-MA-u, af la-HEM v'-lo ye-ree-KHUN

ואׇזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ אַ֥ף לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יְרִיחֽוּן׃

7they have hands, but cannot touch, feet, but cannot walk; they can make no sound in their throats.

y'-dei-HEM v'-LO ye-MI-shun rag-lei-HEM v'-LO ye-ha-LE-khu, lo ye-h'-GU bi-g'-ro-NAM

זיְדֵיהֶ֤ם ׀ וְלֹ֬א יְמִישׁ֗וּן רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם וְלֹ֣א יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ לֹא־יֶ֝הְגּ֗וּ בִּגְרוֹנָֽם׃

8Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them.

k'-MO-hem yi-HE-yu o-SE-hem kol a-SHER bo-TE-akh ba-HEM

חכְּ֭מוֹהֶם יִהְי֣וּ עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵ֣חַ בָּהֶֽם׃

9O Yisrael, trust in Hashem! He is their help and shield.

YIS-ra-AYL b'-TAKH ba-do-NAI, ez-RAM u-ma-GIN-am HU.

טיִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בְּטַ֣ח בַּיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃

10O house of Aharon, trust in Hashem! He is their help and shield.

BEIT a-HA-ron bi-t'-KHU va-do-NAI e-Z'-RAM u-ma-gi-NAM HU

יבֵּ֣ית אַ֭הֲרֹן בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃

11O you who fear Hashem, trust in Hashem! He is their help and shield.

yir-EI a-do-NAI bi-t'-KHU va-a-do-NAI eZ'-RAM u-ma-gi-NAM hu

יאיִרְאֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃

12Hashem is mindful of us. He will bless us; He will bless the house of Yisrael; He will bless the house of Aharon;

a-do-NAI z'-kha-RA-nu, y'-va-REKH, y'-va-REKH et-BAYT yis-ra-AYL, y'-va-REKH et-BAYT a-ha-ROAN

יביְהֹוָה֮ זְכָרָ֢נוּ יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ יְ֭בָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אַהֲרֹֽן׃

13He will bless those who fear Hashem, small and great alike.

y'-va-REKH yir-AY a-do-NAI ha-k'-ta-NEEM im ha-g'-do-LEEM

יגיְ֭בָרֵךְ יִרְאֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃

14May Hashem increase your numbers, yours and your children's also.

yo-SEF a-do-NAI a-LE-khem a-LE-khem v'-al b'-nei-KHEM

ידיֹסֵ֣ף יְהֹוָ֣ה עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם וְעַל־בְּנֵיכֶֽם׃

15May you be blessed by Hashem, Maker of heaven and earth.

b'-ru-KHEEM a-TEM la-a-do-NAI o-SEH sha-MA-yim va-a-RETZ

טובְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

16The heavens belong to Hashem, but the earth He gave over to man.

ha-sha-MA-yim sha-MA-yim la-do-NAI v'-ha-A-retz na-TAN liv-NAY a-DAM

טזהַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שָׁ֭מַיִם לַיהֹוָ֑ה וְ֝הָאָ֗רֶץ נָתַ֥ן לִבְנֵי־אָדָֽם׃

 115:16   But the earth He gave over to man

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (1787-1859)

Though the heavens remain Hashem’s domain, He bestowed the earth to man, in order to spread His holy name. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, a nineteenth century Hasidic leader, explains beautifully: “The land was given to man to raise it up to the lofty level of the heavens.” This is especially true in Eretz Yisrael. The Bible warns that there is a higher standard for one’s behavior in the Land of Israel, as it says in Sefer Vayikra 18:26-28 “You must keep My laws and My rules, and you must not do any of those abhorrent things… So let not the land spew you out for defiling it, as it spewed out the nation that came before you.”

17The dead cannot praise Hashem, nor any who go down into silence.

lo ha-ME-teem ye-hal-lu-YAH, ve-lo kol-yor-dei du-MAH

יזלֹ֣א הַ֭מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ־יָ֑הּ וְ֝לֹ֗א כׇּל־יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה׃

18But we will bless Hashem now and forever. Hallelujah.

va-a-na-KH'-nu ne-va-REKH ya, me-a-TAH v'-ad-o-LAM, hal-lu-ya.

יחוַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ ׀ נְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ יָ֗הּ מֵעַתָּ֥ה וְעַד־עוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