Book of Common Prayer
120 (Shir HaMa’a- lot [Song of Ascents]) In my tzoros I cried unto Hashem, and He heard me.
2 Save my nefesh, Hashem, from sefat sheker (lying lips), and from lashon remiyyah (a tongue of deceit).
3 What shall be given unto thee? Or what shall be done unto thee, thou lashon remiyyah?
4 Sharp khitzim (arrows) of the gibbor, with burning (charcoal) coals of the broom plant.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the ohalim of Kedar!
6 My nefesh hath long dwelt with him that hateth shalom.
7 I am for shalom; but when I speak, they are for milchamah (war).
121 (Shir HaMa’alot) I will lift up mine eyes unto the harim (hills), from whence cometh ezri (my help).
2 Ezri (my help) cometh from Hashem, Oseh Shomayim v’Aretz.
3 He will not allow thy regel to slip; He that is shomer over thee will not slumber.
4 Hinei, He that is shomer over Yisroel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 Hashem is the One shomer over thee; Hashem is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The shemesh shall not strike thee by day, nor the yarei’ach by night.
7 Hashem shall preserve thee from kol rah; He shall preserve thy nefesh.
8 Hashem shall be shomer over thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even v’ad olam.
122 (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of Ascents] of Dovid). I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the Bais Hashem.
2 Our feet shall stand within thy she’arim, O Yerushalayim.
3 Yerushalayim is built as an Ir bound firmly together;
4 That is where the Shevatim (tribes) go up, the Shivtei Hashem, according to the edut l’Yisroel (the statute to Yisroel), to give thanks unto the Shem of Hashem.
5 For there are set kise’ot l’mishpat (thrones of judgment), the kise’ot of the Bais Dovid.
6 Sha’alu shalom Yerushalayim (pray for the peace of Jerusalem); they shall prosper that love thee.
7 Shalom be within thy wall, and security within thy citadels.
8 L’ma’an (for the sake of) my achim and companions, I will now say, Shalom be within thee.
9 L’ma’an the Bais Hashem Eloheinu I will seek thy tov.
123 (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of Ascents]) Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in Shomayim.
2 Hinei, as the eyes of avadim look unto the yad adoneihem, and as the eyes of a shifchah (maiden) unto the yad of her gevirah; so our eyes wait upon Hashem Eloheinu, until He have channun (favor, grace) upon us.
3 Channenu Hashem, channenu; for we are more than sated with buz (contempt).
4 Nafsheinu (our nefesh) is more than sated with the scorn of those that are at ease, and with the buz (contempt) of the g’eiyonim (proud ones, arrogant ones).
124 (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of Ascents] of Dovid). If it had not been Hashem Who was lanu (for us, on our side), now may Yisroel say;
2 If it had not been Hashem Who was lanu, when adam (man) rose up against us;
3 Then they had swallowed us up chayyim (alive); when their wrath was kindled against us;
4 Then the mayim would have overwhelmed us, the torrent would have swept over nafsheinu (our nefesh); (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of
5 Then the mayim hazedonim (treacherous waters) would have swept over nafsheinu (our nefesh).
6 Baruch Hashem, Who hath not given us up as a prey to their shinayim (teeth).
7 Nafsheinu (our nefesh) is escaped as a tzippor (bird) out of the pach (snare of the fowlers); the pach is broken, and we are escaped.
8 Ezreinu (our help) B’Shem Hashem Oseh Shomayim vaAretz.
125 Ascents]). They that trust in Hashem shall be as Mt Tziyon, which is immoveable, and abideth l’olam.
2 As harim (the mountains) surround Yerushalayim, so Hashem surrounds His people from henceforth v’ad olam (and to forever).
3 For the shevet (scepter) of the resha shall not rest upon the goral (allotment, property) of the tzaddikim; lest the tzaddikim put forth their hands unto iniquity.
4 Do good, Hashem, unto the tovim, and to them that are upright in their hearts.
5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, Hashem shall turn them away with the workers of iniquity; but shalom shall be upon Yisroel.
