TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 46

Translation and Transliteration of 

1For the leader. Of the Korahites; on alamoth. A song.

la-menatze-akh liv-nei-ko-rakh al a-la-MOT shir

אלַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֑רַח עַֽל־עֲלָמ֥וֹת שִֽׁיר׃

2Hashem is our refuge and stronghold, a help in trouble, very near.

e-lo-HEEM LA-nu ma-kha-SEH va-OZ ez-RAH v'-tza-ROT nim-TZA m'-OD

באֱלֹהִ֣ים לָ֭נוּ מַחֲסֶ֣ה וָעֹ֑ז עֶזְרָ֥ה בְ֝צָר֗וֹת נִמְצָ֥א מְאֹֽד׃

46:2   Our refuge and stronghold

Since it lies on the fault line of the Syrian-African rift, many earthquakes have hit the Land of Israel over the course of its history. In fact, Sefer Amos (1:1) refers to a major earthquake that shook Eretz Yisrael in Biblical times. The psalmist, aware of this phenomenon, will not fear when the earth overturns or when the mountains take over the seas and vice versa (verses 3-4), because “Hashem is our refuge and stronghold, a help in trouble, very near.” Perhaps what he means by this is that not only does the Lord protect His people in times of trouble, but these ‘natural’ phenomenon, seen as disasters, are really Hashem’s mysterious way of offering protection to His people. One theory about this psalm is that it was written after the miraculous destruction of Sennacherib’s army during their attack on Yerushalayim (II Kings 19:35), when the Lord caused a war to cease (verse 10) overnight. Indeed, the Lord protected the Children of Israel and helped them in their time of trouble.

3Therefore we are not afraid though the earth reels, though mountains topple into the sea—

al-KEN lo-ni-RA b'-ha-MEER a-RETZ u-v'-MOT ha-REEM b'-LEV ya-MEEM

געַל־כֵּ֣ן לֹֽא־נִ֭ירָא בְּהָמִ֣יר אָ֑רֶץ וּבְמ֥וֹט הָ֝רִ֗ים בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים׃

4its waters rage and foam; in its swell mountains quake. Selah.

ye-HE-mu ye-kh'-me-ru mei-MAV, yir-a-a-SHU ha-RIM b'-ga-a-va-TO se-LAH

דיֶהֱמ֣וּ יֶחְמְר֣וּ מֵימָ֑יו יִ֥רְעֲשֽׁוּ הָרִ֖ים בְּגַאֲוָת֣וֹ סֶֽלָה׃

5There is a river whose streams gladden Hashem's city, the holy dwelling-place of the Most High.

na-HAR p'-la-GAV ye-sa-ME-khu ir e-lo-HIM, k'-DOSH mish-ke-NEI el-YON

הנָהָ֗ר פְּלָגָ֗יו יְשַׂמְּח֥וּ עִיר־אֱלֹהִ֑ים קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ מִשְׁכְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

6Hashem is in its midst, it will not be toppled; by daybreak Hashem will come to its aid.

E-lo-HIM b'-kir-BAH bal-ti-MOT ya-a-ze-RE-ha e-lo-HIM lif-NOt BO-ker

ואֱלֹהִ֣ים בְּ֭קִרְבָּהּ בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּֽקֶר׃

7Nations rage, kingdoms topple; at the sound of His thunder the earth dissolves.

ha-MU go-YIM MA-tu mam-LA-khot na-TAN b'-KO-lo ta-MUG a-RETZ

זהָמ֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם מָ֣טוּ מַמְלָכ֑וֹת נָתַ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ תָּמ֥וּג אָֽרֶץ׃

8The lord of hosts is with us; the God of Yaakov is our haven. Selah.

a-do-NAI t'-z'-VA-OT iM-MAN-u, mis-GAV-la-NU e-lo-HAY ya-a-KOV, se-LAH

חיְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֨נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃

9Come and see what Hashem has done, how He has wrought desolation on the earth.

le-KHU-cha-ZU mif-a-a-LOT a-do-NAI a-SHER-sam sha-MOT ba-A-retz

טלְֽכוּ־חֲ֭זוּ מִפְעֲל֣וֹת יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖ם שַׁמּ֣וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

10He puts a stop to wars throughout the earth, breaking the bow, snapping the spear, consigning wagons to the flames.

mash-BEET mil-kha-MOT ad-k'-TZAY ha-A-retz KE-shet y'-sha-BER v'-ki-TZETZ cha-NEET a-ga-LOT yis-ROF ba-ESH

ימַשְׁבִּ֥ית מִלְחָמוֹת֮ עַד־קְצֵ֢ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ קֶ֣שֶׁת יְ֭שַׁבֵּר וְקִצֵּ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית עֲ֝גָל֗וֹת יִשְׂרֹ֥ף בָּאֵֽשׁ׃

11“Desist! Realize that I am Hashem! I dominate the nations; I dominate the earth.”

har-PU u-de-U ki-a-NO-khi e-lo-HIM a-RUM ba-go-YIM a-RUM ba-A-retz

יאהַרְפּ֣וּ וּ֭דְעוּ כִּֽי־אָנֹכִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָר֥וּם בַּ֝גּוֹיִ֗ם אָר֥וּם בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

12The lord of hosts is with us; the God of Yaakov is our haven. Selah.

a-do-NAI t'-za-VA-OT iM-ma-NU, mis-GAV-la-NU e-lo-HAY ya-a-KOV, se-LAH.

יביְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת עִמָּ֑נוּ מִשְׂגָּֽב־לָ֨נוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב סֶֽלָה׃