TORAH

FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES

NEVI'IM

PROPHETS

KETUVIM

WRITINGS

Chapter 51

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Listen to Me, you who pursue justice, You who seek Hashem: Look to the rock you were hewn from, To the quarry you were dug from.

אשִׁמְעוּ אֵלַי רֹדְפֵי צֶדֶק מְבַקְשֵׁי יְהֹוָה הַבִּיטוּ אֶל־צוּר חֻצַּבְתֶּם וְאֶל־מַקֶּבֶת בּוֹר נֻקַּרְתֶּם׃

2Look back to Avraham your father And to Sara who brought you forth. For he was only one when I called him, But I blessed him and made him many.

בהַבִּיטוּ אֶל־אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיכֶם וְאֶל־שָׂרָה תְּחוֹלֶלְכֶם כִּי־אֶחָד קְרָאתִיו וַאֲבָרְכֵהוּ וְאַרְבֵּהוּ׃

3Truly Hashem has comforted Tzion, Comforted all her ruins; He has made her wilderness like Eden, Her desert like the Garden of Hashem. Gladness and joy shall abide there, Thanksgiving and the sound of music.

kee ni-KHAM a-do-NAI tzi-YON ni-KHAM kol kho-r'-vo-TE-ha va-YA-sem mid-ba-RAH k'-AY-den v'-ar-va-TAH k'-gan a-do-NAI sa-SON v'-sim-KHA yi-ma-TZAY VAH to-DA v'-KOL zim-RAH

גכִּי־נִחַם יְהֹוָה צִיּוֹן נִחַם כָּל־חָרְבֹתֶיהָ וַיָּשֶׂם מִדְבָּרָהּ כְּעֵדֶן וְעַרְבָתָהּ כְּגַן־יְהֹוָה שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יִמָּצֵא בָהּ תּוֹדָה וְקוֹל זִמְרָה׃

51:3 Comforted all her ruins; he has made her wilderness like Eden

Beit Hanan, Israel, then and now (1933/2007)

The Land of Israel has a supernatural quality to it. While under foreign occupation, it resembles an arid desert. However, under Jewish sovereignty, it comes to life, flourishes, and yields great produce. Indeed, for nearly two millennia, as the land switched hands numerous times between various foreign powers, including the Romans, the Arabs and the Turks, the land lay utterly desolate. Amazingly, the modern rebirth of the Jewish state in 1948 has brought with it an astounding development of the land, to the point where once again the Jewish people can claim a flourishing country all their own. In agriculture, technology, and culture, Israel ranks among the most advanced countries of the world. Indeed, we are witnessing the Lord comfort “all her ruins.”

4Hearken to Me, My people, And give ear to Me, O My nation, For teaching shall go forth from Me, My way for the light of peoples. In a moment I will bring it:

דהַקְשִׁיבוּ אֵלַי עַמִּי וּלְאוּמִּי אֵלַי הַאֲזִינוּ כִּי תוֹרָה מֵאִתִּי תֵצֵא וּמִשְׁפָּטִי לְאוֹר עַמִּים אַרְגִּיעַ׃

5The triumph I grant is near, The success I give has gone forth. My arms shall provide for the peoples; The coastlands shall trust in Me, They shall look to My arm.

הקָרוֹב צִדְקִי יָצָא יִשְׁעִי וּזְרֹעַי עַמִּים יִשְׁפֹּטוּ אֵלַי אִיִּים יְקַוּוּ וְאֶל־זְרֹעִי יְיַחֵלוּן׃

6Raise your eyes to the heavens, And look upon the earth beneath: Though the heavens should melt away like smoke, And the earth wear out like a garment, And its inhabitants die out as well, My victory shall stand forever, My triumph shall remain unbroken.

ושְׂאוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם עֵינֵיכֶם וְהַבִּיטוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ מִתַּחַת כִּי־שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה וְיֹשְׁבֶיהָ כְּמוֹ־כֵן יְמוּתוּן וִישׁוּעָתִי לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה וְצִדְקָתִי לֹא תֵחָת׃

7Listen to Me, you who care for the right, O people who lay My instruction to heart! Fear not the insults of men, And be not dismayed at their jeers;

זשִׁמְעוּ אֵלַי יֹדְעֵי צֶדֶק עַם תּוֹרָתִי בְלִבָּם אַל־תִּירְאוּ חֶרְפַּת אֱנוֹשׁ וּמִגִּדֻּפֹתָם אַל־תֵּחָתּוּ׃

8For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, The worm shall eat them up like wool. But My triumph shall endure forever, My salvation through all the ages.

חכִּי כַבֶּגֶד יֹאכְלֵם עָשׁ וְכַצֶּמֶר יֹאכְלֵם סָס וְצִדְקָתִי לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה וִישׁוּעָתִי לְדוֹר דּוֹרִים׃

9Awake, awake, clothe yourself with splendor. O arm of Hashem! Awake as in days of old, As in former ages! It was you that hacked Rahab in pieces, That pierced the Dragon.

טעוּרִי עוּרִי לִבְשִׁי־עֹז זְרוֹעַ יְהֹוָה עוּרִי כִּימֵי קֶדֶם דֹּרוֹת עוֹלָמִים הֲלוֹא אַתְּ־הִיא הַמַּחְצֶבֶת רַהַב מְחוֹלֶלֶת תַּנִּין׃

10It was you that dried up the Sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the abysses of the Sea A road the redeemed might walk.

