TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 38
Translation and Transliteration of
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1A psalm of David. Lehazkir.
miZ-MOR le-DA-vid le-haz-KIR
אמִזְמ֖וֹר לְדָוִ֣ד לְהַזְכִּֽיר׃
2Hashem, do not punish me in wrath; do not chastise me in fury.
a-do-NAI al b'-ke-tz'-PE-kha to-khee-KHE-nee u-va-kha-ma-t'-KHA t'-ya-s'-RE-nee
ביְֽהֹוָ֗ה אַל־בְּקֶצְפְּךָ֥ תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃
3For Your arrows have struck me; Your blows have fallen upon me.
ki-KHIT-se-KHA ni-KHA-tu vi, va-tin-KHAT a-LAI ya-DE-kha
גכִּֽי־חִ֭צֶּיךָ נִ֣חֲתוּ בִ֑י וַתִּנְחַ֖ת עָלַ֣י יָדֶֽךָ׃
4There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your rage, no wholeness in my bones because of my sin.
AYN-m'-TOM bi-v'-sa-REE mi-p'-NAY za-M'-KHA, AYN-sha-LOM ba-a-tza-MAI mi-p'-NAY kha-ta-TEE.
דאֵין־מְתֹ֣ם בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי מִפְּנֵ֣י זַעְמֶ֑ךָ אֵין־שָׁל֥וֹם בַּ֝עֲצָמַ֗י מִפְּנֵ֥י חַטָּאתִֽי׃
5For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are like a heavy burden, more than I can bear.
ki a-vo-NOTAI a-vo-RO-shi, k'-ma-SA ka-VEID yikh-b'-DU mi-ME-ni
הכִּ֣י עֲ֭וֺנֹתַי עָֽבְר֣וּ רֹאשִׁ֑י כְּמַשָּׂ֥א כָ֝בֵ֗ד יִכְבְּד֥וּ מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
6My wounds stink and fester because of my folly.
hi-vi-SHU na-MAK-KU kha-bu-RO-tai mi-p'-NEI i-vu-LA-ti
והִבְאִ֣ישׁוּ נָ֭מַקּוּ חַבּוּרֹתָ֑י מִ֝פְּנֵ֗י אִוַּלְתִּֽי׃
7I am all bent and bowed; I walk about in gloom all day long.
na-a-VEE-tee sha-KHO-tee ad m'-OD, kol ha-YOM ko-DER hi-laKH-tee
זנַעֲוֵ֣יתִי שַׁחֹ֣תִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד כׇּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם קֹדֵ֥ר הִלָּֽכְתִּי׃
8For my sinews are full of fever; there is no soundness in my flesh.
ki-k'-sa-LAI mal-U nik-LEH, v'-AYN m'-TOM bi-v'-sa-REE
חכִּֽי־כְ֭סָלַי מָלְא֣וּ נִקְלֶ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין מְ֝תֹ֗ם בִּבְשָׂרִֽי׃
9I am all benumbed and crushed; I roar because of the turmoil in my mind.
n'-fu-GO-tee v'-nid-ke-TEE ad m'-OD, sha-AG-tee mi-na-ha-MAT li-BEE
טנְפוּג֣וֹתִי וְנִדְכֵּ֣יתִי עַד־מְאֹ֑ד שָׁ֝אַ֗גְתִּי מִֽנַּהֲמַ֥ת לִבִּֽי׃
10O Hashem, You are aware of all my entreaties; my groaning is not hidden from You.
a-do-NAI ne-g'-DE-kha kol-ta-a-VA-tee v'-an-kha-TEE mi-m'-KHA lo nis-ta-RAH
יאֲֽדֹנָ֗י נֶגְדְּךָ֥ כׇל־תַּאֲוָתִ֑י וְ֝אַנְחָתִ֗י מִמְּךָ֥ לֹֽא־נִסְתָּֽרָה׃
11My mind reels; my strength fails me; my eyes too have lost their luster.
li-BI se-cha-R'chaR a-za-VA-ni ko-CHEE v'-or-ei-NAI gam-HEM eyn i-TI
יאלִבִּ֣י סְ֭חַרְחַר עֲזָבַ֣נִי כֹחִ֑י וְֽאוֹר־עֵינַ֥י גַּם־הֵ֝֗ם אֵ֣ין אִתִּֽי׃
12My friends and companions stand back from my affliction; my kinsmen stand far off.
o-ha-VAI v'-re-A-ai mi-NE-ged n'-gi ya-a-MO-du u-k'-ro-VAI may-RA-khok a-MA-du
יבאֹֽהֲבַ֨י ׀ וְרֵעַ֗י מִנֶּ֣גֶד נִגְעִ֣י יַעֲמֹ֑דוּ וּ֝קְרוֹבַ֗י מֵרָחֹ֥ק עָמָֽדוּ׃
13Those who seek my life lay traps; those who wish me harm speak malice; they utter deceit all the time.
