Historical
133 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Dovid). Hinei, mah tov umah na’im shevet achim gahm yachad (how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity)!
2 It is like the precious shemen upon the rosh, that ran down upon the beard, even Aharon’s beard; that went down to the collar of his robes;
3 As the tal of Chermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Tziyon; for there Hashem commanded the brocha, even Chayyim Ad Olam.
134 (Shir HaMa’alot) Hinei, barakhu Hashem, kol avedei Hashem, which balailah stand [ministering] in the Bais Hashem.
2 Lift up your hands in the Kodesh [Beis Hamikdash], and barakhu Hashem.
3 Yevarekhecha Adonoi from Tziyon, Oseh Shomayim v’Aretz (the Maker of Heaven and Earth).
135 Praise Hashem. Halelu Shem Hashem; Halelu, O ye avadim of Hashem.
2 Ye that stand ministering in the Beis Hashem, in the khatzerot Beis Eloheinu.
3 Praise Hashem; for Hashem is tov; sing praise unto Shmo; for it is na’im (lovely, pleasing).
4 For Hashem hath chosen Ya’akov unto Himself, and Yisroel for His segullah (peculiar treasure).
5 For I know that Hashem is gadol, and that Adoneinu is above kol elohim.
6 Whatsoever Hashem pleases, that He does in Shomayim, and in HaAretz, in HaYam, and kol tehomot.
7 He causeth the clouds to ascend at the end of HaAretz; He maketh lightning for the matar (rain); He bringeth the ruach out of His otzarot.
8 Who struck down the Bechorei Mitzrayim, both of adam and behemah.
9 Who sent otot and mofetim into the midst of thee, O Mitzrayim, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his avadim.
10 Who struck down Goyim rabbim, and slaughtered melachim atzumim (powerful kings);
11 Sichon Melech HaEmori, and Og Melech HaBashan, and all the mamlechot Kena’an;
12 And gave their land for a nachalah, an inheritance unto Yisroel Amo (His people).
13 Thy Shem, Hashem, endureth l’olam; and Thy remembrance, Hashem, l’dor vador.
14 For Hashem will vindicate His people; He will have compassion on His avadim.
15 The idols of the Goyim are kesef and zahav, the ma’aseh yedei adam.
16 They have mouths, but they speak not; einayim have they, but they see not;
17 They have oznayim, but they hear not; neither is there any ruach in their mouths.
18 They that oseihem (make them) will be like them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
19 Barakhu Hashem, O Bais Yisroel; barakhu Hashem, O Bais Aharon;
20 Barakhu Hashem, O Bais HaLevi; ye that fear Hashem, barakhu Hashem.
21 Baruch Hashem out of Tziyon, which dwelleth at Yerushalayim. Praise Hashem.
136 O give thanks unto Hashem; for He is tov; ki l’olam chasdo (His chesed indures forever).
2 O give thanks unto Elohei HaElohim; ki l’olam chasdo.
3 O give thanks to Adonei HaAdonim; ki l’olam chasdo.
4 To Him Who alone doeth nifla’ot gedolot; ki l’olam chasdo.
5 To Him that by tevunah (understanding) made HaShomayim; ki l’olam chasdo.
6 To Him that stretched out ha’aretz above the mayim; ki l’olam chasdo.
7 To Him that made ohrim gedolim (great lights); ki l’olam chasdo.
8 The shemesh to rule by yom; ki l’olam chasdo.
9 The yarei’ach and kokhavim to rule by lailah; ki l’olam chasdo.
10 To Him that struck down Mitzrayim in their bechorot (firstborn); ki l’olam chasdo.
11 And brought out Yisroel from among them; ki l’olam chasdo.
12 With a yad chazakah, and with a stretched out zero’a; ki l’olam chasdo.
13 To Him Who divided asunder Yam Suf; ki l’olam chasdo.
14 And made Yisroel to pass through the midst of it; ki l’olam chasdo.
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Yam Suf; ki l’olam chasdo.
