TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 51
Translation and Transliteration of
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1For the leader. A psalm of David,
la-menat-TSE-akh, miz-MOR, l'-da-VID
אלַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
2when Natan the Navi came to him after he had come to Batsheva.
b'-VO ay-LAV na-TAN ha-na-VEE ka-a-sher BA el bat SHA-va
בבְּֽבוֹא־אֵ֭לָיו נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֝֗א אֶל־בַּת־שָֽׁבַע׃
51:2 Batsheva
King David teaches us about man’s vulnerability and his desires, as well as his ability to soar to the heavens and redeem his sins through repentance. While sin is hidden, repentance, in the eyes of David, must not be clandestine; it should be public. When David is confronted by the prophet Natan with rebuke (II Samuel 12), he responds with a single word: Chatati (חטאתי), ‘I have sinned.’ Psalm 51, however, is his public response. It begins with a glaring title with which David indicts himself right from the start: Natan the prophet came to me after I had gone in to Batsheva (verse 2). In verse 5, he declares that his sin is always with him while he begs the Lord to cleanse him of his iniquity. David is not satisfied with his own personal repentance but he declares that he will teach others the path towards repentance and atonement as well (verse 15). Though he erred, because of his commitment to return and to bring others closer to Hashem, we continue to herald King David as the greatest king of Israel.
3Have mercy upon me, O Hashem, as befits Your faithfulness; in keeping with Your abundant compassion, blot out my transgressions.
kha-NE-ni e-lo-HEEM k'-khas-DE-kha k'-ROV ra-kha-ME-kha m'-kheh f'-sha-AI
גחׇנֵּ֣נִי אֱלֹהִ֣ים כְּחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ כְּרֹ֥ב רַ֝חֲמֶ֗יךָ מְחֵ֣ה פְשָׁעָֽי׃
4Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity, and purify me of my sin;
(HE-REV) [HE-REV] ka-be-SE-nee me-a-VO-nee u-me-kha-ta-TEE ta-ha-RE-nee
ד(הרבה) [הֶ֭רֶב] כַּבְּסֵ֣נִי מֵעֲוֺנִ֑י וּֽמֵחַטָּאתִ֥י טַהֲרֵֽנִי׃
5for I recognize my transgressions, and am ever conscious of my sin.
ki-f'-sha-AI a-NEE e-DA v'-kha-ta-TEE neg-DEE ta-MEED
הכִּֽי־פְ֭שָׁעַי אֲנִ֣י אֵדָ֑ע וְחַטָּאתִ֖י נֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִֽיד׃
6Against You alone have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight; so You are just in Your sentence, and right in Your judgment.
le-KHA le-va-D'KHA kha-ta-TEE v'-ha-RA b'-ay-NE-kha a-see-TEE le-ma-AN tits-D'K b'-do-ve-RE-kha tiz-KEH v'-shof-TE-kha
ולְךָ֤ לְבַדְּךָ֨ ׀ חָטָאתִי֮ וְהָרַ֥ע בְּעֵינֶ֗יךָ עָ֫שִׂ֥יתִי לְ֭מַעַן תִּצְדַּ֥ק בְּדׇבְרֶ֗ךָ תִּזְכֶּ֥ה בְשׇׁפְטֶֽךָ׃
7Indeed I was born with iniquity; with sin my mother conceived me.
hen b'-a-VON kho-LAL-ti u-v'-kheyt y'-khe-mat-ni i-MI
זהֵן־בְּעָו֥וֹן חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי וּ֝בְחֵ֗טְא יֶחֱמַ֥תְנִי אִמִּֽי׃
8Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden; teach me wisdom about secret things.
hen e-MET kha-FATZ-ta va-tu-KHOT u-ve-sa-TUM kha-KH'-mah to-di-E-ni
חהֵן־אֱ֭מֶת חָפַ֣צְתָּ בַטֻּח֑וֹת וּ֝בְסָתֻ֗ם חׇכְמָ֥ה תוֹדִיעֵֽנִי׃
9Purge me with hyssop till I am pure; wash me till I am whiter than snow.
t'-kha-t'-AY-nee b'-ay-ZOV v'-et-haR, t'-kha-b'-SAY-nee u-mi-SHE-leg al-BEEN
טתְּחַטְּאֵ֣נִי בְאֵז֣וֹב וְאֶטְהָ֑ר תְּ֝כַבְּסֵ֗נִי וּמִשֶּׁ֥לֶג אַלְבִּֽין׃
10Let me hear tidings of joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed exult.
ta-sh'-mi-E-ni sa-SOAN v'-sim-KHA, ta-ge-LE-na a-tza-MOT di-ki-TA.
