TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 9

Translation and Transliteration of 

1For the leader; ‘almuth labben. A psalm of David.

la-menatze-akh al-MUT la-BEN miz-MOR le-DA-vid

אלַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַל־מ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

2I will praise You, Hashem, with all my heart; I will tell all Your wonders.

o-deh a-do-NAI b'-kol li-BEE, a-sa-pe-RAH kol nif-le-o-TE-kha

באוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה בְּכׇל־לִבִּ֑י אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כׇּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

3I will rejoice and exult in You, singing a hymn to Your name, O Most High.

es-m'-HA v'-e-EL-tzah bakh a-za-m'-RA shim-KHA el-YON

גאֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

4When my enemies retreat, they stumble to their doom at Your presence.

b'-SHUV o-y'-VAI a-KHOR yi-KASH-lu v'-yo-VE-du mi-PA-ne-KHA

דבְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃

5For You uphold my right and claim, enthroned as righteous judge.

ki-a-SEE-ta mi-sh'-PA-tee v'-dee-NEE ya-SHAVT l'-ki-SE sh'-FAYT tze-DEK

הכִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃

6You blast the nations; You destroy the wicked; You blot out their name forever.

ga-AR-ta go-YIM i-BAD-ta ra-SHA sh'-MAM ma-KHEE-ta l'-o-LAM va-EED

וגָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

7The enemy is no more— ruins everlasting; You have torn down their cities; their very names are lost.

ha-o-YEV TAM-mu kho-RA-vot la-NE-tsakh v'-a-REEM na-TASH-ta a-VAD zikh-RAM heM-AH

זהָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃

8But Hashem abides forever; He has set up His throne for judgment;

va-a-do-NAI l'-o-LAM ye-SHEV ko-NEN la-mish-PAT ki-SO

חוַֽ֭יהֹוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃

9it is He who judges the world with righteousness, rules the peoples with equity.

v'-HU yish-pot tay-VAYL b'-TZE-dek ya-DEEN l'-u-MEEM b'-may-sha-REEM

טוְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃

 9:9   It is He who judges the world

PM David Ben Gurion signing the Declaration of Independence

The Sages comment that Hashem judges the nations of the world according to their capabilities, but at the same time reminds them of the position of righteous gentiles in Israel’s history. God asks the nations, “why have you not come close to me?” If they say I was too iniquitous, idolatrous or distant from You, He responds, “were you more iniquitous than Rahab the harlot who ultimately came close to Israel and produced prophets and righteous people? Were you more idolatrous than Jethro the priest who came close and produced prophets and righteous people? Were you more distant than Rut the Moabite who came close and produced kings of Israel?” The desire for the nations of the world to work together and establish positive relationships with the Nation of Israel was echoed in Israel’s Declaration of Independence: “We extend our hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land.”

10Hashem is a haven for the oppressed, a haven in times of trouble.

v'-Y'-hee a-do-NAI mis-GAV la-DAKH, mis-GAV l'-i-TOT ba-tza-RAH

יוִ֘יהִ֤י יְהֹוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃

11Those who know Your name trust You, for You do not abandon those who turn to You, Hashem.

v'-yiv-t'-KHU v'-KHA yo-d'-AY sh'-ME-kha, KEE lo-a-ZAV-ta dor-SHE-kha a-do-NAI.

יאוְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהֹוָֽה׃

12Sing a hymn to Hashem, who reigns in Tzion; declare His deeds among the peoples.

za-ME-ru la-a-do-NAI yo-SHEV tzi-YON ha-GI-du va-a-MEEM a-li-LO-tav

יבזַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃

13For He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted; He who requites bloodshed is mindful of them.

ki-do-RAYSH da-MEEM o-TAM za-KHAR lo-sha-KHAKH tza-a-KAT (a-NEE-yim) [a-na-VEEM]

יגכִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת (עניים) [עֲנָוִֽים]׃

14Have mercy on me, Hashem; see my affliction at the hands of my foes, You who lift me from the gates of death,

kha-n'-NE-ni a-do-NAI, r'-EH o-NI mi-s'-no-AI, m'-ro-m'-MI mi-sha-a-REI ma-VET

ידחָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהֹוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עׇ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃

15so that in the gates of Fair Tzion I might tell all Your praise, I might exult in Your deliverance.

l'-ma-an a-sa-pe-RA kol te-hi-LA-te-KHA b'-sha-a-rei vat-tzi-YON a-gi-LA bi-shu-a-te-KHA

טולְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כׇּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישֽׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃

16The nations sink in the pit they have made; their own foot is caught in the net they have hidden.

ta-VE-u go-YIM b'-sha-KHAT a-SU b'-RE-shet-ZU ta-MA-nu ni-l'-K'-da ra-G'-lam

טזטָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃

17Hashem has made Himself known: He works judgment; the wicked man is snared by his own devices. Higgaion. Selah.

no-DA a-do-NAI mish-PAHT a-SAH b'-PO-al ka-PAV no-KAYSH ra-SHA hi-GA-yon se-LAH

יזנ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהֹוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֢ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃

18Let the wicked be in Sheol, all the nations who ignore Hashem!

ya-SHU-vu r'-sha-EEM lish-O-la, kol go-YEEM sh'-khe-KHEI e-lo-HEEM

יחיָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה כׇּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

19Not always shall the needy be ignored, nor the hope of the afflicted forever lost.

ki lo la-NE-tsakh yi-sha-KHAK ev-YON tik-VAT a-NI-YIM to-AVAD la-AD

יטכִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן תִּקְוַ֥ת (ענוים) [עֲ֝נִיִּ֗ים] תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃

20Rise, Hashem! Let not men have power; let the nations be judged in Your presence.

KU-mah a-do-NAI al-ya-OZ e-NOSh, yi-sha-F'-tu go-YIM al-PA-ne-KHA

כקוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃

21Strike fear into them, Hashem; let the nations know they are only men. Selah.

shi-TAH a-do-NAI mo-RAH la-HEM ye-d'-U go-YIM e-NOSh heM-ah se-LAH

כאשִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