
TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
Chapter 147
Translation and Transliteration of
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1Hallelujah. It is good to chant hymns to our God; it is pleasant to sing glorious praise.
ha-l'-lu-YAH, kee-TOV za-m'-RA e-lo-HAY-nu, kee-na-IM na-VAH te-hi-LAH
אהַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ כִּי־ט֭וֹב זַמְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּי־נָ֝עִ֗ים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה׃
2Hashem rebuilds Yerushalayim; He gathers in the exiles of Yisrael.
BO-neh ye-ru-sha-LA-im a-do-NAI nid-KHEI yis-ra-AYL ye-ka-NES
בבּוֹנֵ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם יְהֹוָ֑ה נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃
3He heals their broken hearts, and binds up their wounds.
ha-ro-FAY lish-vu-REI lev u-m'-kha-BAYSH l'-a-tze-vo-TAM
גהָ֭רֹפֵא לִשְׁב֣וּרֵי לֵ֑ב וּ֝מְחַבֵּ֗שׁ לְעַצְּבוֹתָֽם׃
4He reckoned the number of the stars; to each He gave its name.
mo-NEH mis-PAHR la-ko-KHA-veem l'-KU-lam SHE-mot yik-RA
דמוֹנֶ֣ה מִ֭סְפָּר לַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים לְ֝כֻלָּ֗ם שֵׁמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃
5Great is our Lord and full of power; His wisdom is beyond reckoning.
ga-DOL a-do-NE-nu v'-RAV-KO-akh li-t'-vu-NA-to AYN mis-PAHR
הגָּד֣וֹל אֲדוֹנֵ֣ינוּ וְרַב־כֹּ֑חַ לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
6Hashem gives courage to the lowly, and brings the wicked down to the dust.
m'-o-DED a-na-VEEM a-do-NAI mash-PEEL r'-sha-EEM a-DAY a-RETZ
ומְעוֹדֵ֣ד עֲנָוִ֣ים יְהֹוָ֑ה מַשְׁפִּ֖יל רְשָׁעִ֣ים עֲדֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
7Sing to Hashem a song of praise, chant a hymn with a lyre to our God,
e-NU la-a-do-NAI b'-to-DAH, za-M'-RU le-lo-HE-nu b'-ki-NOR
זעֱנ֣וּ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה בְּתוֹדָ֑ה זַמְּר֖וּ לֵאלֹהֵ֣ינוּ בְכִנּֽוֹר׃
8who covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, makes mountains put forth grass;
ha-m'-ka-SEM sha-MA-yim b'-a-VIM ha-ME-khin la-A-retz ma-TAR ha-matz-MEE-akh ha-REEM kha-TZEER
חהַֽמְכַסֶּ֬ה שָׁמַ֨יִם ׀ בְּעָבִ֗ים הַמֵּכִ֣ין לָאָ֣רֶץ מָטָ֑ר הַמַּצְמִ֖יחַ הָרִ֣ים חָצִֽיר׃
9who gives the beasts their food, to the raven's brood what they cry for.
no-TEN liv-HE-mah lakh-MAH, liv-NEI o-REV a-SHER yik-RA-u
טנוֹתֵ֣ן לִבְהֵמָ֣ה לַחְמָ֑הּ לִבְנֵ֥י עֹ֝רֵ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְרָֽאוּ׃
10He does not prize the strength of horses, nor value the fleetness of men;
lo vi-g'-vu-RAT ha-SUS ye-KH'-PATZ, lo-v'-sho-KEI ha-ISH yir-TZEH
ילֹ֤א בִגְבוּרַ֣ת הַסּ֣וּס יֶחְפָּ֑ץ לֹא־בְשׁוֹקֵ֖י הָאִ֣ישׁ יִרְצֶֽה׃
11but Hashem values those who fear Him, those who depend on His faithful care.
