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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 48

Translation and Transliteration of 

1A song. A psalm of the Korahites.

SHIR mi-ZMOR liv-NEI ko-RACH

אשִׁ֥יר מִ֝זְמ֗וֹר לִבְנֵי־קֹֽרַח׃

2Hashem is great and much acclaimed in the city of our God, His holy mountain—

GA-dol a-do-NAI u-m'-hu-LAL m'-OD b'-IR e-lo-HE-nu ha-r k'-DO-sho.

בגָּ֘ד֤וֹל יְהֹוָ֣ה וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד בְּעִ֥יר אֱ֝לֹהֵ֗ינוּ הַר־קׇדְשֽׁוֹ׃

3fair-crested, joy of all the earth, Mount Tzion, summit of Zaphon, city of the great king.

ye-FEH nof me-SOS kol-ha-A-retz har-TZI-yon yar-k'-TEI tza-FON kir-YAT me-LEKH rav

גיְפֵ֥ה נוֹף֮ מְשׂ֢וֹשׂ כׇּל־הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ הַר־צִ֭יּוֹן יַרְכְּתֵ֣י צָפ֑וֹן קִ֝רְיַ֗ת מֶ֣לֶךְ רָֽב׃

4Through its citadels, Hashem has made Himself known as a haven.

E-lo-HIM b'-ar-m'-no-TE-ha NO-dah l'-mis-GAV

דאֱלֹהִ֥ים בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֶ֗יהָ נוֹדַ֥ע לְמִשְׂגָּֽב׃

5See, the kings joined forces; they advanced together.

ki-hi-NEH ha-m'-la-KHEEM no-a-DU a-vo-ROO ya-kha-DAV

הכִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה הַ֭מְּלָכִים נ֥וֹעֲד֑וּ עָבְר֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו׃

6At the mere sight of it they were stunned, they were terrified, they panicked;

HEM-MA ra-U KEN ta-MA-hu, niv-ha-LU nech-PA-zu.

והֵ֣מָּה רָ֭אוּ כֵּ֣ן תָּמָ֑הוּ נִבְהֲל֥וּ נֶחְפָּֽזוּ׃

7they were seized there with a trembling, like a woman in the throes of labor,

re-A-da a-cha-ZA-tam sham KHEEL ka-yo-le-DAH

זרְ֭עָדָה אֲחָזָ֣תַם שָׁ֑ם חִ֝֗יל כַּיּוֹלֵדָֽה׃

8as the Tarshish fleet was wrecked in an easterly gale.

b'-RU-akh ka-DEEM t'-sha-BAYR a-nee-YOT tar-SHEESH

חבְּר֥וּחַ קָדִ֑ים תְּ֝שַׁבֵּ֗ר אֳנִיּ֥וֹת תַּרְשִֽׁישׁ׃

9The likes of what we heard we have now witnessed in the city of the lord of hosts, in the city of our God— may Hashem preserve it forever! Selah.

ka-a-SHER sha-MA-nu KAYN ra-EE-nu b'-EER a-do-NAI tz'-va-OT b'-EER e-lo-HAY-nu e-lo-HEEM y'-kho-n'-NE-ha ad o-LAM SE-lah

טכַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁמַ֨עְנוּ ׀ כֵּ֤ן רָאִ֗ינוּ בְּעִיר־יְהֹוָ֣ה צְ֭בָאוֹת בְּעִ֣יר אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ אֱלֹ֘הִ֤ים יְכוֹנְנֶ֖הָ עַד־עוֹלָ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃

 48:9   May Hashem preserve it forever

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (b. 1948)

In the times of the Beit Hamikdash, a special psalm was sung by the Leviim on each of the seven days of the week. In the absence of the Beit Hamikdash, Jews continue to say these daily Tehillim at the end of the morning prayers, in memory of the times when the Temple stood and in hopes of its redemption and restoration. Psalm 48 is recited on Mondays, and, as Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks writes, is “a hymn of praise to the beauty and endurance of Yerushalayim, the city that outlived all those who sought to conquer it.” He adds in the name of Rabbi Joseph Hertz, “it is the Eternal City of the Eternal People.”

10In Your temple, Hashem, we meditate upon Your faithful care.

di-MI-nu e-lo-HIM khas-DE-kha b'-KE-rev he-KHA-le-kha

ידִּמִּ֣ינוּ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ בְּ֝קֶ֗רֶב הֵיכָלֶֽךָ׃

11The praise of You, Hashem, like Your name, reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with beneficence.

k'-shi-M'kha e-lo-HIM, khen t'-hi-la-te-kha al katz-vei-E-retz, tze-DEK mal-a-YA y'-mi-NE-kha

יאכְּשִׁמְךָ֤ אֱלֹהִ֗ים כֵּ֣ן תְּ֭הִלָּתְךָ עַל־קַצְוֵי־אֶ֑רֶץ צֶ֝֗דֶק מָלְאָ֥ה יְמִינֶֽךָ׃

12Let Mount Tzion rejoice! Let the towns of Yehuda exult, because of Your judgments.

yis-MAKH ha-TZI-yon ta-GE-le-NAH b'-not y'-hu-DAH l'-ma-AN mish-pa-TE-kha

יביִשְׂמַ֤ח ׀ הַר־צִיּ֗וֹן תָּ֭גֵלְנָה בְּנ֣וֹת יְהוּדָ֑ה לְ֝מַ֗עַן מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃

13Walk around Tzion, circle it; count its towers,

SO-vu TSI-yon v'-ha-ki-FU-ha, sif-ROO mig-da-LE-ha.

יגסֹ֣בּוּ צִ֭יּוֹן וְהַקִּיפ֑וּהָ סִ֝פְר֗וּ מִגְדָּלֶֽיהָ׃

14take note of its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may recount it to a future age.

shi-TU li-b'-KHEM l'-khe-LAH, pas-S'-gu ar-m'-no-TE-ha, l'-ma-an t'-sa-p'-RU l'-DOR a-KHA-ron

ידשִׁ֤יתוּ לִבְּכֶ֨ם ׀ לְֽחֵילָ֗הֿ פַּסְּג֥וּ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ לְמַ֥עַן תְּ֝סַפְּר֗וּ לְד֣וֹר אַֽחֲרֽוֹן׃

15For Hashem—He is our God forever; He will lead us evermore.

ki ZEH e-lo-HEEM e-lo-HE-nu o-LAM va-ED HU ye-na-ha-GE-nu al-MUT.

טוכִּ֤י זֶ֨ה ׀ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֱ֭לֹהֵינוּ עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד ה֖וּא יְנַהֲגֵ֣נוּ עַל־מֽוּת׃