Chapter 62

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the sake of Tzion I will not be silent, For the sake of Yerushalayim I will not be still, Till her victory emerge resplendent And her triumph like a flaming torch.

אלְמַעַן צִיּוֹן לֹא אֶחֱשֶׁה וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם לֹא אֶשְׁקוֹט עַד־יֵצֵא כַנֹּגַהּ צִדְקָהּ וִישׁוּעָתָהּ כְּלַפִּיד יִבְעָר׃

2Nations shall see your victory, And every king your majesty; And you shall be called by a new name Which Hashem Himself shall bestow.

בוְרָאוּ גוֹיִם צִדְקֵךְ וְכָל־מְלָכִים כְּבוֹדֵךְ וְקֹרָא לָךְ שֵׁם חָדָשׁ אֲשֶׁר פִּי יְהֹוָה יִקֳּבֶנּוּ׃

3You shall be a glorious crown In the hand of Hashem, And a royal diadem In the palm of your God.

גוְהָיִיתְ עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּיַד־יְהֹוָה וצנוף [וּצְנִיף] מְלוּכָה בְּכַף־אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃

4Nevermore shall you be called “Forsaken,” Nor shall your land be called “Desolate”; But you shall be called “I delight in her,” And your land “Espoused.” For Hashem takes delight in you, And your land shall be espoused.

דלֹא־יֵאָמֵר לָךְ עוֹד עֲזוּבָה וּלְאַרְצֵךְ לֹא־יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שְׁמָמָה כִּי לָךְ יִקָּרֵא חֶפְצִי־בָהּ וּלְאַרְצֵךְ בְּעוּלָה כִּי־חָפֵץ יְהֹוָה בָּךְ וְאַרְצֵךְ תִּבָּעֵל׃

5As a youth espouses a maiden, Your sons shall espouse you; And as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, So will your God rejoice over you.

הכִּי־יִבְעַל בָּחוּר בְּתוּלָה יִבְעָלוּךְ בָּנָיִךְ וּמְשׂוֹשׂ חָתָן עַל־כַּלָּה יָשִׂישׂ עָלַיִךְ אֱלֹהָיִךְ׃

6Upon your walls, O Yerushalayim, I have set watchmen, Who shall never be silent By day or by night. O you, Hashem's remembrancers Take no rest

al kho-mo-TA-yikh y'-ru-sha-LA-im hif-KAD-tee sho-m'-REEM kol ha-YOM v'-khol ha-LAI-lah ta-MEED lo ye-khe-SHU ha-maz-ki-REEM et a-do-NAI al do-MEE la-KHEM

ועַל־חוֹמֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם הִפְקַדְתִּי שֹׁמְרִים כָּל־הַיּוֹם וְכָל־הַלַּיְלָה תָּמִיד לֹא יֶחֱשׁוּ הַמַּזְכִּרִים אֶת־יְהֹוָה אַל־דֳּמִי לָכֶם׃

62:6 Who shall never be silent by day or by night

Rabbi David Stavsky (1930-2004)

If the watchmen are upon the walls all day and all night, then why is the superfluous word tamid (תמיד) ‘always,’ included in this verse? 20th century American Rabbi David Stavsky explains in his book of sermons: “Tamid, ‘always,’ refers to speaking up about Yerushalayim. Never should we remain silent when Yerushalayim is threatened. We are not to remain quiet and passive. We are the guardians…. Therefore, Yerushalayim never can become a bargaining chip in achieving peace. Not the Vatican, not Washington, not Hamas, not Hezbollah, not any Arab fundamentalist or terrorist can dictate terms. Threats of Jihad should not make us waiver. Yerushalayim is finally ours, and we are the watchmen tamid, always.”

7And give no rest to Him, Until He establish Yerushalayim And make her renowned on earth.

v'-al ti-t'-NU da-MEE LO ad y'-kho-NAYN v'-ad ya-SEEM et y'-ru-sha-LA-im t'-hi-LAH ba-A-retz

זוְאַל־תִּתְּנוּ דֳמִי לוֹ עַד־יְכוֹנֵן וְעַד־יָשִׂים אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם תְּהִלָּה בָּאָרֶץ׃

62:7 And give no rest to Him

The Hebrew word for rest in this verse is damee (דמי), which also means ‘silence.’ Interestingly, the same Hebrew word, dam (דם), means ‘blood.’ Commentators explain the connection in light of Ezekiel 16:6, “Live in spite of your blood.” The hidden meaning behind the verse is, ‘by your silence you shall live.’ In relationships, the truism “silence is golden” can protect against an insensitive remark. So too when it comes to our relationship with Hashem. Oftentimes we cannot comprehend His ways, and we become frustrated and even angry with the suffering we see in this world. Nevertheless, we must try to emulate Aharon’s example after losing two of his sons: Vayidom Aharon (וידם אהרון), ‘Aharon was silent’ (Leviticus 10:3).

8Hashem has sworn by His right hand, By His mighty arm: Nevermore will I give your new grain To your enemies for food, Nor shall foreigners drink the new wine For which you have labored.

חנִשְׁבַּע יְהֹוָה בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ אִם־אֶתֵּן אֶת־דְּגָנֵךְ עוֹד מַאֲכָל לְאֹיְבַיִךְ וְאִם־יִשְׁתּוּ בְנֵי־נֵכָר תִּירוֹשֵׁךְ אֲשֶׁר יָגַעַתְּ בּוֹ׃

9But those who harvest it shall eat it And give praise to Hashem; And those who gather it shall drink it In My sacred courts.

טכִּי מְאַסְפָיו יֹאכְלֻהוּ וְהִלְלוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה וּמְקַבְּצָיו יִשְׁתֻּהוּ בְּחַצְרוֹת קָדְשִׁי׃

10Pass through, pass through the gates! Clear the road for the people; Build up, build up the highway, Remove the rocks! Raise an ensign over the peoples!

יעִבְרוּ עִבְרוּ בַּשְּׁעָרִים פַּנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ הָעָם סֹלּוּ סֹלּוּ הַמְסִלָּה סַקְּלוּ מֵאֶבֶן הָרִימוּ נֵס עַל־הָעַמִּים׃

11See, Hashem has proclaimed To the end of the earth: Announce to Fair Tzion, Your Deliverer is coming! See, his reward is with Him, His recompense before Him.

יאהִנֵּה יְהֹוָה הִשְׁמִיעַ אֶל־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ אִמְרוּ לְבַת־צִיּוֹן הִנֵּה יִשְׁעֵךְ בָּא הִנֵּה שְׂכָרוֹ אִתּוֹ וּפְעֻלָּתוֹ לְפָנָיו׃

12And they shall be called, “The Holy People, The Redeemed of Hashem,” And you shall be called, “Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.”

יבוְקָרְאוּ לָהֶם עַם־הַקֹּדֶשׁ גְּאוּלֵי יְהֹוָה וְלָךְ יִקָּרֵא דְרוּשָׁה עִיר לֹא נֶעֱזָבָה׃