Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
32 (Of David. A maskil). Ashrei is he whose peysha (rebellion) is forgiven, whose chata’ah (sin) is covered.
2 Ashrei is the adam unto whom Hashem imputeth not avon (iniquity), and in whose ruach there is no remiyyah (guile, deceit).
3 When I kept silent [i.e., refused to confess my sin, which was still naked and uncovered (see 32:1) and had no kapporah covering for my guilt before G-d], my atzmot wasted away through my groaning kol hayom (all the day).
4 For yomam valailah Thy yad was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as by the droughts of kayitz (summer). Selah.
5 I acknowledge my chattat unto Thee, and mine avon (iniquity) have I not covered up. I said, I will confess my peysha’im (rebellions) unto Hashem; and Thou forgavest the avon (iniquity) of my chattat. Selah.
6 Therefore shall every Chasid pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely in the floods of mayim rabbim they shall not overtake him.
7 Thou art my seter (hiding place, shelter); Thou shalt preserve me from tzoros; Thou shalt envelop me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the Derech which thou shalt go; I will counsel thee with Mine eye.
9 Be ye not like the sus, or like the pered (mule), which have no binah; whose mouth must be harnassed with bit and bridle, else they come not near thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the resha’im, but he that trusteth in Hashem, chesed shall envelop and cover him.
11 Be glad in Hashem, and rejoice, ye tzaddikim; and shout for joy, all ye yishrei lev (upright in heart).
23 And it came to pass after two full shanim, that Avshalom had gozezim (sheepshearers) in Baal-Chazor, which is in Ephrayim; and Avshalom invited all the Bnei HaMelech.
24 And Avshalom came to HaMelech, and said, Hinei now, thy eved hath gozezim; let HaMelech, now, and his avadim go with thy eved.
25 And HaMelech said to Avshalom, No, beni (my son), let us not all now go, lest we be a burden unto thee. And he urged him; howbeit he would not go, but put a bracha on him.
26 Then said Avshalom, If not, now, let achi Amnon go with us. And HaMelech said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
27 But Avshalom urged him, that he let Amnon and kol Bnei HaMelech go with him.
28 Now Avshalom had commanded his avadim, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s lev is high with yayin, and when I say unto you, Strike Amnon; then kill him, fear not; have not I commanded you? Be chazak (courageous), and be bnei chayil.
29 And the na’arei Avshalom did unto Amnon as Avshalom had commanded. Then all the Bnei HaMelech arose, and every man mounted him up upon his pered (mule), and fled.
30 And it came to pass, while they were baderech (on the way), that report came to Dovid, saying, Avshalom hath slain all the Bnei HaMelech, and there is not one of them left.
31 Then HaMelech arose, and made the kri’ah on his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his avadim stood by with their clothes torn.
32 And Yonadav Ben Shime’ah achi Dovid, answered and said, Let not adoni suppose that they have slain all the young men, the Bnei HaMelech; for Amnon only is dead; for by the command of Avshalom this hath been determined from the day that he violated and raped Tamar his achot.
33 Now therefore let not adoni HaMelech take the thing to his lev, to think that all the Bnei HaMelech are dead; for Amnon only is dead.
34 But Avshalom fled. And the na’ar tzofeh (watchman) lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, hinei, there came am rav (much people) by the derech of the hillside behind him.
35 And Yonadav said unto HaMelech, Hinei, the Bnei HaMelech come; as the davar avdecha (word of thy servant), so it is.
36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, hinei, the Bnei HaMelech came, and lifted up their voice and wailed; and HaMelech also and all his avadim wept gadol me’od.
37 But Avshalom fled, and went to Talmai Ben Ammichud Melech Geshur. And Dovid mourned for bno kol hayamim.
38 So Avshalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there shalosh shanim.
39 And the nefesh of Dovid HaMelech longed to go forth unto Avshalom; for he was consoled concerning Amnon that died.
4 From where do milchamot (wars) come? What is their goirem (driving force)? And from where come fights among you? Is it not from here, from the ta’avot (lusts) of you warring in your evarim (members)?
2 You lust for something and you do not have it; you kill and you envy and you are not able to obtain. You get involved in machalokot (divisions of dissensions) and fights. You do not have because you fail to daven with your request.
3 Or you make techinot (petitions) and you do not receive, because you ask wrongly, that on your ta’avot (lusts) you may spend what you receive. [TEHILLIM 18:41; 66:18]
4 No’efot (adulterers)! Do you not have da’as that to have shaichus (closeness, friendship, intimacy) with the Olam Hazeh is eyvah im Hashem (enmity with G-d)? Therefore, whoever chooses to make the Olam Hazeh his Oihev is made an Oyev (Enemy) of Hashem. [YESHAYAH 54:4; YIRMEYAH 3:20; HOSHEA 2:2-5; 3:1; 9:1]
5 Or do you think that in vain the Kitvei Hakodesh attests that Hashem yearns jealously over the Ruach Hakodesh He causes to dwell in us?
6 But He gives all the more Chen v’Chesed! Therefore it says, "Hashem LALETZIM HU YALITZ V’LA’ANAYIM YITEN CHEN ("Hashem opposes the proud mocker but gives grace to the humble" [MISHLE 3:34]).
7 Submit yourselves in mishma’at (obedience) to Hashem. Resist Hasatan, and he will flee from you.
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