יתַּ֭שְׁמִיעֵנִי שָׂשׂ֣וֹן וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה תָּ֝גֵ֗לְנָה עֲצָמ֥וֹת דִּכִּֽיתָ׃
11Hide Your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities.
ha-STAYR pa-NE-kha me-kha-ta-AI, v'-KOL a-vo-NOTAI me-KHEH
יאהַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נֶיךָ מֵחֲטָאָ֑י וְֽכׇל־עֲוֺ֖נֹתַ֣י מְחֵֽה׃
12Fashion a pure heart for me, O Hashem; create in me a steadfast spirit.
LEV TA-HOR b'-RA-LEE e-lo-HEEM v'-RU-akh na-KHON kha-DAYSH b'-kir-BEE
יבלֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃
13Do not cast me out of Your presence, or take Your holy spirit away from me.
al-tash-li-KHE-ni mi-le-fa-NE-kha, v'-RU-akh ko-D'-she-KHA, al-ti-KAKH mi-ME-ni.
יגאַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קׇ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
14Let me again rejoice in Your help; let a vigorous spirit sustain me.
ha-SHI-va LA-ee se-SOHN yish-E-kha v'-RU-akh ne-dee-VAH tis-m'-KHE-nee
ידהָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃
15I will teach transgressors Your ways, that sinners may return to You.
a-la-m'-DAH po-sh'-EEM d'-ra-KHE-kha v'-kha-ta-EEM e-LE-kha ya-SHU-vu
טואֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃
16Save me from bloodguilt, O Hashem, Hashem, my deliverer, that I may sing forth Your beneficence.
ha-TZI-le-ni mi-DA-mim, e-lo-HIM e-lo-HEI te-shu-A-ti, te-ra-NEN le-sho-NI tzi-d'-KA-te-KHA
טזהַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃
17O Hashem, open my lips, and let my mouth declare Your praise.
a-do-NAI s'-fa-TAI tif-TAKH u-fi ya-GID t'-hi-LA-te-KHA
יזאֲ֭דֹנָי שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃
18You do not want me to bring sacrifices; You do not desire burnt offerings;
ki lo-takh-POTZ ze-VACH v'-e-TE-na, o-LAH lo tirt-ZEH
יחכִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃
19True sacrifice to Hashem is a contrite spirit; Hashem, You will not despise a contrite and crushed heart.
ZI-v'-KHEI e-lo-HEEM, ru-akh nish-BA-RAH, l'-EV nish-BAHR v'-nid-KEH, e-lo-HEEM lo tiv-ZEH.
יטזִ֥בְחֵ֣י אֱלֹהִים֮ ר֤וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃
20May it please You to make Tzion prosper; rebuild the walls of Yerushalayim.
hei-TI-va BIR-tzo-NE-kha et tzi-YON, ti-VE-ne KHO-mot ye-ru-sha-LA-yim.
כהֵיטִ֣יבָה בִ֭רְצוֹנְךָ אֶת־צִיּ֑וֹן תִּ֝בְנֶ֗ה חוֹמ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
21Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness, burnt and whole offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your mizbayach.
az ta-CHO-tz ziv-KHEI tze-DEK o-LAH v'-ka-LEEL az ya-a-LU al miz-ba-KHA-kha pa-REEM
כאאָ֤ז תַּחְפֹּ֣ץ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֭דֶק עוֹלָ֣ה וְכָלִ֑יל אָ֤ז יַעֲל֖וּ עַל־מִזְבַּחֲךָ֣ פָרִֽים׃
