< Psalms 78 >

1 Maschil of Asaph. Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
מַשְׂכִּיל לְאָסָף הַאֲזִינָה עַמִּי תּוֹרָתִי הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃
2 I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old;
אֶפְתְּחָה בְמָשָׁל פִּי אַבִּיעָה חִידוֹת מִנִּי־קֶֽדֶם׃
3 That which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us,
אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵם וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָֽנוּ׃
4 We will not hide from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength, and His wondrous works that He hath done.
לֹא נְכַחֵד ׀ מִבְּנֵיהֶם לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן מְֽסַפְּרִים תְּהִלּוֹת יְהוָה וֶעֱזוּזוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָֽׂה׃
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
וַיָּקֶם עֵדוּת ׀ בְּֽיַעֲקֹב וְתוֹרָה שָׂם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהוֹדִיעָם לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children that should be born; who should arise and tell them to their children,
לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ ׀ דּוֹר אַחֲרוֹן בָּנִים יִוָּלֵדוּ יָקֻמוּ וִֽיסַפְּרוּ לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃
7 That they might put their confidence in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
וְיָשִׂימוּ בֵֽאלֹהִים כִּסְלָם וְלֹא יִשְׁכְּחוּ מַֽעַלְלֵי־אֵל וּמִצְוֺתָיו יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
וְלֹא יִהְיוּ ׀ כַּאֲבוֹתָם דּוֹר סוֹרֵר וּמֹרֶה דּוֹר לֹא־הֵכִין לִבּוֹ וְלֹא־נֶאֶמְנָה אֶת־אֵל רוּחֽוֹ׃
9 The children of Ephraim were as archers handling the bow, that turned back in the day of battle.
בְּֽנֵי־אֶפְרַיִם נוֹשְׁקֵי רוֹמֵי־קָשֶׁת הָפְכוּ בְּיוֹם קְרָֽב׃
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law;
לֹא שָׁמְרוּ בְּרִית אֱלֹהִים וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ מֵאֲנוּ לָלֶֽכֶת׃
11 And they forgot His doings, and His wondrous works that He had shown them.
וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ עֲלִילוֹתָיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָֽם׃
12 Marvellous things did He in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
נֶגֶד אֲבוֹתָם עָשָׂה פֶלֶא בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃
13 He cleaved the sea, and caused them to pass through; and He made the waters to stand as a heap.
בָּקַע יָם וַיַּֽעֲבִירֵם וַֽיַּצֶּב־מַיִם כְּמוֹ־נֵֽד׃
14 By day also He led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
וַיַּנְחֵם בֶּעָנָן יוֹמָם וְכָל־הַלַּיְלָה בְּאוֹר אֵֽשׁ׃
15 He cleaved rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink abundantly as out of the great deep.
יְבַקַּע צֻרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּשְׁקְ כִּתְהֹמוֹת רַבָּֽה׃
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
וַיּוֹצִא נוֹזְלִים מִסָּלַע וַיּוֹרֶד כַּנְּהָרוֹת מָֽיִם׃
17 Yet went they on still to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert.
וַיּוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד לַחֲטֹא־לוֹ לַֽמְרוֹת עֶלְיוֹן בַּצִּיָּֽה׃
18 And they tried God in their heart by asking food for their craving.
וַיְנַסּוּ־אֵל בִּלְבָבָם לִֽשְׁאָל־אֹכֶל לְנַפְשָֽׁם׃
19 Yea, they spoke against God; they said: 'Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
וַֽיְדַבְּרוּ בֵּֽאלֹהִים אָמְרוּ הֲיוּכַל אֵל לַעֲרֹךְ שֻׁלְחָן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
20 Behold, He smote the rock, that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed; can He give bread also? or will He provide flesh for His people?'
הֵן הִכָּה־צוּר ׀ וַיָּזוּבוּ מַיִם וּנְחָלִים יִשְׁטֹפוּ הֲגַם־לֶחֶם יוּכַל תֵּת אִם־יָכִין שְׁאֵר לְעַמּֽוֹ׃
21 Therefore the LORD heard, and was wroth; and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also went up against Israel;
לָכֵן ׀ שָׁמַע יְהוָה וַֽיִּתְעַבָּר וְאֵשׁ נִשְּׂקָה בְיַעֲקֹב וְגַם־אַף עָלָה בְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in His salvation.
כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹהִים וְלֹא בָטְחוּ בִּֽישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃
23 And He commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;
וַיְצַו שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל וְדַלְתֵי שָׁמַיִם פָּתָֽח׃
24 And He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the corn of heaven.
וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּדְגַן־שָׁמַיִם נָתַן לָֽמוֹ׃
25 Man did eat the bread of the mighty; He sent them provisions to the full.
לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ צֵידָה שָׁלַח לָהֶם לָשֹֽׂבַע׃
26 He caused the east wind to set forth in heaven; and by His power He brought on the south wind.
יַסַּע קָדִים בַּשָּׁמָיִם וַיְנַהֵג בְּעֻזּוֹ תֵימָֽן׃
27 He caused flesh also to rain upon them as the dust, and winged fowl as the sand of the seas;
וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם כֶּעָפָר שְׁאֵר וּֽכְחוֹל יַמִּים עוֹף כָּנָֽף׃
28 And He let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their dwellings.
וַיַּפֵּל בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֵהוּ סָבִיב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃
29 So they did eat, and were well filled; and He gave them that which they craved.
וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׂבְּעוּ מְאֹד וְתַֽאֲוָתָם יָבִא לָהֶֽם׃
30 They were not estranged from their craving, their food was yet in their mouths,
לֹא־זָרוּ מִתַּאֲוָתָם עוֹד אָכְלָם בְּפִיהֶֽם׃
31 When the anger of God went up against them, and slew of the lustieth among them, and smote down the young men of Israel.
וְאַף אֱלֹהִים ׀ עָלָה בָהֶם וַֽיַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶם וּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִכְרִֽיעַ׃
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not in His wondrous works.
בְּכָל־זֹאת חָֽטְאוּ־עוֹד וְלֹֽא־הֶאֱמִינוּ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃
33 Therefore He ended their days as a breath, and their years in terror.
וַיְכַל־בַּהֶבֶל יְמֵיהֶם וּשְׁנוֹתָם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃
34 When He slew them, then they would inquire after Him, and turn back and seek God earnestly.
אִם־הֲרָגָם וּדְרָשׁוּהוּ וְשָׁבוּ וְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־אֵֽל׃
35 And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their redeemer.
וַֽיִּזְכְּרוּ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִים צוּרָם וְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן גֹּאֲלָֽם׃
36 But they beguiled Him with their mouth, and lied unto Him with their tongue.
וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ־לֽוֹ׃
37 For their heart was not stedfast with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant.
וְלִבָּם לֹא־נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתֽוֹ׃
38 But He, being full of compassion, forgiveth iniquity, and destroyeth not; yea, many a time doth He turn His anger away, and doth not stir up all His wrath.
וְהוּא רַחוּם ׀ יְכַפֵּר עָוֺן וְֽלֹא־יַשְׁחִית וְהִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ וְלֹֽא־יָעִיר כָּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃
39 So He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
וַיִּזְכֹּר כִּי־בָשָׂר הֵמָּה רוּחַ הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא יָשֽׁוּב׃
40 How oft did they rebel against Him in the wilderness, and grieve Him in the desert!
כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר יַעֲצִיבוּהוּ בִּֽישִׁימֽוֹן׃
41 And still again they tried God, and set bounds to the Holy One of Israel.
וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל וּקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְווּ׃
42 They remembered not His hand, nor the day when He redeemed them from the adversary.
לֹא־זָכְרוּ אֶת־יָדוֹ יוֹם אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־פָּדָם מִנִּי־צָֽר׃
43 How He set His signs in Egypt, and His wonders in the field of Zoan;
אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם בְּמִצְרַיִם אֹֽתוֹתָיו וּמוֹפְתָיו בִּשְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃
44 And turned their rivers into blood, so that they could not drink their streams.
וַיַּהֲפֹךְ לְדָם יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְנֹזְלֵיהֶם בַּל־יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃
45 He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
יְשַׁלַּח בָּהֶם עָרֹב וַיֹּאכְלֵם וּצְפַרְדֵּעַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵֽם׃
46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar, and their labour unto the locust.
וַיִּתֵּן לֶחָסִיל יְבוּלָם וִֽיגִיעָם לָאַרְבֶּֽה׃
47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore-trees with frost.
