Psalms 35

ledavid rivah Adonai et-yerivay lekham et-lokhamay

Of David. O ETERNAL One, strive with my adversaries, give battle to my foes,

hakhazeq magen vetsinnah vequmah be'ezrati

take up shield and buckler, and come to my defense;

vehareq khanit usegor liqrat rodefay emor lenafshi yeshu'atekh ani

ready the spear and javelin against my pursuers; tell me, “I am your deliverance.”

yevoshu veyikkalemu mevaqshe nafshi yissogu akhor veyakhperu khosheve ra'ati

Let those who seek my life be frustrated and put to shame; let those who plan to harm me fall back in disgrace.

yihyu kemots lifne-ruakh umalakh Adonai dokheh

Let them be as chaff in the wind, GOD’s angel driving them on.

yehi-darkam khoshekh vakhalaqlaqqot umalakh Adonai rodefam

Let their path be dark and slippery, with GOD’s angel in pursuit.

ki-khinnam tamenu-li shakhat rishtam khinnam khaferu lenafshi

For without cause they hid a net to trap me; without cause they dug a pit for me.

tevo'ehu sho'ah lo-yeda verishto asher-taman tilkedo besho'ah yippol-bah

Let disaster overtake them unawares; let the net they hid catch them; let them fall into it when disaster [strikes].

venafshi tagil ba-Adonai tasis bishu'ato

Then shall I exult in GOD, rejoice in having been delivered.

kol-atsmotay tomarnah Adonai mi-khamokha matsil ani mekhazaq mimmennu ve'ani ve'evyon miggozelo

All my bones shall say, “ETERNAL One, who is like You? You save a pauper from someone stronger, a needy pauper from a despoiler.”

yequmun ede khamas asher lo-yadati yishaluni

Malicious witnesses appear who question me about things I do not know.

yeshallemuni ra'ah takhat tovah shekhol lenafshi

They repay me evil for good, [seeking] my bereavement.

va'ani bakhalotam levushi saq inneti vatsom nafshi utefillati al-kheqi tashuv

Yet, when they were ill, my dress was sackcloth, I kept a fast— may what I prayed for happen to me!

kerea-kke'akh li hithallakheti ka'avel-em qoder shakhoti

I walked about as though it were my friend or my kin; I was bowed with gloom, like one mourning for a mother.

uvetsali samekhu vene'esafu ne'esfu alay nekhim velo yadati qare'u velo-dammu

But when I stumble, they gleefully gather; wretches gather against me, I know not why; they tear at me without end.

bekhanfe la'age ma'og kharoq alay shinnemo

With impious, mocking grimace they gnash their teeth at me.

adonay kammah tireh hashivah nafshi misho'ehem mikkefirim yekhidati

O my Sovereign, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their attacks, my precious life, from the lions,

odekha beqahal rav be'am atsum ahalelekka

that I may praise You in a great congregation, acclaim You in a mighty throng.

al-yismekhu-li oyevay sheqer sone'ay khinnam yiqretsu-ayin

Let not my treacherous enemies rejoice over me, or those who hate me without reason wink their eyes.

ki lo shalom yedabberu ve'al rige-erets divre mirmot yakhashovun

For they do not offer amity, but devise fraudulent schemes against harmless folk.

vayyarkhivu alay pihem ameru he'akh he'akh ra'atah enenu

They open wide their mouths at me, saying, “Aha, aha, we have seen it!”

ra'itah Adonai al-tekherash adonay al-tirkhaq mimmenni

You have seen it, O ETERNAL One; do not hold aloof! O my Sovereign, be not far from me!

ha'irah vehaqitsah lemishpati elohay vadonay lerivi

Wake, rouse Yourself for my cause, for my claim, O my God and my Sovereign!

shofteni khetsidqekha Adonai elohay ve'al-yismekhu-li

Take up my cause, O my ETERNAL God, as You are beneficent, and let them not rejoice over me.

al-yomeru velibbam he'akh nafshenu al-yomeru billa'anuhu

Let them not think, “Aha, just what we wished!” Let them not say, “We have destroyed him!”

yevoshu veyakhperu yakhdav semekhe ra'ati yilbeshu-voshet ukhelimmah hammagdilim alay

May those who rejoice at my misfortune be frustrated and utterly disgraced; may those who vaunt themselves over me be clad in frustration and shame.

yaronnu veyismekhu khafetse tsidqi veyomeru tamid yigdal Adonai hekhafets shelom avdo

May those who desire my vindication sing forth joyously; may they always say, “Extolled be GOD who desires the well-being of one who renders service,”

uleshoni tehgeh tsidqekha kol-hayyom tehillatekha

while my tongue shall recite Your beneficent acts, Your praises all day long.