Snow
Mountains
Mountains
Mountains
Mountains

Contact Us

TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 81

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader; on the gittith. Of Asaf.

lam-na-TZAY-akh al ha-gi-TEET l'-a-SAF

אלַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ עַֽל־הַגִּתִּ֬ית לְאָסָֽף׃

 81:1   On the gittith

Ancient wine press in Shivta, Israel

According to some, the gittith, upon which this psalm is uttered, refers to a gat (גת), ‘wine press.’ This psalm, which presents Hashem’s response to the previous psalm, opts for a much slower, methodical process of salvation. As opposed to the metaphor of a vine being lifted up whole and then planted again in the land, the nation is not yet ready for, or deserving of, immediate salvation. Rather, like the procedure for producing wine from grapes, salvation will take time. The process requires several stages, and it requires a passage of time until the final product is ready. The message of this psalm is that redemption does not occur instantaneously. Just as winemaking requires a process involving various stages such as laborious harvesting, crushing, selecting, fermenting and ultimately waiting, before producing the finished product, so does redemption. But just as with fine wine, it is well worth the wait.

2Sing joyously to Hashem, our strength; raise a shout for the God of Yaakov.

ha-r'-ni-NU le-lo-HIM u-ZE-nu, ha-RI-u le-lo-HEI ya-a-KOV

בהַ֭רְנִינוּ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים עוּזֵּ֑נוּ הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃

3Take up the song, sound the timbrel, the melodious lyre and harp.

SE-u-ZIM-rah u-TE-nu-TOF ki-NOR na-EEM im-NA-vel

גשְֽׂאוּ־זִ֭מְרָה וּתְנוּ־תֹ֑ף כִּנּ֖וֹר נָעִ֣ים עִם־נָֽבֶל׃

4Blow the shofar on the new moon, on the full moon for our feast day.

TIK-u va-KHO-desh sho-FAR ba-KE-seh le-YOM cha-GE-nu

דתִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר בַּ֝כֵּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ׃

5For it is a law for Yisrael, a ruling of the God of Yaakov;

ki KHOK l'-yis-ra-AYL HU mish-PAT l'-e-lo-HAY ya-a-KOV

הכִּ֤י חֹ֣ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֑וּא מִ֝שְׁפָּ֗ט לֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃

6He imposed it as a decree upon Yosef when he went forth from the land of Egypt; I heard a language that I knew not.

AY-duht b'-yo-SEF sa-MO b'-t'-t'-O al E-retz mitz-RA-yim, s'-FAT lo ya-DA-tee esh-MA

ועֵ֤דוּת ׀ בִּיה֘וֹסֵ֤ף שָׂמ֗וֹ בְּ֭צֵאתוֹ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם שְׂפַ֖ת לֹא־יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶשְׁמָֽע׃

7I relieved his shoulder of the burden, his hands were freed from the basket.

ha-see-RO-tee mi-SE-vel shikh-MO, ka-PA-vav mi-DUD ta-a-vo-RE-na

זהֲסִיר֣וֹתִי מִסֵּ֣בֶל שִׁכְמ֑וֹ כַּ֝פָּ֗יו מִדּ֥וּד תַּעֲבֹֽרְנָה׃

8In distress you called and I rescued you; I answered you from the secret place of thunder I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

ba-tza-RAH ka-RA-ta va-a-KHAL-tse-KHA e-EN-kha b'-SE-ter ra-AM ev-kh'-NE-kha al-may me-ree-VA se-LAH

חבַּצָּרָ֥ה קָרָ֗אתָ וָאֲחַ֫לְּצֶ֥ךָּ אֶ֭עֶנְךָ בְּסֵ֣תֶר רַ֑עַם אֶבְחׇנְךָ֨ עַל־מֵ֖י מְרִיבָ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃

9Hear, My people, and I will admonish you; Yisrael, if you would but listen to Me!

SH'-ma a-MEE v'-a-EE-da BAKH, yis-ra-AYL im-tish-MA-LEE

טשְׁמַ֣ע עַ֭מִּי וְאָעִ֣ידָה בָּ֑ךְ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל אִם־תִּֽשְׁמַֽע־לִֽי׃

10You shall have no foreign god, you shall not bow to an alien god.

lo yi-HEH v'-KHA el ZAR, v'-lo tish-ta-KHA-veh l'-el NE-khar

ילֹא־יִהְיֶ֣ה בְ֭ךָ אֵ֣ל זָ֑ר וְלֹ֥א תִ֝שְׁתַּחֲוֶ֗ה לְאֵ֣ל נֵכָֽר׃

11I Hashem am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

a-NO-khee a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha ha-ma-a-L'-KHA me-E-retz mitz-RA-yim har-KHEV pi-KHA va-a-ma-l'-EHU

יאאָֽנֹכִ֨י ׀ יְ֘הֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ הַֽ֭מַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַרְחֶב־פִּ֝֗יךָ וַאֲמַלְאֵֽהוּ׃

12But My people would not listen to Me, Yisrael would not obey Me.

v'-lo sha-MA a-MEE l'-ko-LEE, v'-yis-ra-AYL lo-a-VAH LEE

יבוְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע עַמִּ֣י לְקוֹלִ֑י וְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹא־אָ֥בָה לִֽי׃

13So I let them go after their willful heart that they might follow their own devices.

va-a-sha-le-KHE-hu bi-sh'-ree-RUT li-BAM ye-le-KHU b'-mo-a-tzo-TE-hem

יגוָ֭אֲשַׁלְּחֵהוּ בִּשְׁרִיר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם יֵ֝לְכ֗וּ בְּֽמוֹעֲצ֖וֹתֵיהֶֽם׃

14If only My people would listen to Me, if Yisrael would follow My paths,

LU a-MEE sho-ME-a LEE, yis-ra-AYL bid-ra-KHAI ye-ha-LE-khu.

ידל֗וּ עַ֭מִּי שֹׁמֵ֣עַֽ לִ֑י יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל בִּדְרָכַ֥י יְהַלֵּֽכוּ׃

15then would I subdue their enemies at once, strike their foes again and again.

k'-ME-at o-y'-VE-hem akh-nee-A v'-al tza-RE-hem a-SHEEV ya-DEE

טוכִּ֭מְעַט אוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣ם אַכְנִ֑יעַ וְעַ֥ל צָ֝רֵיהֶ֗ם אָשִׁ֥יב יָדִֽי׃

16Those who hate Hashem shall cower before Him; their doom shall be eternal.

m'-sa-NEI a-do-NAI y'-kha-kha-SHU-lo, vi-HI i-TAM l'-o-LAM

טזמְשַׂנְאֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה יְכַחֲשׁוּ־ל֑וֹ וִיהִ֖י עִתָּ֣ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃

17He fed them the finest wheat; I sated you with honey from the rock.

vai-ya-a-khee-LE-hu me-KHE-lev khee-TAH u-mi-TZUR d'-VASH as-bi-E-kha

יזוַֽ֭יַּאֲכִילֵהוּ מֵחֵ֣לֶב חִטָּ֑ה וּ֝מִצּ֗וּר דְּבַ֣שׁ אַשְׂבִּיעֶֽךָ׃