The Jerusalem Bridge

Isaiah 56

יְשַׁעְיָהוּ 56

12 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse

1

כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שִׁמְר֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וַעֲשׂ֣וּ צְדָקָ֑ה כִּֽי־קְרוֹבָ֤ה יְשׁוּעָתִי֙ לָב֔וֹא וְצִדְקָתִ֖י לְהִגָּלֽוֹת׃

koh amar Adonai shimru mishpat va'asu tsedaqah ki-qerovah yeshu'ati lavo vetsidqati lehiggalot

Thus said GOD: Observe what is right and do what is just; For soon My salvation shall come, And My deliverance be revealed.

2

אַשְׁרֵ֤י אֱנוֹשׁ֙ יַֽעֲשֶׂה־זֹּ֔את וּבֶן־אָדָ֖ם יַחֲזִ֣יק בָּ֑הּ שֹׁמֵ֤ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וְשֹׁמֵ֥ר יָד֖וֹ מֵעֲשׂ֥וֹת כׇּל־רָֽע׃ {ס}

ashre enosh ya'aseh-zzot uven-adam yakhaziq bah shomer shabbat mekhallelo veshomer yado me'asot kol-ra

Happy is the mortal who does this, The one who holds fast to it: Who keeps the sabbath and does not profane it, And holds back from doing any evil.

3

וְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוָ֤ה אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַבְדֵּ֧ל יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי יְהֹוָ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל עַמּ֑וֹ וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ הַסָּרִ֔יס הֵ֥ן אֲנִ֖י עֵ֥ץ יָבֵֽשׁ׃ {פ}

ve'al-yomar ben-hannekhar hannilvah el-Adonai lemor havdel yavdilani Adonai me'al ammo ve'al-yomar hassaris hen ani ets yavesh

Let not the foreigner say, Who is joined to GOD, “GOD will keep me apart from the covenanted people”; And let not the eunuch say, “I am a withered tree.”

4

כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִשְׁמְרוּ֙ אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֔י וּבָחֲר֖וּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר חָפָ֑צְתִּי וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי׃

ki-khoh amar Adonai lassarisim asher yishmeru et-shabbetotay uvakharu ba'asher khafatseti umakhaziqim bivriti

For thus said GOD: “As for the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, Who have chosen what I desire And hold fast to My covenant—

5

וְנָתַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֜ם בְּבֵיתִ֤י וּבְחֽוֹמֹתַי֙ יָ֣ד וָשֵׁ֔ם ט֖וֹב מִבָּנִ֣ים וּמִבָּנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֤ם עוֹלָם֙ אֶתֶּן־ל֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר לֹ֥א יִכָּרֵֽת׃ {ס}

venatatti lahem beveti uvekhomotay yad vashem tov mibbanim umibbanot shem olam etten-lo asher lo yikkaret

I will give them, in My House And within My walls, A monument and a name Better than sons or daughters. I will give them an everlasting name That shall not perish.

6

וּבְנֵ֣י הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוִ֤ים עַל־יְהֹוָה֙ לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּֽלְאַהֲבָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת ל֖וֹ לַעֲבָדִ֑ים כׇּל־שֹׁמֵ֤ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי׃

uvene hannekhar hannilvim al-Adonai leshareto ule'ahavah et-shem Adonai lihyot lo la'avadim kol-shomer shabbat mekhallelo umakhaziqim bivriti

As for the foreigners Who are joined to GOD, To render service, And to love GOD’s name, To be devoted servants— All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it, And who hold fast to My covenant—

7

וַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֞ים אֶל־הַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֗י וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית תְּפִלָּתִ֔י עוֹלֹתֵיהֶ֧ם וְזִבְחֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָצ֖וֹן עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכׇל־הָעַמִּֽים׃

vahavi'otim el-har qodshi vesimmakhtim bevet tefillati olotehem vezivkhehem leratson al-mizbekhi ki veti bet-tefillah yiqqare lekhol-ha'ammim

I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My altar; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.”

8

נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה מְקַבֵּ֖ץ נִדְחֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ע֛וֹד אֲקַבֵּ֥ץ עָלָ֖יו לְנִקְבָּצָֽיו׃

ne'um adonay Elohim meqabbets nidkhe yisra'el od aqabbets alayw leniqbatsayw

Thus declares my Sovereign GOD, Who gathers the dispersed of Israel: “I will gather still more to those already gathered.”

9

כֹּ֖ל חַיְת֣וֹ שָׂדָ֑י אֵתָ֕יוּ לֶאֱכֹ֥ל כׇּל־חַיְת֖וֹ בַּיָּֽעַר׃ {פ}

kol khayto saday etayu le'ekhol kol-khayto bayya'ar

All you wild beasts, come and devour, All you beasts of the forest!

10

צֹפָ֞ו עִוְרִ֤ים כֻּלָּם֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ כֻּלָּם֙ כְּלָבִ֣ים אִלְּמִ֔ים לֹ֥א יוּכְל֖וּ לִנְבֹּ֑חַ הֹזִים֙ שֹֽׁכְבִ֔ים אֹהֲבֵ֖י לָנֽוּם׃

tsofav ivrim kullam lo yada'u kullam kelavim illemim lo yukhelu linboakh hozim shokhevim ohave lanum

The lookouts are blind, all of them, They perceive nothing. They are all dumb dogs That cannot bark; They lie sprawling, They love to drowse.

11

וְהַכְּלָבִ֣ים עַזֵּי־נֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א יָֽדְעוּ֙ שׇׂבְעָ֔ה וְהֵ֣מָּה רֹעִ֔ים לֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ הָבִ֑ין כֻּלָּם֙ לְדַרְכָּ֣ם פָּנ֔וּ אִ֥ישׁ לְבִצְע֖וֹ מִקָּצֵֽהוּ׃

vehakkelavim azze-nefesh lo yade'u sovah vehemmah ro'im lo yade'u havin kullam ledarkam panu ish levitso miqqatsehu

Moreover, the dogs are greedy; They never know satiety. As for the shepherds, they know not What it is to give heed. Everyone has turned their own way, Every last one seeks their own advantage.

12

אֵתָ֥יוּ אֶקְחָה־יַ֖יִן וְנִסְבְּאָ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְהָיָ֤ה כָזֶה֙ י֣וֹם מָחָ֔ר גָּד֖וֹל יֶ֥תֶר מְאֹֽד׃

etayu eqkhah-yayin venisbe'ah shekhar vehayah khazeh yom makhar gadol yeter me'od

“Come, I’ll get some wine; Let us swill liquor. And tomorrow will be just the same, Or even much grander!”

Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.

Yaacov, native Jerusalemite

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