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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 34

Translation and Transliteration of 

1Of David, when he feigned madness in the presence of Abimelech, who turned him out, and he left.

l'-da-VID b'-sha-NO-to et-ta-MO li-f'-NAY a-vee-ME-lekh va-y'-ga-r'-SHE-hu va-YAY-lakh

אלְדָוִ֗ד בְּשַׁנּוֹת֣וֹ אֶת־טַ֭עְמוֹ לִפְנֵ֣י אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַ֝יְגָרְשֵׁ֗הוּ וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃

2I bless Hashem at all times; praise of Him is ever in my mouth.

a-va-RE-kha et a-do-NAI b'-kol ayt, ta-MEED t'-hi-LA-to b'-fi

באֲבָרְכָ֣ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּכׇל־עֵ֑ת תָּ֝מִ֗יד תְּֽהִלָּת֥וֹ בְּפִֽי׃

3I glory in Hashem; let the lowly hear it and rejoice.

ba-a-do-NAI tit-ha-LEL naf-SHEE, yish-MU a-na-VEEM v'-yis-ma-KHU

גבַּ֭יהֹוָה תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל נַפְשִׁ֑י יִשְׁמְע֖וּ עֲנָוִ֣ים וְיִשְׂמָֽחוּ׃

4Exalt Hashem with me let us extol His name together.

ga-de-LOO la-a-do-NAI i-TI u-ne-ro-m'-MAH she-MO ya-kha-DAV

דגַּדְּל֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה אִתִּ֑י וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה שְׁמ֣וֹ יַחְדָּֽו׃

5I turned to Hashem, and He answered me; He saved me from all my terrors.

da-RASH-tee et a-do-NAI v'-a-NA-ni u-mi-KOL me-gu-RO-tai hit-see-LA-ni

הדָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה וְעָנָ֑נִי וּמִכׇּל־מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י הִצִּילָֽנִי׃

6Men look to Him and are radiant; let their faces not be downcast.

hi-BEE-tu e-LA-yu v'-na-HA-ru u-f'-NE-hem al ye-KH'-pa-ru

והִבִּ֣יטוּ אֵלָ֣יו וְנָהָ֑רוּ וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם אַל־יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃

7Here was a lowly man who called, and Hashem listened, and delivered him from all his troubles.

ZEH a-NEE ka-RA va-a-do-NAI sha-ME-a u-mi-KOL tza-ro-TAV ho-SHI-o

זזֶ֤ה עָנִ֣י קָ֭רָא וַיהֹוָ֣ה שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכׇּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ׃

8The angel of Hashem camps around those who fear Him and rescues them.

KHO-neh mal-akh a-do-NAI sa-VEEV li-re-AV va-y'-kha-l'-TZEM

חחֹנֶ֤ה מַלְאַךְ־יְהֹוָ֓ה סָ֘בִ֤יב לִירֵאָ֗יו וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃

9Taste and see how good Hashem is; happy the man who takes refuge in Him!

ta-a-MU u-re-U ki-TOV a-do-NAI ash-RAY ha-GE-ver ye-khe-SEH-BO

טטַעֲמ֣וּ וּ֭רְאוּ כִּֽי־ט֣וֹב יְהֹוָ֑ה אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י הַ֝גֶּ֗בֶר יֶחֱסֶה־בּֽוֹ׃

10Fear Hashem, you His consecrated ones, for those who fear Him lack nothing.

Y'-RA-u et a-do-NAI k'-do-SHA-yav, kee-EIN makh-SOR li-re-a-YAV.

ייְר֣אוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה קְדֹשָׁ֑יו כִּי־אֵ֥ין מַ֝חְס֗וֹר לִירֵאָֽיו׃

11Lions have been reduced to starvation, but those who turn to Hashem shall not lack any good.

k'-fi-REEM ra-SHU v'-ra-E-vu v'-dor-shay a-do-NAI lo yakh-S'-ru kol-TOV

יאכְּ֭פִירִים רָשׁ֣וּ וְרָעֵ֑בוּ וְדֹרְשֵׁ֥י יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה לֹא־יַחְסְר֥וּ כׇל־טֽוֹב׃

12Come, my sons, listen to me; I will teach you what it is to fear Hashem.

le-KHU-va-NIM shim-U-LEE, yir-AT a-do-NAI a-la-MED-khem

יבלְֽכוּ־בָ֭נִים שִׁמְעוּ־לִ֑י יִֽרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה אֲלַמֶּדְכֶֽם׃

13Who is the man who is eager for life, who desires years of good fortune?