126 Ascents]) When Hashem brought the return of the captivity of Tziyon, we were like the cholemim (them that dream).
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and leshoneinu (our tongue) with rinnah (Shir HaMa’alot, [Song of (joyful song); then said they among the Goyim, Hashem hath done great things for them.
3 Hashem hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
4 Return our captivity and restore our fortunes, Hashem, like torrents in the Negev.
5 They that sow in dimah (tears) shall reap in rinnah (joyful song).
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing meshek hazara (seed to be sown) shall doubtless come again with rinnah, bearing his alummot (sheaves [of harvest]).
127 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Shlomo). Except Hashem build the bais, they that build it labor in vain; except Hashem is shomer over the city, the shomair (watchman) stands guard in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the lechem ha’atzavim (bread of toils); for so He giveth his beloved sleep.
3 Hinei, banim are nachalat Hashem; and the p’ri habeten is a zachar (reward).
4 As khitzim (arrows) are in the yad of a gibbor; so are bnei haneurim (children born in one’s youth).
5 Ashrei hagever that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the oyevim basha’ar (enemy at the gate).
5 And afterward Moshe and Aharon went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Let My people go, that they may hold a chag (feast) unto Me in the midbar.
2 And Pharaoh said, Who is Hashem, that I should obey His voice to let Yisroel go? I know not Hashem, neither will I let Yisroel go.
3 And they said, Elohei HaIvrim hath met with us; let us go, now, derech shloshet yamim into the midbar, and sacrifice unto Hashem Eloheinu; lest He fall upon us with dever (cattle disease), or with the cherev.
4 And Melech Mitzrayim said unto them, Why do ye, Moshe and Aharon, disturb the people from their works? Get you back unto your own sivlot (burdens).
5 And Pharaoh said, Hinei, the Am HaAretz now are many, and ye make them rest from their sivlot.
6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the nogesim of the people, and their foremen, saying,
7 Ye shall no more give HaAm straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 And the matkonet (quota) of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof; for they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to Eloheinu.
9 Let there more avodah be laid upon the anashim, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard divrei sheker.
10 And the nogesim of HaAm went out, and their foremen; they spoke to HaAm, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it; yet not ought of your avodah shall be diminished.
12 So HaAm were scattered abroad throughout kol Eretz Mitzrayim to gather stubble instead of straw.
13 And the nogesim pressed them, saying, Fulfil your ma’asim, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 And the foremen of the Bnei Yisroel, which Pharaoh’s nogesim had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, Why have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?
15 Then the foremen of the Bnei Yisroel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Why dealest thou thus with thy avadim?
16 There is no straw given unto thy avadim, and they say to us, Make brick. And, hinei, thy avadim are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to Hashem.
18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tokhen (full measure) of bricks.
19 And the foremen of the Bnei Yisroel did see that they were in rah (trouble), after it was said, Ye shall not reduce ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20 And they went to meet Moshe and Aharon, who stood waiting to meet them, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21 And they said unto them, Hashem look upon you, and judge; because ye have made us stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his avadim, to put a cherev in their yad to slay us.
22 And Moshe returned unto Hashem, and said, Adonoi, why hast Thou brought evil upon this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me?
23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy Shem, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.
6 Then Hashem said unto Moshe, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for through a yad chazakah shall he let them go, and with a yad chazakah shall he drive them out of his land.
20 Achim b’Moshiach, be not yeladim in your machsh’vot (thoughts); be infantile in kavvanah ra’ah (malice), perhaps, but in your binah, be mature. [YIRMEYAH 4:22]
21 In the Torah it stands written, KI BELA’AGEI SAFAH UVELASHON ACHERET YEDABER EL HAAM HAZEH...V’LO AVU SHMO’A ("Then with ones of foreign lip and with strange tongue he will speak to this people... but they were not willing to listen"‖YESHAYAH 28:11-12), says the L-rd.
