Psalms 120
7 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse
שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה בַּצָּרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י קָ֝רָ֗אתִי וַֽיַּעֲנֵֽנִי׃
shir hamma'alot el-Adonai batsaratah li qarati vayya'aneni
A song of ascents. In my distress I called to GOD— who answered me.
יְֽהֹוָ֗ה הַצִּ֣ילָה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִשְּׂפַת־שֶׁ֑קֶר מִלָּשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה׃
Adonai hatsilah nafshi missefat-sheqer millashon remiyyah
O ETERNAL One, save me from treacherous lips, from a deceitful tongue!
מַה־יִּתֵּ֣ן לְ֭ךָ וּמַה־יֹּסִ֥יף לָ֗ךְ לָשׁ֥וֹן רְמִיָּֽה׃
mah-yyitten lekha umah-yyosif lakh lashon remiyyah
What can you profit, what can you gain, O deceitful tongue?
חִצֵּ֣י גִבּ֣וֹר שְׁנוּנִ֑ים עִ֝֗ם גַּחֲלֵ֥י רְתָמִֽים׃
khitse gibbor shenunim im gakhale retamim
A warrior’s sharp arrows, with hot coals of broom-wood.
אֽוֹיָה־לִ֭י כִּי־גַ֣רְתִּי מֶ֑שֶׁךְ שָׁ֝כַ֗נְתִּי עִֽם־אׇהֳלֵ֥י קֵדָֽר׃
oyah-li ki-garti meshekh shakhanti im-ohole qedar
Woe is me, that I live with Meshech, that I dwell among the clans of Kedar.
רַ֭בַּת שָֽׁכְנָה־לָּ֣הּ נַפְשִׁ֑י עִ֝֗ם שׂוֹנֵ֥א שָׁלֽוֹם׃
rabbat shakhenah-llah nafshi im sone shalom
Too long have I dwelt with those who hate peace.
אֲֽנִי־שָׁ֭לוֹם וְכִ֣י אֲדַבֵּ֑ר הֵ֝֗מָּה לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ {פ}
ani-shalom vekhi adabber hemmah lammilkhamah
I am all peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
Want to go further with a teacher?
A real 30-minute lesson, one to one — Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Yiddish or Aramaic. No card required.
Study 1-on-1 with YaacovPrefer a small group? Eight-week groups