16 To Him Who led His people through the midbar; ki l’olam chasdo.
17 To Him Who struck down melachim gedolim; ki l’olam chasdo.
18 And slaughtered mighty melachim; ki l’olam chasdo.
19 Sichon Melech HaEmori; ki l’olam chasdo.
20 And Og Melech HaBashan; ki l’olam chasdo.
21 And gave their land for a nachalah; ki l’olam chasdo.
22 Even a nachalah unto Yisroel His eved; ki l’olam chasdo.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate; ki l’olam chasdo.
24 And hath released us from our enemies; ki l’olam chasdo.
25 Who giveth lechem to kol basar; ki l’olam chasdo.
26 O give thanks unto the G-d of Shomayim; ki l’olam chasdo.
137 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yes, we wept, when we remembered Tziyon.
2 We hung up our kinnorot (lyres) upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a shir (song); and they that tormented us required of us simchah, saying, Sing us one of the Shir Tziyon.
4 How shall we sing Shir Hashem in an admat nekhar (foreign land).
5 If I forget thee, O Yerushalayim, let my yamin (right hand) forget [i.e., have paralysis].
6 If I do not remember thee, let my leshon cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Yerushalayim above my rosh simchah (chief joy).
7 Remember, Hashem, the Bnei Edom in the Yom Yerushalayim; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the yesod (foundation) thereof.
8 O Bat Bavel, who art to be destroyed, ashrei shall he be, that repayeth thee the gemul thou hast done to us.
9 Ashrei shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy olalim against the sela.
138 (Of Dovid) I will thank Thee with my whole lev; before the elohim will I sing praise unto Thee.
2 I will worship toward Thy Heikhal Kodesh, and praise Shmecha (Thy Name) for Thy chesed and for Thy emes; for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above Kol Shimcha (all Thy Name; Yn 1:1, 14 OJBC).
3 In the day when I called out, Thou answeredst me, and madest me bold with oz (strength) in my nefesh.
4 Kol Malchei Aretz shall praise Thee, Hashem, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.
5 Yes, they shall sing of the Darkhei Hashem; for gadol is the Kavod Hashem.
6 Though Hashem be on high, yet He looks upon the lowly; but the proud He knoweth from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of tzoros, Thou wilt preserve me alive; Thou shalt stretch forth Thine yad against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy Yamin (Right Hand) shall save me.
8 Hashem will fulfill that which concerneth me; Thy chesed, O Hashem, endureth l’olam; forsake not the works of Thine own yadayim.
139 (For the one directing, Mizmor of Dovid). Hashem, Thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou hast binah of my thought from afar off.
3 Thou comprehendeth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my drakhim.
4 For there is not a milah (word) in my leshon, but, lo, Hashem, Thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast enclosed me achor (behind) and kedem (before), and laid Thine hand upon me.
6 Such da’as is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 To where can I go from Thy Ruach [Hakodesh]? Or to where shall I flee from Thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into Shomayim, Thou art there; if I make my bed in Sheol, hinei, Thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the shachar (dawn), and dwell in the uttermost acharit yam (the extreme end of the sea);
10 Even there shall Thy yad lead me, and Thy yamin shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the choshech shall cover me, even the lailah shall be ohr about me.
12 Even the choshech is not dark to Thee; but the lailah shineth as the yom; the choshech and the ohr are both alike to Thee.
13 For Thou hast created my inmost being; Thou didst interweave me in the beten immi.
14 I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Thy ma’asim; and that my nefesh knoweth very well.
15 My atzamim (bones, frame) were not hid from Thee, when I was made beseter (in secret), and skillfully wrought in the depths of the Eretz.
16 Thine eyes did see my golem (embryo), yet being unformed; and in Thy Sefer (Book) all the yamim (days) ordained for me were written down, when as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O El! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the chol (sand); when I awake, I am still with Thee.
19 Surely Thou wilt slay the rasha, O Eloah; depart from me therefore, ye anshei damim (bloodthirsty men).
20 For they speak of Thee craftily, and it is taken lashav [Ex 20:7] by Thy enemies.
21 Should not I hate them, Hashem, that hate Thee? And am not I to be at odds with those that rise up against Thee?
22 I abhor them with complete sinah; I count them mine enemies.
23 Search me, O El, and know my levav; test me, and know my thoughts;
24 And see if there be any derech otzev (torturous crooked road) in me, and lead me in the Derech Olam.
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