22 So then the leshonot (tongues) are for an ot (miraculous sign), not to the ones believing, the ma’aminim in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, but an ot (miraculous sign) to the Apikorosim; but divrei hanevu’ah (words of prophecy) are not for the Apikorosim, but for the ones believing, the ma’aminim in Moshiach.
23 If, therefore, the kehillah has a farbrengen gathering and all speak in leshonot (tongues), and then in walks the am ha’aretz or the Apikorosim, will they not say that you are all meshuggah?
24 However, if all speak forth divrei hanevu’ah (words of prophecy), and then in walks some Apikorosim or am ha’aretz, such a visitor is brought under conviction by all, he is brought into mishpat (judgment) by all,
25 What is hiding in his lev (heart) becomes manifest, and, having fallen on his face, he worships Hashem, declaring that G-d is among you (Zech 8:23; Isa 45:14; Dan 2:47).
26 Nu? Well? Achim b’Moshiach, when you come together, each one has a mizmor (hymn, psalm), a musar (teaching with an ethical point), a dvar hisgalus (a dvar of revelation), a lashon (tongue), or a pitron (interpretation) of a lashon (tongue); let all things be for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a lashon (tongue), let the speakers be shenayim (two) or at most shloshah (three), and by turn, and let one give the pitron (interpretation).
28 But if there is no one to give the pitron, let the one with the lashon (tongue) be silent in the kehillah and let him instead speak to himself and to Hashem.
29 And let shenayim or shloshah nevi’im speak and let the other nevi’im be used with discernings of ruchot (spirits) (12:10).
30 And if a dvar hisgalus (a word of revelation) is given to a navi sitting by, let the first navi become silent.
31 For you all are able one by one to speak forth a dvar hanevu’ah (word of prophecy), in order that all may learn and receive chizzuk (strengthening).
32 And the neshamot of nevi’im are subject to the nevi’im.
33 For Hashem is no Elohei HaMevucha (the G-d of Confusion, Tohu); He is Elohei HaShalom, and this is so in all the kehillot of the Kadoshim.
39 So then, Achim b’Moshiach of mine, earnestly desire to speak forth a dvar hanevu’ah (word of prophecy), and do not forbid speaking in leshonot (tongues).
40 Let all things be done b’seder and without bushah (shame).
42 And whoever causes a michshol (stumbling block) for one of these little ones, the maaminim b’Moshiach who have emunah in me, it would be better for him if a heavy millstone, one turned by a donkey, were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea.
43 And if your yad causes you a michshol, cut off your yad; for it is better for you if you enter Chayyei Olam as an amputee, than, having both yadayim, you go away into Gehinnom, into the EISH LO TIKHBEH (fire not [ever] extinguished, YESHAYAH 66:24),
44 Where their TOLAAT LO TAMUT (worm does not die YESHAYAH 66:24) and EISH LO TIKHBEH (the fire not [ever] extinguished YESHAYAH 66:24).]
45 And if your regel (foot) causes you a michshol, cut off your regel; it is better for you to enter Chayyei Olam lame, than, having both raglayim, to be cast into Gehinnom,
46 Where their TOLAAT LO TAMUT (worm does not die YESHAYAH 66:24) and EISH LO TIKHBEH (the fire not [ever] extinguished YESHAYAH 66:24).]
47 And if your ayin (eye) causes you a michshol, take it out; for it is better for you to enter the Malchut Hashem one-eyed, than, having both eynayim, to be cast into Gehinnom,
48 Where their TOLAAT LO TAMUT (worm does not die YESHAYAH 66:24) and EISH LO TIKHBEH (the fire not [ever] extinguished YESHAYAH 66:24).
49 For everyone will have eish as his melach (salt). [VAYIKRA 2:13]
50 Melach is tov, but if the melach becomes unsalty, by what [means] will you make it salty again? Have melach in yourselves. And among yourselves let there be shalom.
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