vai-nak-SHU m'-vak-SHAY naf-SHEE v'-dor-shay ra-a-TEE di-B'-RU ha-VO-tot u-mir-MOT kol ha-YOM ye-H'-gu
יגוַיְנַקְשׁ֤וּ ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י נַפְשִׁ֗י וְדֹרְשֵׁ֣י רָ֭עָתִי דִּבְּר֣וּ הַוּ֑וֹת וּ֝מִרְמ֗וֹת כׇּל־הַיּ֥וֹם יֶהְגּֽוּ׃
14But I am like a deaf man, unhearing, like a dumb man who cannot speak up;
va-a-NEE kh'-khay-RAYSH LO esh-MA ukh-ee-LAYM LO yif-takh PEEV
ידוַאֲנִ֣י כְ֭חֵרֵשׁ לֹ֣א אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וּ֝כְאִלֵּ֗ם לֹ֣א יִפְתַּח־פִּֽיו׃
38:14 Like a dumb man who cannot speak up
Psalm 38 is difficult to read, as it is almost entirely an expression of pain written by an individual who is suffering, physically and spiritually. While his bones have no peace and his sins are too much to bear, his friends stand afar, unable or unwilling to help, and his enemies seek to hurt him. His response is: I am deaf and mute. I pretend not to hear their taunts nor do I respond to their calls of malice and deceit. Instead, he calls out only to the Lord for salvation and deliverance. In the thirteenth century, Rabbi Menachem Meiri wrote that this psalm refers to the Jews in exile. He commented profoundly: “The psalm refers to our long exile in which our enemies are many and our nemeses ridicule us and sit in their serenity. We are hated and have no recourse but we pray that our salvation and redemption will come soon. Amen.” Eight centuries later, the redemption has begun and the Jewish people are no longer mute.
15I am like one who does not hear, who has no retort on his lips.
va-e-HI k'-EESH a-SHER lo-sho-ME-a, v'-AYN b'-pi-av to-kha-KHOT
טווָאֱהִ֗י כְּ֭אִישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־שֹׁמֵ֑עַ וְאֵ֥ין בְּ֝פִ֗יו תּוֹכָחֽוֹת׃
16But I wait for You, Hashem; You will answer, O Hashem, my God.
ki-le-KHA a-do-NAI ho-KHAL-tee, a-TAH ta-a-NEH a-do-NAI e-lo-HAI
טזכִּֽי־לְךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֣ה הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי אַתָּ֥ה תַ֝עֲנֶ֗ה אֲדֹנָ֥י אֱלֹהָֽי׃
17For I fear they will rejoice over me; when my foot gives way they will vaunt themselves against me.
ki-a-MAR-tee pen-yis-m'-KHU-lee b'-MOT rag-LEE a-LAI hig-di-LO
יזכִּֽי־אָ֭מַרְתִּי פֶּן־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִ֑י בְּמ֥וֹט רַ֝גְלִ֗י עָלַ֥י הִגְדִּֽילוּ׃
18For I am on the verge of collapse; my pain is always with me.
ki-a-NI le-TSE-lah na-KHON u-makh-O-VEE neg-DEE ta-MEED
יחכִּֽי־אֲ֭נִי לְצֶ֣לַע נָכ֑וֹן וּמַכְאוֹבִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃
19I acknowledge my iniquity; I am fearful over my sin;
ki-a-VO-nee a-GID ed-AHG may-KHA-ta-TEE
יטכִּֽי־עֲוֺנִ֥י אַגִּ֑יד אֶ֝דְאַ֗ג מֵ֖חַטָּאתִֽי׃
20for my mortal enemies are numerous; my treacherous foes are many.
v'-o-y'-VAI kha-YIM a-TSE-mu, v'-ra-BU so-NEI sha-KER
כוְֽ֭אֹיְבַי חַיִּ֣ים עָצֵ֑מוּ וְרַבּ֖וּ שֹׂנְאַ֣י שָֽׁקֶר׃
21Those who repay evil for good harass me for pursuing good.
u-m'-sha-le-MEY ra-AH ta-KHAT to-VAH yis-te-NU-ni ta-KHAT (ro-DU-fee) [ro-d'-FI-]toV
כאוּמְשַׁלְּמֵ֣י רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה יִ֝שְׂטְנ֗וּנִי תַּ֣חַת (רדופי) [רׇֽדְפִי־]טֽוֹב׃
22Do not abandon me, Hashem; my God, be not far from me;
al-ta-a-Z'-VE-ni a-do-NAI e-lo-HAI al-tir-KHAK mi-m'-NEE
כבאַל־תַּעַזְבֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אַל־תִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
23hasten to my aid, O Hashem, my deliverance.
KHU-sha l'-ez-ra-TEE a-do-NAI t'-shu-a-TEE.
כגח֥וּשָׁה לְעֶזְרָתִ֑י אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י תְּשׁוּעָתִֽי׃
