Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

19 (For the one directing. Mizmor Dovid) HaShomayim declare the kavod of G-d; and the raki’a (firmament) showeth His handiwork.

^2 (3) Yom unto yom uttereth speech, and lailah unto lailah showeth da’as.

^3 (4) There is no speech nor devarim (language), where their voice is not heard.

^4 (5) Their measuring line is gone out through kol ha’aretz, and their words to the end of the tevel (world). In them hath He set an ohel for the shemesh,

^5 (6) Which is like a choson coming out of his chuppah, and rejoiceth as a gibbor to run a race.

^6 (7) Its going forth is from the end of HaShomayim, and its circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

^7 (8) The torah of Hashem is temimah (perfect), reviving the nefesh; the edut of Hashem is ne’emanah (sure), making wise the simple.

^8 (9) The precepts of Hashem are yasharim (right), rejoicing the lev; the mitzvat Hashem is bara (clear, pure), enlightening the eyes.

^9 (10) The yirat Hashem (fear of the L-rd) is tehorah (clean), enduring forever; the mishpatim of Hashem are emes and righteous altogether.

^10 (11) More to be desired are they than zahav, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than devash and the honeycomb.

^11 (12) Moreover by them is Thy eved warned; and in being shomer over them there is great reward.

^12 (13) Who can discern his errors? Cleanse Thou me from nistarot (secret ones).

^13 (14) Keep back Thy eved also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me; then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the peysha rav (great transgression).

^14 (15) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my lev, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Hashem, my Tzur (rock), and Go’ali (my Redeemer).

2 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artachshasta HaMelech, that yayin was before him; and I took up the yayin, and gave it unto HaMelech. Now I had not been previously sad in his presence.

² Wherefore HaMelech said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not choleh (sick)? This is nothing else but ro’ah lev. Then I was very much afraid,

³ And said unto HaMelech, HaMelech l’olam yicheyeh. Why should not my countenance look sad, when HaIr, the Bais Kivrot Avotai, lieth in ruins, and the gates thereof are consumed with eish?

⁴ Then HaMelech said unto me, For what dost Thou make request? So I davened to Elohei HaShomayim.

⁵ And I said unto HaMelech, If it please HaMelech, and if thy eved have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Yehudah, unto the Ir Kivrot Avotai, that I may rebuild her.

⁶ And HaMelech said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be, and when wilt thou return? So it pleased HaMelech to send me; and I set for him a zman.

⁷ Moreover I said unto HaMelech, If it please HaMelech, let iggrot be given me to the governors Beyond the River, that they may provide me safe conduct till I come into Yehudah;

⁸ And an iggeret unto Asaph the Shomer of the forest of HaMelech, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress by the Beis, and for the Chomat HaIr, and for the bais that I shall occupy. And HaMelech granted me, according to the Yad Elohai Hatovah upon me.

⁹ Then I came to the governors Beyond the River [Euphrates], and gave them the Iggrot HaMelech. Now HaMelech had sent captains of the army and parashim (a troop of horsemen) with me.

¹⁰ When Sanvalat the Choroni, and Toviyah the eved (official), the Ammoni, heard of it, it grieved them with a ra’ah gedolah that there was come an adam to seek the welfare of the Bnei Yisroel.

12 I appeal to you, therefore, Achim b’Moshiach, through the rachamei Hashem (mercies of G-d), to present your geviyah (BERESHIS 47:18), all of your being as a korban chai (living sacrifice), kadosh (holy) and acceptable to Hashem (BERESHIS 8:21), which is your spiritual avodas kodesh service.

² Stop allowing yourself to be conformed to the Olam Hazeh, but be transformed by your hitkhadshut (regeneration, renewal) of your mind, so that you may ascertain what is the ratzon Hashem (the will of G-d), what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of G-d.

³ For I say to all who are among you through the chesed (unmerited favor, grace) given to me, that you should avoid a false sense of superiority in your thinking; rather exercise shlitah atzmi (self-control), thinking with seichel, as G-d has measured to each a measure of emunah.

⁴ For just as in one body we have many members (natural capacities), and all the members do not have the same function,

⁵ So we all are one body in Moshiach, and are individually members one of another

⁶ Having matanot (gifts) which differ in accordance with the chesed (unmerited favor, grace) given to us. If we speak for G-d as nevi’im (prophets), it should be in proportion to the emunah given to us.

⁷ If we offer particular acts of avodas kodesh service, it should be used in serving. One who functions as a rabbinic moreh should be active in teaching.

⁸ One who imparts chizzuk (strengthening, encouragement) should be active in that avodas kodesh ministry. One who makes tzedakah (contributions) should do so with nedivut (generosity). The one in manhigut (leadership), with diligence. The one in bikkur cholim (visiting the sick) and gemilut chasadim (benevolence), with simcha.