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).
8 Therefore thus saith Hashem Tzva’os; Because ye have not paid heed to My Devarim,
9 Hinei, I will send and take all the mishpekhot of the tzafon (north), saith Hashem, and Avdi Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these Goyim all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10 Moreover I will cause to perish from them the kol sasson (voice of gladness), and the kol simchah (voice of joy), the voice of the Choson, and the voice of the Kallah, the sound of the millstones, and the ohr of the ner.
11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these Goyim shall serve Melech Bavel shiv’im shanah (seventy years). [T.N. Note: length of Exile predicted here.]
12 And it shall come to pass, when shiv’im shanah are accomplished, that I will punish Melech Bavel, and that nation, saith Hashem, for their avon, and the Eretz Kasdim (Land of Chaldeans), and will make it perpetual desolations.
13 And I will bring upon that land all My Devarim which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this sefer, which Yirmeyah hath prophesied against kol HaGoyim.
14 For Goyim rabbim and melachim gedolim shall enslave them also; I will recompense them according to their deeds, according to the ma’aseh of their own hands.
15 For thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel unto me, Take this kos hayayin haChemah (wine cup of wrath, see Lk 22:42) from My yad, and cause kol HaGoyim, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
16 And they shall drink, and stagger, and go mad, because of the cherev that I will send among them.
17 Then took I the Kos from the yad Hashem, and made all the Goyim to drink, unto whom Hashem had sent me;
10 Achim b’Moshiach, the great tshuka (desire, longing) of my lev and my tefillah to Hashem is for the Yeshu’at Yisroel (salvation of Israel).
2 For I can be meid (provide testimony, attest) regarding them that they have a kinat Hashem (zeal for G-d), but not in accordance with saving binah and da’as.
3 For, having no saving da’as of the Tzidkat Hashem (the righteousness of G-d), and seeking to establish their own (that is, self-attained) they have not subjected themselves to the Tzidkat Hashem (righteousness of G-d 1:17; 3:5,21,25-26; 6:18).
4 For Moshiach is the goal of the Torah as a means to being YITZDAK IM HASHEM, for all who have emunah.
5 For Moshe Rabbeinu writes with reference to the (accessibility of) Tzidkat Torah (righteousness which is from the Torah), "The man YA’ASEH OTAM VACHAI ("who does these things will live" by them VAYIKRA 18:5).
6 Whereas the Tzidkat Emunah (righteousness which is from faith) speaks thus: "Do not say (looking for Messianic salvation being merited by superhuman attainments in works) in your lev, ‘Who will go up into Shomayim?' (that is, to bring Moshiach down)?
7 Or ‘Who will go down into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Moshiach up from the Mesim).
8 But what does it say? "The Dvar is near you, in your MOUTH and in your HEART " [DEVARIM 30:14]. That is, the Dvar of Emunah which we proclaim.
9 Because if you make hoda’ah (confession) "with your PEH" of Adoneinu Yehoshua, and have emunah "in your LEV" that G-d raised him from the Mesim, you will be delivered.
10 For with the "heart" one has emunah unto being YITZDAK IM HASHEM and with the "mouth" hoda’ah is made unto Yeshu’at Eloheinu.
11 For the Kitvei Hakodesh says, "Everyone who has emunah in Him shall not be put to shame" YESHAYAH 28:16.
12 For there is no distinction between Yehudi and Yevani [cf 3:9], for the same one is Adon Echad l’chulam (one L-rd over all), rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For V’HAYAH KOL ASHER YIKRA B’SHEM ADONOI ("Everyone whoever calls upon the Name of the L-rd" YOEL 3:5 [2:32]) shall be delivered.
18 Therefore, those of Yehudah did not believe that the man had been ivver (blind) until they called the horim of the man whose eyes were opened.
19 And they asked the horim, saying, Is this the ben of you, whom you say was born ivver? How, therefore, does he now have sight?
20 In reply, therefore, his horim said, We have da’as that this man is the ben of us and that he was born ivver,
21 But how he sees now we do not have da’as nor do we have da’as of who opened his eyes. Interrogate him. He’s had his Bar Mitzvah (T.N. i.e., he is of age). He will speak for himself.
22 His horim said these things, because they were fearing those of Yehudah, for already those of Yehudah had agreed that if any person made hoda’ah (confession) of him to be the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, that person would be put under cherem ban from the shul.
23 Therefore, his horim said, He has reached his religious majority and is of age. Interrogate him.
24 They called a second time, therefore, the man who had been ivver (blind) and said to him, V’ten lo todah. (Give glory to G-d) [YEHOSHUA 7:19] We have da’as that this man is a choteh (sinner). [TEHILLIM 68:35; YEHOSHUA 7:19]
25 In reply, therefore, he said, If he is a choteh (sinner), of that I don’t have da’as. Of one thing I do have da’as, that though I was ivver, now I see.
26 They said, therefore, to him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?
27 The man answered them, I told you already, and you do not listen. Why again do you want to hear? Surely you do not want to become his talmidim also?
28 And they reviled him and said, You are a talmid of that man, but we are talmidim of Moshe Rabbeinu. [BAMIDBAR 12:2,8]
29 We have da’as that Hashem has spoken to Moshe Rabbeinu, but this man, we do not have da’as from where he comes.
30 In reply, the man said to them, Here is a real cheftza! That you do not have da’as from where he comes, and he opened my eyes!
31 We have da’as that G-d does not listen to chote’'im (sinners), but if anyone has chassidus and yirat shomayim and does the ratzon (will) of Him, this one G-d hears. [TEHILLIM 18:23-32; 34:15 16; 66:18; 145:19-20; 51:7(5); MISHLE 15:8,29; YESHAYAH 1:15; 59:1-2]
32 Never vi-bahlt the Bri’at HaOlam (the Creation of the World) it was heard of that anyone opened the eyes of an ivver (blind man) having been born thus.
33 If this man was not from Hashem, he would not be able to do anything.
34 They answered and said to him, You were born totally B’AVON (in sin) and you teach us? And they threw him out. [TEHILLIM 51:5(7)]
35 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach heard that they threw him out, and, having found him, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Do you have emunah (faith) in the Ben HaAdam?
36 In reply, the man said, And who is he, Adoni, that I may have emunah in him?
37 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.
38 And the man said, Ani ma’amin, Adoni. And he fell down prostrate before him.
39 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, For the sake of Mishpat, I came into the Olam Hazeh, that the ones who are ivrim (blind ones) may see, and the ones seeing may become ivrim.
40 Some of the Perushim heard these things, the ones being with him, and they said to him, Surely we are not ivrim, are we?
41 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, If you were ivrim (blind men), you would not have chet, but now vi-bahlt (since) you say, We see, the chet of you remains.
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