Chapter 128

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1A song of ascents. Happy are all who fear Hashem, who follow His ways.

SHIR ha-ma-a-LOT a-sh'-RAY kol y'-RAY a-do-NAI ha-ho-LEKH bi-d'-ra-KHAV

אשִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אַ֭שְׁרֵי כׇּל־יְרֵ֣א יְהֹוָ֑ה הַ֝הֹלֵ֗ךְ בִּדְרָכָֽיו׃

2You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors; you shall be happy and you shall prosper.

ye-GI-a KA-pe-KHA ki to-E-khel ash-re-KHA ve-TOV la-KH

ביְגִ֣יעַ כַּ֭פֶּיךָ כִּ֣י תֹאכֵ֑ל אַ֝שְׁרֶ֗יךָ וְט֣וֹב לָֽךְ׃

3Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons, like olive saplings around your table.

esht'-KHA ke-GE-fen po-ri-YAH b'-yar-k'-TEI vei-TE-kha ba-NEI-kha kish-ti-LEI zei-TIM sa-VIV l'-shul-kha-ne-kha

גאֶשְׁתְּךָ֤ ׀ כְּגֶ֥פֶן פֹּרִיָּה֮ בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֢י בֵ֫יתֶ֥ךָ בָּ֭נֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִלֵ֣י זֵיתִ֑ים סָ֝בִ֗יב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶֽךָ׃

4So shall the man who fears Hashem be blessed.

hi-NEH khee-KHEN y'-vo-RACH ga-VER y'-RAY a-do-NAI

דהִנֵּ֣ה כִי־כֵ֭ן יְבֹ֥רַךְ גָּ֗בֶר יְרֵ֣א יְהֹוָֽה׃

5May Hashem bless you from Tzion; may you share the prosperity of Yerushalayim all the days of your life,

y'-va-REKH-kha a-do-NAI mi-TZI-yon u-re-EH b'-TOOV y'-ru-sha-LA-yim, kol y'-MEI khay-YE-kha

היְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֗ה מִצִּ֫יּ֥וֹן וּ֭רְאֵה בְּט֣וּב יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיךָ׃

6and live to see your children's children. May all be well with Yisrael!

ur-AY va-NEEM l'-va-NE-kha sha-LOM al yis-ra-AYL

ווּרְאֵֽה־בָנִ֥ים לְבָנֶ֑יךָ שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

128:6 May all be well with Yisrael

Mosaic at the Shalom al Yisrael synagogue in Yericho

In 1936, archaeological excavations in the city of Yericho revealed the remains of an ancient synagogue. A huge mosaic was uncovered with pictures of a menorah (candelabrum), a shofar (ram’s horn) a lulav (palm branch), and the concluding words of this psalm, shalom al Yisrael (‘May all be well with Yisrael’ or more literally, ‘peace be upon Yisrael’.) The synagogue was dated to around the seventh century CE, during the Byzantine period. In fact, hundreds of Byzantine-era synagogues have been discovered all over Israel, most of them facing Yerushalayim and containing various artifacts demonstrating that synagogues were thriving in ancient times throughout the land. Unfortunately, the “Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue,” as it has come to be known, which is now under the control of the Palestinian Authority, remains largely off-limits to Jewish worshippers.