mee ha-EESH he-kha-FAYTZ kha-YIM o-HAYV ya-MEEM lir-OT TOV

יגמִֽי־הָ֭אִישׁ הֶחָפֵ֣ץ חַיִּ֑ים אֹהֵ֥ב יָ֝מִ֗ים לִרְא֥וֹת טֽוֹב׃

 34:13   Who is eager for life

Members of Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim studying Talmud after work, 1945

The kibbutz movement, which began in the 1920’s, was primarily a secular enterprise. Jewish pioneers sought to create an ideal living environment guided by brotherhood and shared idealism. However, there was also a religious kibbutz movement. In 1944, a group of religious Jews founded a kibbutz on the principles of Torah and religious idealism. They named their kibbutz in honor of one of the most towering rabbinic personalities of the century, Rabbi Israel Meir HaKohen Kagan, otherwise known as the Chafetz Chaim, the name of his book about the laws of guarding one’s speech. Chafetz Chaim means one “who is eager for life.” The name stems from this chapter in Tehillim where a question is raised, mee ha-eesh hechafeitz chaim (מי האיש החפץ חיים), ‘Who is the man who is eager for life?’ The response is found the next verse: One who guards his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

14Guard your tongue from evil, your lips from deceitful speech.

n'-TZOR l'-sho-N'-kha may-RA, u-s'-fa-TE-kha mi-da-BAYR mi-RA-mah

ידנְצֹ֣ר לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה׃

15Shun evil and do good, seek amity and pursue it.

SUR me-RA va-a-SEH tov ba-KESH sha-LOM v'-ro-D'-fe-HU

טוס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־ט֑וֹב בַּקֵּ֖שׁ שָׁל֣וֹם וְרׇדְפֵֽהוּ׃

16The eyes of Hashem are on the righteous, His ears attentive to their cry.

AY-nay a-do-NAI el-tza-DEE-keem v'-az-NAV el-shav-a-TAM

טזעֵינֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה אֶל־צַדִּיקִ֑ים וְ֝אׇזְנָ֗יו אֶל־שַׁוְעָתָֽם׃

17The face of Hashem is set against evildoers, to erase their names from the earth.

PE-nei a-do-NAI b'-o-SEI ra l'-hakh-REET me-E-retz zikh-RAM

יזפְּנֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה בְּעֹ֣שֵׂי רָ֑ע לְהַכְרִ֖ית מֵאֶ֣רֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃

18They cry out, and Hashem hears, and saves them from all their troubles.

TSA-a-KU va-a-do-NAI sha-ME-a u-mi-KOL tza-RO-tam hi-TSI-lam

יחצָ֭עֲקוּ וַיהֹוָ֣ה שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכׇּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗ם הִצִּילָֽם׃

19Hashem is close to the brokenhearted; those crushed in spirit He delivers.

ka-ROV a-do-NAI l'-nish-b'-RAY layv v'-ET da-k'-AY ru-akh yo-SHEE-a

יטקָר֣וֹב יְ֭הֹוָה לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֑ב וְֽאֶת־דַּכְּאֵי־ר֥וּחַ יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

20Though the misfortunes of the righteous be many, Hashem will save him from them all,

ra-VOT ra-OT tza-DEEK u-mi-KU-lam ya-tzi-LEN-nu a-do-NAI

כרַ֭בּוֹת רָע֣וֹת צַדִּ֑יק וּ֝מִכֻּלָּ֗ם יַצִּילֶ֥נּוּ יְהֹוָֽה׃

21Keeping all his bones intact, not one of them being broken.

SHO-mer kol-a-tz'-mo-TAV, a-KHAT me-HE-nah lo nish-BA-rah.

כאשֹׁמֵ֥ר כׇּל־עַצְמוֹתָ֑יו אַחַ֥ת מֵ֝הֵ֗נָּה לֹ֣א נִשְׁבָּֽרָה׃

22One misfortune is the deathblow of the wicked; the foes of the righteous shall be ruined.

t'-mo-TET ra-SHA ra-AH v'-so-NEI tza-DEEK ye-a-SHA-mu

כבתְּמוֹתֵ֣ת רָשָׁ֣ע רָעָ֑ה וְשֹׂנְאֵ֖י צַדִּ֣יק יֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃

23Hashem redeems the life of His servants; all who take refuge in Him shall not be ruined.

PO-deh a-do-NAI NE-fesh a-va-DAV, v'-LO ye-a-sh'-MU kol ha-KHO-seem BO. {PO}

כגפֹּדֶ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה נֶ֣פֶשׁ עֲבָדָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ כׇּֽל־הַחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