TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 45

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader; on shoshannim. Of the Korahites. A maskil. A love song.

אלַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־שֹׁשַׁנִּים לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח מַשְׂכִּיל שִׁיר יְדִידֹת׃

2My heart is astir with gracious words; I speak my poem to a king; my tongue is the pen of an expert scribe.

ברָחַשׁ לִבִּי דָּבָר טוֹב אֹמֵר אָנִי מַעֲשַׂי לְמֶלֶךְ לְשׁוֹנִי עֵט סוֹפֵר מָהִיר׃

3You are fairer than all men; your speech is endowed with grace; rightly has Hashem given you an eternal blessing.

גיָפְיָפִיתָ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם הוּצַק חֵן בְּשְׂפְתוֹתֶיךָ עַל־כֵּן בֵּרַכְךָ אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם׃

4Gird your sword upon your thigh, O hero, in your splendor and glory;

דחֲגוֹר־חַרְבְּךָ עַל־יָרֵךְ גִּבּוֹר הוֹדְךָ וַהֲדָרֶךָ׃

5in your glory, win success; ride on in the cause of truth and meekness and right; and let your right hand lead you to awesome deeds.

הוַהֲדָרְךָ צְלַח רְכַב עַל־דְּבַר־אֱמֶת וְעַנְוָה־צֶדֶק וְתוֹרְךָ נוֹרָאוֹת יְמִינֶךָ׃

6Your arrows, sharpened, [pierce] the breast of the king's enemies; peoples fall at your feet.*

וחִצֶּיךָ שְׁנוּנִים עַמִּים תַּחְתֶּיךָ יִפְּלוּ בְּלֵב אוֹיְבֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

7Your divine throne is everlasting; your royal scepter is a scepter of equity.

זכִּסְאֲךָ אֱלֹהִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד שֵׁבֶט מִישֹׁר שֵׁבֶט מַלְכוּתֶךָ׃

8You love righteousness and hate wickedness; rightly has Hashem, your God, chosen to anoint you with oil of gladness over all your peers.

a-HAV-ta TZE-dek va-tis-NA RE-sha al KAYN m'-sha-kha-KHA e-lo-HEEM e-lo-HE-kha SHE-men sa-SON may-kha-vay-RE-kha

חאָהַבְתָּ צֶּדֶק וַתִּשְׂנָא רֶשַׁע עַל־כֵּן מְשָׁחֲךָ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ׃

45:8   Oil of gladness

Ancient olive press at Beit Guvrin, Israel

Throughout Israel one will find ancient olive presses made by Canaanites, Israelites, Hellenists and others, and many from the Byzantine era. Olive oil is heralded in the Bible as one of the great agricultural products of the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 8:8), and there is a special commandment to use oil made of olives, with additional ingredients such as myrrh and cinnamon (Exodus 30:22-25), to anoint kings, priests and the holy vessels of the Mishkan and Beit Hamikdash. The psalmist praises the king who is chosen by God and anointed with Israel-grown olive oil, bringing joy to all.

9All your robes [are fragrant] with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from ivoried palaces lutes entertain you.

טמֹר־וַאֲהָלוֹת קְצִיעוֹת כָּל־בִּגְדֹתֶיךָ מִן־הֵיכְלֵי שֵׁן מִנִּי שִׂמְּחוּךָ׃

10Royal princesses are your favorites; the consort stands at your right hand, decked in gold of Ophir.

יבְּנוֹת מְלָכִים בְּיִקְּרוֹתֶיךָ נִצְּבָה שֵׁגַל לִימִינְךָ בְּכֶתֶם אוֹפִיר׃

11Take heed, lass, and note, incline your ear: forget your people and your father's house,

יאשִׁמְעִי־בַת וּרְאִי וְהַטִּי אָזְנֵךְ וְשִׁכְחִי עַמֵּךְ וּבֵית אָבִיךְ׃

12and let the king be aroused by your beauty; since he is your lord, bow to him.

יבוְיִתְאָו הַמֶּלֶךְ יָפְיֵךְ כִּי־הוּא אֲדֹנַיִךְ וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִי־לוֹ׃

13O Tyrian lass, the wealthiest people will court your favor with gifts,

יגוּבַת־צֹר בְּמִנְחָה פָּנַיִךְ יְחַלּוּ עֲשִׁירֵי עָם׃

14goods of all sorts. The royal princess, her dress embroidered with golden mountings,

ידכָּל־כְּבוּדָּה בַת־מֶלֶךְ פְּנִימָה מִמִּשְׁבְּצוֹת זָהָב לְבוּשָׁהּ׃

15is led inside to the king; maidens in her train, her companions, are presented to you.

טולִרְקָמוֹת תּוּבַל לַמֶּלֶךְ בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶיהָ מוּבָאוֹת לָךְ׃

16They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.

טזתּוּבַלְנָה בִּשְׂמָחֹת וָגִיל תְּבֹאֶינָה בְּהֵיכַל מֶלֶךְ׃

17Your sons will succeed your ancestors; you will appoint them princes throughout the land.

יזתַּחַת אֲבֹתֶיךָ יִהְיוּ בָנֶיךָ תְּשִׁיתֵמוֹ לְשָׂרִים בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ׃

18I commemorate your fame for all generations, so peoples will praise you forever and ever.

יחאַזְכִּירָה שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל־דֹּר וָדֹר עַל־כֵּן עַמִּים יְהוֹדֻךָ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד׃