Chapter 58

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader; al tashcheth. Of David. A michtam.

la-m'na-TSE-akh al-tash-KHAYT l'-da-VID mikh-TAM

אלַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אַל־תַּשְׁחֵ֗ת לְדָוִ֥ד מִכְתָּֽם׃

2O mighty ones, do you really decree what is just? Do you judge mankind with equity?

ha-uM-nam e-LEM tze-DEK te-da-BE-run me-SHA-rim tish-pe-TU be-NEI a-DAM

בהַאֻמְנָ֗ם אֵ֣לֶם צֶ֭דֶק תְּדַבֵּר֑וּן מֵישָׁרִ֥ים תִּ֝שְׁפְּט֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

3In your minds you devise wrongdoing in the land; with your hands you deal out lawlessness.

af-b'-LEV o-LOT tif-a-LUN ba-A-retz kha-MAS y'-de-KHEM t'-fa-LE-sun

גאַף־בְּלֵב֮ עוֹלֹ֢ת תִּפְעָ֫ל֥וּן בָּאָ֡רֶץ חֲמַ֥ס יְ֝דֵיכֶ֗ם תְּפַלֵּסֽוּן׃

4The wicked are defiant from birth; the liars go astray from the womb.

ZO-ru r'-sha-EEM me-RA-khem TA-u mi-BE-ten do-VE-ray kha-ZAV

דזֹ֣רוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים מֵרָ֑חֶם תָּע֥וּ מִ֝בֶּ֗טֶן דֹּבְרֵ֥י כָזָֽב׃

5Their venom is like that of a snake, a deaf viper that stops its ears

kha-MAT-la-MO kid-MUT kha-MAT-na-KHASH ke-MO-fe-TEN khe-RESH ya-TEM aZ-NO

החֲמַת־לָ֗מוֹ כִּדְמ֥וּת חֲמַת־נָחָ֑שׁ כְּמוֹ־פֶ֥תֶן חֵ֝רֵ֗שׁ יַאְטֵ֥ם אׇזְנֽוֹ׃

6so as not to hear the voice of charmers or the expert mutterer of spells.

a-SHER lo-yi-SH'-ma l'-KOL m'-la-KHA-SHEEM, kho-VAYR kha-va-REEM m'-khoo-KAM

ואֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יִ֭שְׁמַע לְק֣וֹל מְלַחֲשִׁ֑ים חוֹבֵ֖ר חֲבָרִ֣ים מְחֻכָּֽם׃

7O Hashem, smash their teeth in their mouth; shatter the fangs of lions, Hashem;

E-lo-HIM ha-ROS shi-NEE-mo b'-fi-MO mal-t'-OT k'-fi-REEM n'-TOT a-do-NAI

זאֱֽלֹהִ֗ים הֲרׇס־שִׁנֵּ֥ימוֹ בְּפִ֑ימוֹ מַלְתְּע֥וֹת כְּ֝פִירִ֗ים נְתֹ֣ץ ׀ יְהֹוָֽה׃

8let them melt, let them vanish like water; let Him aim His arrows that they be cut down;

yim-ma-AS k'-mo-MA-yim yit-ha-le-KHU-la-MO yid-ROKH khit-TSA-vo k'-mo yit-mo-LA-lu

חיִמָּאֲס֣וּ כְמוֹ־מַ֭יִם יִתְהַלְּכוּ־לָ֑מוֹ יִדְרֹ֥ךְ חִ֝צָּ֗ו כְּמ֣וֹ יִתְמֹלָֽלוּ׃

9like a snail that melts away as it moves; like a woman's stillbirth, may they never see the sun!

k'-MO sha-B'-LUL TE-mes ya-ha-LOKH, NE-fel e-SHET bal-KHA-zu SHA-mesh

טכְּמ֣וֹ שַׁ֭בְּלוּל תֶּ֣מֶס יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ נֵ֥פֶל אֵ֝֗שֶׁת בַּל־חָ֥זוּ שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃

10Before the thorns grow into a bramble, may He whirl them away alive in fury.

b'-TE-rem ya-VEE-nu see-ro-tay-KHEM a-TAD k'-mo KHAI k'-MO kha-RON yis-a-RE-nu

יבְּטֶ֤רֶם ׀ יָבִ֣ינוּ סִּירֹתֵכֶ֣ם אָטָ֑ד כְּמוֹ־חַ֥י כְּמוֹ־חָ֝ר֗וֹן יִשְׂעָרֶֽנּוּ׃

58:10 Before the thorns grow into a bramble

A boxthron shrub by Nitzana stream

Throughout his psalms, David struggles with the reality that righteous people sometimes suffer while the wicked thrive. Psalm 58 is directed at the wicked, chastising them for their corruption and deceit. He warns that Hashem will bring retribution upon them for their sins, and he invokes several metaphors from nature to express his sentiment. The atad (אטד), ‘boxthorn tree,’ grows in the desert and is quite thorny. It seems to defy nature, as it is strong and durable despite growing in unfavorable conditions. The wicked might prick like the boxthorn and seem invincible, but David tells them that before they mature into a large, strong bramble, God will hurl them away and destroy them.

11The righteous man will rejoice when he sees revenge; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.

YIS-makh tza-DEEK kee-cha-ZAH na-KAM pe-a-MAV yir-KHATZ b'-DAM ha-ra-SHA

יאיִשְׂמַ֣ח צַ֭דִּיק כִּי־חָזָ֣ה נָקָ֑ם פְּעָמָ֥יו יִ֝רְחַ֗ץ בְּדַ֣ם הָרָשָֽׁע׃

12Men will say, “There is, then, a reward for the righteous; there is, indeed, divine justice on earth.”

v'-yo-MAR a-DAM akh p'-REE la-tza-DEEK akh YAYSH e-lo-HEEM sho-f'-TEEM ba-a-RETZ

יבוְיֹאמַ֣ר אָ֭דָם אַךְ־פְּרִ֣י לַצַּדִּ֑יק אַ֥ךְ יֵשׁ־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים שֹׁפְטִ֥ים בָּאָֽרֶץ׃