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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 85

Translation and Transliteration of 

1For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm.

la-menatze-ACH l'-vinay-KO-rach miz-MOR

אלַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֽוֹר׃

2Hashem, You will favor Your land, restore Yaakov's fortune;

ra-TZEE-ta a-do-NAI ar-TZE-kha SHAV-ta sh'-VEET ya-a-KOV

ברָצִ֣יתָ יְהֹוָ֣ה אַרְצֶ֑ךָ שַׁ֝֗בְתָּ (שבות) [שְׁבִ֣ית] יַעֲקֹֽב׃

 85:2   Restore Yaakov’s fortune

After a period of exile, the Children of Israel return home. Contemporary commentator Amos Hakham sees this as a reference to the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel after seventy years of Babylonian exile. In 538 BCE, Cyrus the Great, king of the Persian empire, defeats the Babylonian empire and issues a declaration that the Jews may return to their homeland and rebuild the Beit Hamikdash (Ezra chapter 1). This is considered the beginning of the second Temple period. The psalmist acknowledges Hashem’s desire for His nation to return to the Promised Land. Upon their return, the land will again bring forth its bountiful produce and flourish (verse 13).

3You will forgive Your people's iniquity, pardon all their sins; selah

na-SA-ta a-VON a-ME-kha ki-SI-ta kol-kha-ta-TAM se-LAH

גנָ֭שָׂאתָ עֲוֺ֣ן עַמֶּ֑ךָ כִּסִּ֖יתָ כׇל־חַטָּאתָ֣ם סֶֽלָה׃

4You will withdraw all Your anger, turn away from Your rage.

a-SAFT kol-e-v'ra-TE-kha he-SHI-vo-TA me-kha-RON a-PE-kha

דאָסַ֥פְתָּ כׇל־עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ הֱ֝שִׁיב֗וֹתָ מֵחֲר֥וֹן אַפֶּֽךָ׃

5Turn again, O Hashem, our helper, revoke Your displeasure with us.

SHU-ve-NU e-lo-HEI yish-AY-nu v'-ha-FER ka-a-s'-KHA i-ma-NU

השׁ֭וּבֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׁעֵ֑נוּ וְהָפֵ֖ר כַּעַסְךָ֣ עִמָּֽנוּ׃

6Will You be angry with us forever, prolong Your wrath for all generations?

ha-lo-LA-AM te-e-NAF BA-nu, tim-SHOKH a-PE-kha, l'-DOR va-DOR

והַלְעוֹלָ֥ם תֶּאֱנַף־בָּ֑נוּ תִּמְשֹׁ֥ךְ אַ֝פְּךָ֗ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃

7Surely You will revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You.

ha-LO a-TAH ta-SHUv t'-cha-YE-nu v'-a-m'-KHA yis-m'-KHU-vakh

זהֲֽלֹא־אַ֭תָּה תָּשׁ֣וּב תְּחַיֵּ֑נוּ וְ֝עַמְּךָ֗ יִשְׂמְחוּ־בָֽךְ׃

8Show us, Hashem, Your faithfulness; grant us Your deliverance.

har-EY-nu a-do-NAI khas-DE-kha v'-ye-sha-A-kha ti-ten-la-NU

חהַרְאֵ֣נוּ יְהֹוָ֣ה חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝יֶשְׁעֲךָ֗ תִּתֶּן־לָֽנוּ׃

9Let me hear what Hashem, Hashem, will speak; He will promise well-being to His people, His faithful ones; may they not turn to folly.

esh-m'-AH mah y'-da-BAYR ha-EL a-do-NAI KEE y'-da-BAYR sha-LOM el a-MO v'-el kha-see-DAV v'-al ya-shu-VU l'-khis-LAH

טאֶשְׁמְעָ֗ה מַה־יְדַבֵּר֮ הָאֵ֢ל ׀ יְ֫הֹוָ֥ה כִּ֤י ׀ יְדַבֵּ֬ר שָׁל֗וֹם אֶל־עַמּ֥וֹ וְאֶל־חֲסִידָ֑יו וְאַל־יָשׁ֥וּבוּ לְכִסְלָֽה׃

10His help is very near those who fear Him, to make His glory dwell in our land.

akh ka-ROV li-re-AV yish-O lish-KON ka-VOD b'-ar-TZE-nu

יאַ֤ךְ קָר֣וֹב לִירֵאָ֣יו יִשְׁע֑וֹ לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן כָּב֣וֹד בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ׃

11Faithfulness and truth meet; justice and well-being kiss.

khe-SED ve-e-MET nif-GA-shu tse-DEK ve-sha-LOM na-SHA-ku

יאחֶסֶד־וֶאֱמֶ֥ת נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ צֶ֖דֶק וְשָׁל֣וֹם נָשָֽׁקוּ׃

12Truth springs up from the earth; justice looks down from heaven.

e-MET me-E-retz titz-MAKH v'-TZE-dek mi-sha-MA-yim nish-KAF

יבאֱ֭מֶת מֵאֶ֣רֶץ תִּצְמָ֑ח וְ֝צֶ֗דֶק מִשָּׁמַ֥יִם נִשְׁקָֽף׃

13Hashem also bestows His bounty; our land yields its produce.

gam-y'-ho-VAH yi-TEN ha-TOV v'-ar-TSE-nu ti-TEN ye-vu-LAH

יגגַּם־יְ֭הֹוָה יִתֵּ֣ן הַטּ֑וֹב וְ֝אַרְצֵ֗נוּ תִּתֵּ֥ן יְבוּלָֽהּ׃

14Justice goes before Him as He sets out on His way.

TZ'-DEK l'-fa-NAV y'-ha-LEKH, v'-ya-SEM l'-DE-rekh p'-a-MAV.

ידצֶ֭דֶק לְפָנָ֣יו יְהַלֵּ֑ךְ וְיָשֵׂ֖ם לְדֶ֣רֶךְ פְּעָמָֽיו׃