יַהֲרֹג בַּבָּרָד גַּפְנָם וְשִׁקְמוֹתָם בַּֽחֲנָמַֽל׃
48 He gave over their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to fiery bolts.
וַיַּסְגֵּר לַבָּרָד בְּעִירָם וּמִקְנֵיהֶם לָרְשָׁפִֽים׃
49 He sent forth upon them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, a sending of messengers of evil.
יְשַׁלַּח־בָּם ׀ חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ עֶבְרָה וָזַעַם וְצָרָה מִשְׁלַחַת מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִֽים׃
50 He levelled a path for His anger; He spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
יְפַלֵּס נָתִיב לְאַפּוֹ לֹא־חָשַׂךְ מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם וְחַיָּתָם לַדֶּבֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃
51 And smote all the first-born in Egypt, the first-fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham;
וַיַּךְ כָּל־בְּכוֹר בְּמִצְרָיִם רֵאשִׁית אוֹנִים בְּאָהֳלֵי־חָֽם׃
52 But He made His own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
וַיַּסַּע כַּצֹּאן עַמּוֹ וַֽיְנַהֲגֵם כַּעֵדֶר בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
53 And He led them safely, and they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
וַיַּנְחֵם לָבֶטַח וְלֹא פָחָדוּ וְאֶת־אוֹיְבֵיהֶם כִּסָּה הַיָּֽם׃
54 And He brought them to His holy border, to the mountain, which His right hand had gotten.
וַיְבִיאֵם אֶל־גְּבוּל קָדְשׁוֹ הַר־זֶה קָנְתָה יְמִינֽוֹ׃
55 He drove out the nations also before them, and allotted them for an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶם ׀ גּוֹיִם וַֽיַּפִּילֵם בְּחֶבֶל נַחֲלָה וַיַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
56 Yet they tried and provoked God, the Most High, and kept not His testimonies;
וַיְנַסּוּ וַיַּמְרוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן וְעֵדוֹתָיו לֹא שָׁמָֽרוּ׃
57 But turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
וַיִּסֹּגוּ וַֽיִּבְגְּדוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָם נֶהְפְּכוּ כְּקֶשֶׁת רְמִיָּֽה׃
58 For they provoked Him with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.
וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ בְּבָמוֹתָם וּבִפְסִילֵיהֶם יַקְנִיאֽוּהוּ׃
59 God heard, and was wroth, and He greatly abhorred Israel;
שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים וַֽיִּתְעַבָּר וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
60 And He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which He had made to dwell among men;
וַיִּטֹּשׁ מִשְׁכַּן שִׁלוֹ אֹהֶל שִׁכֵּן בָּאָדָֽם׃
61 And delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the adversary's hand.
וַיִּתֵּן לַשְּׁבִי עֻזּוֹ וְֽתִפְאַרְתּוֹ בְיַד־צָֽר׃
62 He gave His people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with His inheritance.
וַיַּסְגֵּר לַחֶרֶב עַמּוֹ וּבְנַחֲלָתוֹ הִתְעַבָּֽר׃
63 Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins had no marriage-song.
בַּחוּרָיו אָֽכְלָה־אֵשׁ וּבְתוּלֹתָיו לֹא הוּלָּֽלוּ׃
64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
כֹּהֲנָיו בַּחֶרֶב נָפָלוּ וְאַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃
65 Then the Lord awaked as one asleep, like a mighty man recovering from wine.
וַיִּקַץ כְּיָשֵׁן ׀ אֲדֹנָי כְּגִבּוֹר מִתְרוֹנֵן מִיָּֽיִן׃
66 And He smote His adversaries backward; He put upon them a perpetual reproach.
וַיַּךְ־צָרָיו אָחוֹר חֶרְפַּת עוֹלָם נָתַן לָֽמוֹ׃
67 Moreover He abhorred the tent of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;
וַיִּמְאַס בְּאֹהֶל יוֹסֵף וּֽבְשֵׁבֶט אֶפְרַיִם לֹא בָחָֽר׃
68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which He loved.
וַיִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה אֶֽת־הַר צִיּוֹן אֲשֶׁר אָהֵֽב׃
69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth which He hath founded for ever.
וַיִּבֶן כְּמוֹ־רָמִים מִקְדָּשׁוֹ כְּאֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃
70 He chose David also His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds;
וַיִּבְחַר בְּדָוִד עַבְדּוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ מִֽמִּכְלְאֹת צֹֽאן׃
71 From following the ewes that give suck He brought him, to be shepherd over Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance.
מֵאַחַר עָלוֹת הֱבִיאוֹ לִרְעוֹת בְּיַעֲקֹב עַמּוֹ וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart; and lead them by the skilfulness of his hands.
וַיִּרְעֵם כְּתֹם לְבָבוֹ וּבִתְבוּנוֹת כַּפָּיו יַנְחֵֽם׃

< Psalms 78 >