Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

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]).

³ Make ye the weak hands chazak (strong), and steady the birkayim (knees) koshlot (feeble ones [knees] that give way, i.e., of those of the Golus returning to G-d in Tziyon).

⁴ Say to them that are of a fearful lev, Be strong, fear not; hinei, Eloheichem (your G-d) will come with nakam (vengeance), even Elohim gemul (divine retribution); He will come and save you.

⁵ Then the eyes of the ivvrim (blind people) shall be opened, and the ears of the chereshim (deaf ones) shall be unstopped.

⁶ Then shall the pisei’ach (lame) leap like the deer, and the leshon (tongue) of the illem (the mute, the people unable to utter speech) sing for joy; for in the midbar shall mayim break forth, and streams in the Aravah.

⁷ And the sharav (burning sand) shall become an agam (pool, lake, pond) and the thirsty land, springs of mayim; in the habitation of jackals, where each [jackal] lay, shall be khatzir (grassland) as well as reeds and gomeh (papyrus, bulrushes).

¹⁸ And Yochanan’s talmidim reported to him about all these things. And when he had summoned a certain two of his talmidim, Yochanan

¹⁹ Sent them to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu, saying, Are you Hu HaBah [Moshiach] or should we be looking for another?

²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva sent us to you, saying, Are you Hu HaBah [Moshiach] or should we be looking for another?

²¹ Genoi at that time Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach gave refuah to many with machlot and afflictions and ruchot raot and to many ivverim he granted sight.

²² And in reply he said to them, Go and tell Yochanan what you have seen [as edei reiyah, eyewitnesses]. IVRIM TIRENAH, pisechim (lame persons) walk, the metzorim are cleansed, and chereshim hear, the mesim are restored to life, ANIYIM have the Besuras HaGeulah preached to them. [YESHAYAH 29:18,19; 35:5,6; 61:1,2]

²³ And ashrey is whoever does not find a michshol (stumbling block, obstacle, YESHAYAH 57:14) in me [as Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach].

²⁴ And when the messengers of Yochanan had departed, he began to say to the multitudes about Yochanan, What did you go out bamidbar to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in a dandy’s soft clothing? The ones with glorious apparel are living in luxury as courtiers in the palaces.

²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A navi? Ken, I say to you, and one more than a navi.

²⁷ This one is he about whom it has been written, HINENI SHOLEIACH MALAKHI (Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your derech in front of You [Mal 3:1]).

²⁸ I say to you, among those born of isha there is no one greater than Yochanan, yet he who is least in the Malchut Hashem is greater than he.

²⁹ (And when kol haAm [all the People] and the mochesim heard this, they acknowledged the Tzidkat Hashem [Righteousness of G-d], having been submitted to the tevilah of teshuva of Yochanan.

³⁰ But the Perushim and the Baalei HaTorah rejected the tachlis [purpose] of Hashem for their lives, refusing the tevilah of teshuva of Yochanan.)