Psalms 12
9 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
For the leader; on the sheminith. A psalm of David.
הוֹשִׁ֣יעָה יְ֭הֹוָה כִּֽי־גָמַ֣ר חָסִ֑יד כִּי־פַ֥סּוּ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִבְּנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
Help, O ETERNAL One! For the faithful are no more; the loyal have vanished from among mortals.
שָׁ֤וְא ׀ יְֽדַבְּרוּ֮ אִ֤ישׁ אֶת־רֵ֫עֵ֥הוּ שְׂפַ֥ת חֲלָק֑וֹת בְּלֵ֖ב וָלֵ֣ב יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
People speak lies to one another; their speech is smooth; they talk with duplicity.
יַכְרֵ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־שִׂפְתֵ֣י חֲלָק֑וֹת לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃
May GOD cut off all flattering lips, every tongue that speaks arrogance.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָמְר֨וּ ׀ לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ נַ֭גְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ מִ֖י אָד֣וֹן לָֽנוּ׃
They say, “By our tongues we shall prevail; with lips such as ours, who can be our master?”
מִשֹּׁ֥ד עֲנִיִּים֮ מֵאֶנְקַ֢ת אֶבְי֫וֹנִ֥ים עַתָּ֣ה אָ֭קוּם יֹאמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה אָשִׁ֥ית בְּ֝יֵ֗שַׁע יָפִ֥יחַֽ־לֽוֹ׃
“Because of the groans of the plundered poor and needy, I will now act,” says GOD. “I will give help,” [God] affirms to them.
אִ֥מְר֣וֹת יְהֹוָה֮ אֲמָר֢וֹת טְהֹ֫ר֥וֹת כֶּ֣סֶף צָ֭רוּף בַּעֲלִ֣יל לָאָ֑רֶץ מְ֝זֻקָּ֗ק שִׁבְעָתָֽיִם׃
GOD’s words are pure words, silver purged in an earthen crucible, refined sevenfold.
אַתָּֽה־יְהֹוָ֥ה תִּשְׁמְרֵ֑ם תִּצְּרֶ֓נּוּ ׀ מִן־הַדּ֖וֹר ז֣וּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃
You, O ETERNAL One, will keep them, guarding each from this age evermore.
סָבִ֗יב רְשָׁעִ֥ים יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן כְּרֻ֥ם זֻ֝לּ֗וּת לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃ {פ}
On every side the wicked roam when baseness is exalted among mortals.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
These are written by Yaacov, a native Jerusalemite who teaches Hebrew, Yiddish, Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic one-to-one.