Chapter 35
1לְדָוִד רִיבָה יְהֹוָה אֶת־יְרִיבַי לְחַם אֶת־לֹחֲמָֽיOf David. O ETERNAL One, strive with my adversaries, give battle to my foes,
2הַחֲזֵק מָגֵן וְצִנָּה וְקוּמָה בְּעֶזְרָתִֽיtake up shield and buckler, and come to my defense;
3וְהָרֵק חֲנִית וּסְגֹר לִקְרַאת רֹדְפָי אֱמֹר לְנַפְשִׁי יְֽשֻׁעָתֵךְ אָֽנִיready the spear and javelin against my pursuers; tell me, “I am your deliverance.”
4יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי יִסֹּגוּ אָחוֹר וְיַחְפְּרוּ חֹשְׁבֵי רָעָתִֽיLet those who seek my life be frustrated and put to shame; let those who plan to harm me fall back in disgrace.
5יִֽהְיוּ כְּמֹץ לִפְנֵי־רוּחַ וּמַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה דּוֹחֶֽהLet them be as chaff in the wind, GOD’s angel driving them on.
6יְֽהִי־דַרְכָּם חֹשֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקֹּת וּמַלְאַךְ יְהֹוָה רֹדְפָֽםLet their path be dark and slippery, with GOD’s angel in pursuit.
7כִּֽי־חִנָּם טָֽמְנוּ־לִי שַׁחַת רִשְׁתָּם חִנָּם חָפְרוּ לְנַפְשִֽׁיFor without cause they hid a net to trap me; without cause they dug a pit for me.
8תְּבוֹאֵהוּ שׁוֹאָה לֹֽא־יֵדָע וְרִשְׁתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר־טָמַן תִּלְכְּדוֹ בְּשׁוֹאָה יִפׇּל־בָּֽהּLet disaster overtake them unawares; let the net they hid catch them; let them fall into it when disaster [strikes].
9וְנַפְשִׁי תָּגִיל בַּיהֹוָה תָּשִׂישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹThen shall I exult in GOD, rejoice in having been delivered.
10כׇּל־עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה יְהֹוָה מִי־כָמוֹךָ מַצִּיל עָנִי מֵחָזָק מִמֶּנּוּ וְעָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן מִגֹּֽזְלֽוֹAll my bones shall say, “ETERNAL One, who is like You? You save a pauper from someone stronger, a needy pauper from a despoiler.”
11יְקוּמוּן עֵדֵי חָמָס אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָדַעְתִּי יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִיMalicious witnesses appear who question me about things I do not know.
12יְשַׁלְּמוּנִי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה שְׁכוֹל לְנַפְשִֽׁיThey repay me evil for good, [seeking] my bereavement.
13וַאֲנִי בַּחֲלוֹתָם לְבוּשִׁי שָׂק עִנֵּיתִי בַצּוֹם נַפְשִׁי וּתְפִלָּתִי עַל־חֵיקִי תָשֽׁוּבYet, when they were ill, my dress was sackcloth, I kept a fast— may what I prayed for happen to me!
14כְּרֵעַ־כְּאָח לִי הִתְהַלָּכְתִּי כַּאֲבֶל־אֵם קֹדֵר שַׁחֽוֹתִיI walked about as though it were my friend or my kin; I was bowed with gloom, like one mourning for a mother.
15וּבְצַלְעִי שָׂמְחוּ וְֽנֶאֱסָפוּ נֶאֶסְפוּ עָלַי נֵכִים וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי קָרְעוּ וְלֹא־דָֽמּוּBut when I stumble, they gleefully gather; wretches gather against me, I know not why; they tear at me without end.
16בְּחַנְפֵי לַעֲגֵי מָעוֹג חָרֹק עָלַי שִׁנֵּֽימוֹWith impious, mocking grimace they gnash their teeth at me.
17אֲדֹנָי כַּמָּה תִרְאֶה הָשִׁיבָה נַפְשִׁי מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶם מִכְּפִירִים יְחִידָתִֽיO my Sovereign, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their attacks, my precious life, from the lions,
18אוֹדְךָ בְּקָהָל רָב בְּעַם עָצוּם אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּthat I may praise You in a great congregation, acclaim You in a mighty throng.
19אַֽל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִי אֹיְבַי שֶׁקֶר שֹׂנְאַי חִנָּם יִקְרְצוּ־עָֽיִןLet not my treacherous enemies rejoice over me, or those who hate me without reason wink their eyes.
20כִּי לֹא שָׁלוֹם יְדַבֵּרוּ וְעַל רִגְעֵי־אֶרֶץ דִּבְרֵי מִרְמוֹת יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּןFor they do not offer amity, but devise fraudulent schemes against harmless folk.
21וַיַּרְחִיבוּ עָלַי פִּיהֶם אָמְרוּ הֶאָח הֶאָח רָאֲתָה עֵינֵֽנוּThey open wide their mouths at me, saying, “Aha, aha, we have seen it!”
22רָאִיתָה יְהֹוָה אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַשׁ אֲדֹנָי אַל־תִּרְחַק מִמֶּֽנִּיYou have seen it, O ETERNAL One; do not hold aloof! O my Sovereign, be not far from me!
23הָעִירָה וְהָקִיצָה לְמִשְׁפָּטִי אֱלֹהַי וַאדֹנָי לְרִיבִֽיWake, rouse Yourself for my cause, for my claim, O my God and my Sovereign!
24שׇׁפְטֵנִי כְצִדְקְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָי וְאַל־יִשְׂמְחוּ־לִֽיTake up my cause, O my ETERNAL God, as You are beneficent, and let them not rejoice over me.
25אַל־יֹאמְרוּ בְלִבָּם הֶאָח נַפְשֵׁנוּ אַל־יֹאמְרוּ בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּLet them not think, “Aha, just what we wished!” Let them not say, “We have destroyed him!”
26יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ יַחְדָּו שְׂמֵחֵי רָעָתִי יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־בֹשֶׁת וּכְלִמָּה הַֽמַּגְדִּילִים עָלָֽיMay those who rejoice at my misfortune be frustrated and utterly disgraced; may those who vaunt themselves over me be clad in frustration and shame.
27יָרֹנּוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ חֲפֵצֵי צִדְקִי וְיֹאמְרוּ תָמִיד יִגְדַּל יְהֹוָה הֶחָפֵץ שְׁלוֹם עַבְדּֽוֹMay those who desire my vindication sing forth joyously; may they always say, “Extolled be GOD who desires the well-being of one who renders service,”
28וּלְשׁוֹנִי תֶּהְגֶּה צִדְקֶךָ כׇּל־הַיּוֹם תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָwhile my tongue shall recite Your beneficent acts, Your praises all day long.