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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 6

Translation and Transliteration of 

1For the leader; with instrumental music on the sheminith. A psalm of David.

la-menatze-akh bin-gi-not al ha-shmi-nit miz-mor le-da-vid

אלַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת עַֽל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

2Hashem, do not punish me in anger, do not chastise me in fury.

a-do-NAI al b'-a-pe-KHA to-khee-KHE-ni v'-al ba-cha-ma-te-KHA t'-ya-s'-RE-ni

ביְֽהֹוָ֗ה אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ֥ תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי וְֽאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥ תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃

3Have mercy on me, Hashem, for I languish; heal me, Hashem, for my bones shake with terror.

kha-NE-ni a-do-NAI, kee um-LAL-a-NEE, re-fa-EY-ni a-do-NAI, kee niv-ha-LU a-tza-MAI

גחׇנֵּ֥נִי יְהֹוָה֮ כִּ֤י אֻמְלַ֫ל־אָ֥נִי רְפָאֵ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֑ה כִּ֖י נִבְהֲל֣וּ עֲצָמָֽי׃

4My whole being is stricken with terror, while You, Hashem—O, how long!

v'-naf-SHEE niv-ha-LAH m'-OD v'-a-TAH a-do-NAI ad ma-TAI

דוְ֭נַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד (ואת) [וְאַתָּ֥ה] יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה עַד־מָתָֽי׃

 6:4   My whole being is stricken with terror

David mentions the idea of behala (בהלה) meaning ‘terror’ or ‘fear’, three times in this short, sad psalm. The first two times, he laments being in this melancholy state. The third time, he wishes it upon his enemies. The same term appears in the Torah as the first punishment for the Children of Israel when they begin to sin in the Land of Israel. In Vayikra (26:16), God begins His list of punishments for not listening to the Lord and abandoning His commandments by saying, “I will wreak misery upon you,” using the same Hebrew word behala. Yet, despite the long list of punishments delineated in that section, it ends with a divine promise to remember the covenant made with the forefathers and Eretz Yisrael: “Then will I remember My covenant with Yaakov; also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember; and I will remember the land” (Leviticus 26:42).

5Hashem, turn! Rescue me! Deliver me as befits Your faithfulness.

SHU-va a-do-NAI, kha-l'-TZAH naf-SHEE, ho-shi-EY-nee l'-ma-an khas-DE-kha

השׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה חַלְּצָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י ה֝וֹשִׁיעֵ֗נִי לְמַ֣עַן חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃

6For there is no praise of You among the dead; in Sheol, who can acclaim You?

ki EIN ba-MA-vet zikh-RE-kha bi-SHO-ol mi YO-deh LA-kh

וכִּ֤י אֵ֣ין בַּמָּ֣וֶת זִכְרֶ֑ךָ בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל מִ֣י יֽוֹדֶה־לָּֽךְ׃

7I am weary with groaning; every night I drench my bed, I melt my couch in tears.

ya-GA-ti b'-an-kha-TEE as-KHEH v'-khol-la-YE-lah mi-ta-TEE b'-di-ma-a-TEE ar-SEE am-SEH

זיָגַ֤עְתִּי ׀ בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י אַשְׂחֶ֣ה בְכׇל־לַ֭יְלָה מִטָּתִ֑י בְּ֝דִמְעָתִ֗י עַרְשִׂ֥י אַמְסֶֽה׃

8My eyes are wasted by vexation, worn out because of all my foes.

a-sh'-SHAH mi-KA-as ay-NEE, o-T'-KAH b'-kol tzo-r'-RAI

חעָשְׁשָׁ֣ה מִכַּ֣עַס עֵינִ֑י עָ֝תְקָ֗ה בְּכׇל־צוֹרְרָֽי׃

9Away from me, all you evildoers, for Hashem heeds the sound of my weeping.

SU-ru mi-ME-ni kol-po-A-lei a-VON, ki-sha-MA a-do-NAI KOL b'-ki-YI

טס֣וּרוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי כׇּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל בִּכְיִֽי׃

10Hashem heeds my plea, Hashem accepts my prayer.

sha-MA a-do-NAI t'-khi-NA-TEE, a-do-NAI t'-fi-LA-TEE yi-KAKH

ישָׁמַ֣ע יְ֭הֹוָה תְּחִנָּתִ֑י יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י יִקָּֽח׃

11All my enemies will be frustrated and stricken with terror; they will turn back in an instant, frustrated.

ye-VOSH-u v'-yi-ba-HA-lu m'-OD kol-o-y'-VAI ya-SHU-vu ye-VOSH-u ra-GA

יאיֵבֹ֤שׁוּ ׀ וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ מְ֭אֹד כׇּל־אֹיְבָ֑י יָ֝שֻׁ֗בוּ יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ רָֽגַע׃