44
1 (For the one directing. Of the Bnei Korach. A maskil)
2 We have heard with our oznayim, O Elohim,
Avoteinu have told us,
what po'al (work) Thou hast wrought in their days,
in the times of old.
3 How Thou didst drive out the Goyim with Thy Yad,
but plantedst them;
how Thou didst afflict the peoples,
but for them Thou madest room.
4 For they got not eretz in possession by their own cherev,
neither did their own zero'a save them,
but Thy Yamin (Right Hand), and Thine Zero'a,
and the ohr (light) of Thy countenance,
because Thou favored them.
5 Thou art my Melech, O Elohim;
command yeshu'ot (deliverances) for Ya'akov.
6 Through Thee will we push down our enemies;
through Thy Shem will we trample them under that rise up against us.
7 For I will not trust in my keshet (bow),
neither shall my cherev save me.
8 But Thou hast saved us from tzareinu (our enemies),
and hast put them to shame that hated us.
9 In Elohim we boast kol hayom,
and praise Thy Shem l'olam (forever).
Selah
10 But Thou hast cast off, and disgraced us;
and goest not forth with tzivoteinu (our armies).
11 Thou makest us to turn back from before the tzar (enemy);
and they which hate us have taken plunder for themselves.
12 Thou hast given us up like tzon appointed for food;
and hast scattered us among the Goyim.
13 Thou sellest Amecha (Thy People) for a mere nothing,
and art not enriched by their price.
14 Thou makest us a cherpah (reproach) to our shchenim (neighbors),
a scorn and a derision to them that are all around us.
15 Thou makest us a mashal (byword) among the Goyim,
a shaking of the rosh among the peoples.
16 Kol hayom my dishonor is continually before me,
and the shame of my face hath covered me,
17 At the voice of him that reproacheth and revileth;
by reason of the oyev (enemy) and avenger.
18 All this is come upon us;
yet have we not forgotten Thee,
neither have we dealt falsely in Thy Brit.
19 Libenu (our heart) is not turned back,
neither have our steps departed from Thy way;
20 Though Thou hast crushed us in the makom (place, home, haunt) of jackals,
and covered us with the tzalmavet (shadow of death).
21 If we have forgotten the Shem of Eloheinu,
or stretched out our palms* to an el zar (foreign g-d);
22 Shall not Elohim search this out?
For He knoweth the secrets of the lev.
23 Yes, for Thy sake are we killed kol hayom;
we are counted as tzon (sheep) for the tivchah (slaughter).
24 Awake. Why sleepest Thou, Adonoi?
Arise, cast us not off lanetzach (forever).
25 Why hidest Thou Thy face,
and forgettest our oni (misery, affliction) and our oppression?
26 For our nefesh is bowed down to the aphar (dust);
our beten (belly, body) has deveykus with the dirt.
27 Arise for our help,
and redeem us for the sake of Thy chesed.
* 44:21 in worship