Chapter 14

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. Of David. The benighted man thinks, “Hashem does not care.” Man's deeds are corrupt and loathsome; no one does good.

lam-na-TZAY-akh l'-da-VID a-MAR na-VAL b'-li-BO AYN e-lo-HEEM hish-KHEE-tu hit-EE-vu a-lee-LAH AYN o-SAY TOV

אלַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אָ֘מַ֤ר נָבָ֣ל בְּ֭לִבּוֹ אֵ֣ין אֱלֹהִ֑ים הִֽשְׁחִ֗יתוּ הִֽתְעִ֥יבוּ עֲלִילָ֗ה אֵ֣ין עֹֽשֵׂה־טֽוֹב׃

14:1 The benighted man thinks

The psalmist paints a dim picture of humanity with corruption in command and desire reigning. Hashem peers from the heavens and wonders if any people still contemplate and seek the Creator. The Hebrew word for ‘benighted’ used in this verse is naval (נבל), which means ‘foolish’ or ‘senseless.’ It is also the name of the infamous wicked man described in Sefer Shmuel I 25. David encounters Naval, who lives only to please his desires and spares nobody his evil plans. He is indeed a fool, corrupt, immoral and unjust, and is ultimately condemned by his own hubris. His wife Avigail, however, acts with kindness and love. David sees redemption in Avigail and eventually, after Naval’s death, makes her his wife. The psalm concludes with the hope of the ultimate redemption, as the salvation of Israel will come when the nation of God returns to the land. Then, Yaakov will rejoice, Israel will be happy (verse 7).

2Hashem looks down from heaven on mankind to find a man of understanding, a man mindful of Hashem.

a-do-NAI mi-sha-MA-yim hi-sh'-KEEF al b'-NAY a-DAM lir-OT ha-YESH mas-KIL do-RAYSH et e-lo-HIM

ביְֽהֹוָ֗ה מִשָּׁמַיִם֮ הִשְׁקִ֢יף עַֽל־בְּנֵי־אָ֫דָ֥ם לִ֭רְאוֹת הֲיֵ֣שׁ מַשְׂכִּ֑יל דֹּ֝רֵ֗שׁ אֶת־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

3All have turned bad, altogether foul; there is none who does good, not even one.

ha-KOL sar ya-kha-DAV ne-e-LA-khu AYN o-SEH-tov AYN gam-e-KHAD

גהַכֹּ֥ל סָר֮ יַחְדָּ֢ו נֶ֫אֱלָ֥חוּ אֵ֤ין עֹֽשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב אֵ֝֗ין גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃

4Are they so witless, all those evildoers, who devour my people as they devour food, and do not invoke Hashem?

ha-LO ya-d'-U kol po-a-lay a-VEN o-kh'-LAY a-MEE a-KHE-lu LE-khem a-do-NAI lo ka-RA-u

דהֲלֹ֥א יָדְעוּ֮ כׇּל־פֹּ֢עֲלֵ֫י־אָ֥וֶן אֹכְלֵ֣י עַ֭מִּי אָ֣כְלוּ לֶ֑חֶם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה לֹ֣א קָרָֽאוּ׃

5There they will be seized with fright, for Hashem is present in the circle of the righteous.

SHAM pa-KHA-du pa-KHAD kee e-lo-HEEM b'-DOR tza-DEEK

השָׁ֤ם ׀ פָּ֣חֲדוּ פָ֑חַד כִּֽי־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים בְּד֣וֹר צַדִּֽיק׃

6You may set at naught the counsel of the lowly, but Hashem is his refuge.

a-TZAT a-NEE ta-VEE-shu, KEE a-do-NAI makh-SE-hu

ועֲצַת־עָנִ֥י תָבִ֑ישׁוּ כִּ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה מַחְסֵֽהוּ׃

7O that the deliverance of Yisrael might come from Tzion! When Hashem restores the fortunes of His people, Yaakov will exult, Yisrael will rejoice.

mi yi-TEN mi-tzi-YON ye-SHU-at yis-ra-EL b'-SHUV a-do-NAI sh'-VUT a-MO ya-GEL ya-a-KOV yis-ra-EL.

זמִ֥י יִתֵּ֣ן מִצִּיּוֹן֮ יְשׁוּעַ֢ת יִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הֹוָה שְׁב֣וּת עַמּ֑וֹ יָגֵ֥ל יַ֝עֲקֹ֗ב יִשְׂמַ֥ח יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