יהֲלוֹא אַתְּ־הִיא הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת יָם מֵי תְּהוֹם רַבָּה הַשָּׂמָה מַעֲמַקֵּי־יָם דֶּרֶךְ לַעֲבֹר גְּאוּלִים׃

11So let the ransomed of Hashem return, And come with shouting to Tzion, Crowned with joy everlasting. Let them attain joy and gladness, While sorrow and sighing flee.

יאוּפְדוּיֵי יְהֹוָה יְשׁוּבוּן וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל־רֹאשָׁם שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּן נָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה׃

12I, I am He who comforts you! What ails you that you fear Man who must die, Mortals who fare like grass?

יבאָנֹכִי אָנֹכִי הוּא מְנַחֶמְכֶם מִי־אַתְּ וַתִּירְאִי מֵאֱנוֹשׁ יָמוּת וּמִבֶּן־אָדָם חָצִיר יִנָּתֵן׃

13You have forgotten Hashem your Maker, Who stretched out the skies and made firm the earth! And you live all day in constant dread Because of the rage of an oppressor Who is aiming to cut [you] down. Yet of what account is the rage of an oppressor?

יגוַתִּשְׁכַּח יְהֹוָה עֹשֶׂךָ נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ וַתְּפַחֵד תָּמִיד כָּל־הַיּוֹם מִפְּנֵי חֲמַת הַמֵּצִיק כַּאֲשֶׁר כּוֹנֵן לְהַשְׁחִית וְאַיֵּה חֲמַת הַמֵּצִיק׃

14Quickly the crouching one is freed; He is not cut down and slain, And he shall not want for food.

ידמִהַר צֹעֶה לְהִפָּתֵחַ וְלֹא־יָמוּת לַשַּׁחַת וְלֹא יֶחְסַר לַחְמוֹ׃

15For I Hashem your God— Who stir up the sea into roaring waves, Whose name is LORD of Hosts—

טווְאָנֹכִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ רֹגַע הַיָּם וַיֶּהֱמוּ גַּלָּיו יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ׃

16Have put My words in your mouth And sheltered you with My hand; I, who planted the skies and made firm the earth, Have said to Tzion: You are My people!

טזוָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ לִנְטֹעַ שָׁמַיִם וְלִיסֹד אָרֶץ וְלֵאמֹר לְצִיּוֹן עַמִּי־אָתָּה׃

17Rouse, rouse yourself! Arise, O Yerushalayim, You who from Hashem's hand Have drunk the cup of His wrath, You who have drained to the dregs The bowl, the cup of reeling!

יזהִתְעוֹרְרִי הִתְעוֹרְרִי קוּמִי יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם אֲשֶׁר שָׁתִית מִיַּד יְהֹוָה אֶת־כּוֹס חֲמָתוֹ אֶת־קֻבַּעַת כּוֹס הַתַּרְעֵלָה שָׁתִית מָצִית׃

18She has none to guide her Of all the sons she bore; None takes her by the hand, Of all the sons she reared.

יחאֵין־מְנַהֵל לָהּ מִכָּל־בָּנִים יָלָדָה וְאֵין מַחֲזִיק בְּיָדָהּ מִכָּל־בָּנִים גִּדֵּלָה׃

19These two things have befallen you: Wrack and ruin—who can console you? Famine and sword—how shall I comfort you?

יטשְׁתַּיִם הֵנָּה קֹרְאֹתַיִךְ מִי יָנוּד לָךְ הַשֹּׁד וְהַשֶּׁבֶר וְהָרָעָב וְהַחֶרֶב מִי אֲנַחֲמֵךְ׃

20Your sons lie in a swoon At the corner of every street— Like an antelope caught in a net— Drunk with the wrath of Hashem, With the rebuke of your God.

כבָּנַיִךְ עֻלְּפוּ שָׁכְבוּ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל־חוּצוֹת כְּתוֹא מִכְמָר הַמְלֵאִים חֲמַת־יְהֹוָה גַּעֲרַת אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃

21Therefore, Listen to this, unhappy one, Who are drunk, but not with wine!

כאלָכֵן שִׁמְעִי־נָא זֹאת עֲנִיָּה וּשְׁכֻרַת וְלֹא מִיָּיִן׃

22Thus said Hashem, your Lord, Your God who champions His people: Herewith I take from your hand The cup of reeling, The bowl, the cup of My wrath; You shall never drink it again.

כבכֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנַיִךְ יְהֹוָה וֵאלֹהַיִךְ יָרִיב עַמּוֹ הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי מִיָּדֵךְ אֶת־כּוֹס הַתַּרְעֵלָה אֶת־קֻבַּעַת כּוֹס חֲמָתִי לֹא־תוֹסִיפִי לִשְׁתּוֹתָהּ עוֹד׃

23I will put it in the hands of your tormentors, Who have commanded you, “Get down, that we may walk over you”— So that you made your back like the ground, Like a street for passersby.

כגוְשַׂמְתִּיהָ בְּיַד־מוֹגַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר־אָמְרוּ לְנַפְשֵׁךְ שְׁחִי וְנַעֲבֹרָה וַתָּשִׂימִי כָאָרֶץ גֵּוֵךְ וְכַחוּץ לַעֹבְרִים׃