A maskilמַשְׂכִּילof Asaph.לְאָסָףWhy,לָמָהElohim,אֱלֹהִיםhave you rejected usזָנַחְתָּforever?לָנֶצַחWhy does your angerאַפְּךָsmokeיֶעְשַׁןagainst the sheepבְּצֹאןof your pasture?מַרְעִיתֶךָ
Rememberזְכֹרyour community,עֲדָתְךָwhich you acquiredקָנִיתָof old,קֶּדֶםwhich you redeemedגָּאַלְתָּas the tribeשֵׁבֶטof your inheritance,נַחֲלָתֶךָthisזֶהMountהַרZionצִיּוֹןwhere you have dwelt.שָׁכַנְתָּ בּוֹ
Lift upהָרִימָהyour footstepsפְעָמֶיךָto the perpetualנֶצַחruins;לְמַשֻּׁאוֹתthe enemyאוֹיֵבhas damagedהֵרַעeverythingכָּלin the holy place.בַּקֹּדֶשׁ
Your adversariesצֹרְרֶיךָroaredשָׁאֲגוּin the midstבְּקֶרֶבof your meeting place;מוֹעֲדֶךָthey set upשָׂמוּtheir signsאוֹתֹתָםas signs.אֹתוֹת
They showed themselvesיִוָּדַעlike one who lifts upכְּמֵבִיא לְמָעְלָהaxesקַרְדֻּמּוֹתin a thicketבִּסֲבָךְof trees.עֵץ
And nowוְעַתָּהits carvings,פִּתּוּחֶיהָall together,יָּחַדwith axבְּכַשִּׁילand hammersוְכֵילַפֹּתthey strike down.יַהֲלֹמוּן
They castשִׁלְחוּinto the fireבָאֵשׁyour sanctuary;מִקְדָּשֶׁךָto the groundלָאָרֶץthey have profanedחִלְּלוּthe dwellingמִשְׁכַּןof your name.שְׁמֶךָ
They saidאָמְרוּin their heart,בְלִבָּם“Let us mistreat themנִינָםall together.”יָחַדThey burnedשָׂרְפוּallכָלthe meeting placesמוֹעֲדֵיof Elאֵלin the land.בָּאָרֶץ
Our signsאוֹתֹתֵינוּwe do notלֹאsee;רָאִינוּthere is no longerאֵין עוֹדa prophet,נָבִיאand there is no oneוְלֹאamong usאִתָּנוּwho knowsיֹדֵעַhow long.עַד מָה
How long,עַד מָתַיElohim,אֱלֹהִיםwill the adversaryצָרreproach?יְחָרֶףWill the enemyאוֹיֵבspurnיְנָאֵץyour nameשִׁמְךָforever?לָנֶצַח
Whyלָמָּהdo you draw backתָשִׁיבyour hand,יָדְךָeven your right hand?וִימִינֶךָFrom the midstמִקֶּרֶבof your bosom,חֵיקְךָmake an end!כַלֵּה
But Elohim isוֵאלֹהִיםmy kingמַלְכִּיfrom of old,מִקֶּדֶםworkingפֹּעֵלsalvationsיְשׁוּעוֹתin the midstבְּקֶרֶבof the earth.הָאָרֶץ
Youאַתָּהsplitפוֹרַרְתָּthe seaיָםby your strength;בְעָזְּךָyou brokeשִׁבַּרְתָּthe headsרָאשֵׁיof the sea monstersתַנִּינִיםon the waters.עַל הַמָּיִם
Youאַתָּהcrushedרִצַּצְתָּthe headsרָאשֵׁיof Leviathan;לִוְיָתָןyou gave himתִּתְּנֶנּוּas foodמַאֲכָלto the peopleלְעָםof the desert dwellers.לְצִיִּים
Youאַתָּהopenedבָקַעְתָּspringמַעְיָןand brook;וָנָחַלyouאַתָּהdried upהוֹבַשְׁתָּconstantאֵיתָןrivers.נַהֲרוֹת
Yours isלְךָthe day,יוֹםyoursלְךָalsoאַףthe night;לָיְלָהyouאַתָּהestablishedהֲכִינוֹתָthe luminaryמָאוֹרand the sun.וָשָׁמֶשׁ
Youאַתָּהfixedהִצַּבְתָּallכָּלthe boundariesגְּבוּלוֹתof the earth;אָרֶץsummerקַיִץand winter,וָחֹרֶףyouאַתָּהformed them.יְצַרְתָּם
Rememberזְכָרthis:זֹאתthe enemyאוֹיֵבhas reproached,חֵרֵףYHWH,יְהוָהand a foolishנָבָלpeopleוְעַםhas spurnedנִאֲצוּyour name.שְׁמֶךָ
Do notאַלgiveתִּתֵּןto the wild beastלְחַיַּתthe soulנֶפֶשׁof your turtledove;תּוֹרֶךָthe lifeחַיַּתof your afflicted onesעֲנִיֶּיךָdo notאַלforgetתִּשְׁכַּחforever.לָנֶצַח
Lookהַבֵּטto the covenant,לַבְּרִיתforכִּיthe dark placesמַחֲשַׁכֵּיof the landאֶרֶץare fullמָלְאוּof abodesנְאוֹתof violence.חָמָס
Let notאַלthe oppressedדַּךְturn backיָשֹׁבhumiliated;נִכְלָםlet the afflictedעָנִיand the needyוְאֶבְיוֹןpraiseיְהַלְלוּyour name.שְׁמֶךָ
Rise up,קוּמָהElohim;אֱלֹהִיםpleadרִיבָהyour case;רִיבֶךָrememberזְכֹרyour reproachחֶרְפָּתְךָfrom the foolמִנִּי נָבָלallכָּלthe day.הַיּוֹם
Do notאַלforgetתִּשְׁכַּחthe voiceקוֹלof your adversaries,צֹרְרֶיךָthe roarשְׁאוֹןof those who rise up against youקָמֶיךָthat goes upעֹלֶהcontinually.תָמִיד