Beginning
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).
128 (Shir HaMa’alot) Ashrei kol yerei (fearers of) Hashem; that walketh in His drakhim.
2 For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be tov with thee.
3 Thy isha shall be as a fruitful gefen inside thine bais; thy banim like olive shoots around thy shulchan.
4 Hinei, thus shall the gever be blessed that feareth Hashem.
5 Hashem shall bless thee out of Tziyon; and thou shalt see the tov of Yerushalayim all the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy bnei banim, and shalom upon Yisroel.
129 (Shir HaMa’alot) Many a time have they afflicted me from my ne’ur, may Yisroel now say;
2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my ne’ur (youth); yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The choreshim (plowers) plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.
4 Hashem is tzaddik; He hath cut asunder the cords of the resha’im.
5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Tziyon [i.e, all anti-Semites].
6 Let them be as the khatzir (grass) upon the housetops, which withereth before it groweth up;
7 With it the kotzer (reaper) filleth not his yad; nor he that gathereth sheaves, his bosom.
8 Neither do they which go by say, Birkat Hashem be upon you; we bless you b’Shem Hashem.
130 (Shir HaMa’alot) Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, Hashem.
2 Adonoi, hear my voice; let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my techinnot (supplications).
3 If Thou, Hashem, shouldest record iniquities, Adonoi, who could stand?
4 But there is selichah (forgiveness) with Thee; therefore, Thou art feared.
5 I wait for Hashem, my nefesh doth wait, and in His Devar do I hope.
6 My nefesh waiteth for Adonoi more than the shomrim that watch for the boker; I say, more than the shomrim that watch for the boker.
7 Let Yisroel hope in Hashem; for with Hashem there is chesed, and with Him is plenteous pedut (redemption).
8 And He shall redeem Yisroel from all his iniquities.
131 (Shir HaMa’alot, of Dovid). Hashem, my lev is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in gedolot, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely I have stilled and quieted my nefesh, as a child that is weaned of immo; my nefesh is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Yisroel hope in Hashem from henceforth and ad olam.
132 (Shir HaMa’alot) Hashem, remember Dovid, and all his afflictions;
2 How he swore unto Hashem, and vowed unto Avir Ya’akov (the Mighty One of Ya’akov);
3 Surely I will not come into the ohel of my bais, nor go up into my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, nor tenumah (slumber) to mine eyelids,
5 Until I find a makom (place) for Hashem, even mishkanot for the Avir Ya’akov.
6 Hinei, we heard of it at Ephratah; we found it in the sedei Ya’ar (fields of Ya’ar).
7 We will go into His mishkanot; we will worship at the hadom (footstool) of His raglayim.
8 Arise, Hashem, into Thy menuchah (resting place); Thou, and the Aron of Thy oz (might).
9 Let Thy Kohanim be clothed with tzedek; and let Thy chasidim sing for joy.
10 For the sake of Dovid Thy Eved, do not turn away the face of Thine Moshiach [see Isa 52:13; 53:11].
11 Hashem hath sworn in emes unto Dovid; He will not turn from His oath: Of the p’ri (fruit) of thy beten (body) will I set upon thy kisse (throne).
12 If thy Banim are shomer over My Brit and My Edot that I shall teach them, their Banim shall also sit upon thy kisse adei-ad (forevermore).
13 For Hashem hath chosen Tziyon; He hath desired her for His moshav.
14 This is My menuchah (resting place) adei-ad (forever); here will I dwell; for I have desired her.
15 I will place a bountiful brocha on her provision; I will satisfy her poor with lechem.
16 I will also clothe her Kohanim with Yesha (salvation); and her chasidim shall sing aloud for joy.
17 There atzmi’ach (I will make sprout i.e., Tzemach) the Keren of Dovid; I have ordained a ner (lamp) for My Moshiach.
18 His oyevim will I clothe with boshet (shame); but upon him [Moshiach] shall his nezer (crown) be resplendent.
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