RO-tzeh a-do-NAI et-y'-ray-AV et ha-m'-ya-kha-LEEM l'-khas-DO
יארוֹצֶ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָ֑יו אֶת־הַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃
12O Yerushalayim, glorify Hashem; praise your God, O Tzion!
sha-b'-KHEE y'-ru-sha-LA-im et a-do-NAI, hal-LEE e-lo-HA-yikh tzi-YON
יבשַׁבְּחִ֣י יְ֭רוּשָׁלַ͏ִם אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה הַֽלְלִ֖י אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִיּֽוֹן׃
13For He made the bars of your gates strong, and blessed your children within you.
ki-KHIZ-zak b'-ri-KHEI she-a-RA-yikh, be-RAKH ba-NA-yikh b'-kir-BEKH
יגכִּֽי־חִ֭זַּק בְּרִיחֵ֣י שְׁעָרָ֑יִךְ בֵּרַ֖ךְ בָּנַ֣יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ׃
14He endows your realm with well-being, and satisfies you with choice wheat.
ha-SAM g'-vu-LAYKH sha-LOM KHAY-lev khi-TEEM yas-bee-AYKH
ידהַשָּׂם־גְּבוּלֵ֥ךְ שָׁל֑וֹם חֵ֥לֶב חִ֝טִּ֗ים יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽךְ׃
147:14 He endows your realm with well-being

A new IDF recruit holding a Tanakh and a gun
While the Bible makes frequent mention of military affairs and speaks often of soldiers, the important principle that emerges is found in this verse: Ha-sam g’vulaych shalom (השם גבולך שלום). Translated here as ‘He endows your realm with well-being,’ these words literally mean ‘He who makes your borders peaceful.’ We must always remember that ultimately, our own efforts do not matter. Rather, Hashem is behind all of our successes. Though the modern Israeli army is one of the strongest in the world, it continuously remembers the true source of its strength. At their swearing-in ceremony, which often takes place at the Western Wall, each IDF soldier is handed a Tanakh and a gun, as a reminder that ultimately the One above is the source of their physical strength and their military success.
15He sends forth His word to the earth; His command runs swiftly.
ha-SHO-le-akh im-RA-to a-RETZ ad m'-HE-ra ya-RUTZ d'-va-RO
טוהַשֹּׁלֵ֣חַ אִמְרָת֣וֹ אָ֑רֶץ עַד־מְ֝הֵרָ֗ה יָר֥וּץ דְּבָרֽוֹ׃
16He lays down snow like fleece, scatters frost like ashes.
ha-NOTEN she-LEG ka-TZA-mer ke-FOR ka-E-fer ye-fa-ZER
טזהַנֹּתֵ֣ן שֶׁ֣לֶג כַּצָּ֑מֶר כְּ֝פ֗וֹר כָּאֵ֥פֶר יְפַזֵּֽר׃
17He tosses down hail like crumbs— who can endure His icy cold?
mash-LIKH kar-KHO k'-fi-TEEM lif-NEI ka-RA-to, mee ya-a-MOD
יזמַשְׁלִ֣יךְ קַֽרְח֣וֹ כְפִתִּ֑ים לִפְנֵ֥י קָ֝רָת֗וֹ מִ֣י יַעֲמֹֽד׃
18He issues a command—it melts them; He breathes—the waters flow.
yish-LAKH d'-va-RO v'-yam-SEM ya-SHEV ru-KHO yiz-Z'-lu-MA-yim
יחיִשְׁלַ֣ח דְּבָר֣וֹ וְיַמְסֵ֑ם יַשֵּׁ֥ב ר֝וּח֗וֹ יִזְּלוּ־מָֽיִם׃
19He issued His commands to Yaakov, His statutes and rules to Yisrael.
ma-GID d'-va-RAV l'-ya-a-KOV khu-KAV u-mish-PA-tav l'-yis-ra-AYL
יטמַגִּ֣יד דְּבָרָ֣ו לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב חֻקָּ֥יו וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטָ֗יו לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
20He did not do so for any other nation; of such rules they know nothing. Hallelujah.
lo a-SAH khen l'-KOL go-Y u-mish-pa-TEEM bal ya-da-Um hal-lu-YAH.
כלֹ֘א עָ֤שָׂה כֵ֨ן ׀ לְכׇל־גּ֗וֹי וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֥ים בַּל־יְדָע֗וּם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