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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 31

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1For the leader. A psalm of David.

אלַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃

2I seek refuge in You, Hashem; may I never be disappointed; as You are righteous, rescue me.

בבְּךָ יְהֹוָה חָסִיתִי אַל־אֵבוֹשָׁה לְעוֹלָם בְּצִדְקָתְךָ פַלְּטֵנִי׃

3Incline Your ear to me; be quick to save me; be a rock, a stronghold for me, a citadel, for my deliverance.

גהַטֵּה אֵלַי אָזְנְךָ מְהֵרָה הַצִּילֵנִי הֱיֵה לִי לְצוּר־מָעוֹז לְבֵית מְצוּדוֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי׃

4For You are my rock and my fortress; You lead me and guide me as befits Your name.

דכִּי־סַלְעִי וּמְצוּדָתִי אָתָּה וּלְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ תַּנְחֵנִי וּתְנַהֲלֵנִי׃

5You free me from the net laid for me, for You are my stronghold.

התּוֹצִיאֵנִי מֵרֶשֶׁת זוּ טָמְנוּ לִי כִּי־אַתָּה מָעוּזִּי׃

6Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You redeem me, Hashem, faithful Hashem.

ובְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי יְהֹוָה אֵל אֱמֶת׃

7I detest those who rely on empty folly, but I trust in Hashem.

זשָׂנֵאתִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַבְלֵי־שָׁוְא וַאֲנִי אֶל־יְהֹוָה בָּטָחְתִּי׃

8Let me exult and rejoice in Your faithfulness when You notice my affliction, are mindful of my deep distress,

חאָגִילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָה בְּחַסְדֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִי יָדַעְתָּ בְּצָרוֹת נַפְשִׁי׃

9and do not hand me over to my enemy, but grant me relief.

טוְלֹא הִסְגַּרְתַּנִי בְּיַד־אוֹיֵב הֶעֱמַדְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָב רַגְלָי׃

10Have mercy on me, Hashem, for I am in distress; my eyes are wasted by vexation, my substance and body too.

יחָנֵּנִי יְהֹוָה כִּי צַר־לִי עָשְׁשָׁה בְכַעַס עֵינִי נַפְשִׁי וּבִטְנִי׃

11My life is spent in sorrow, my years in groaning; my strength fails because of my iniquity, my limbs waste away.

יאכִּי כָלוּ בְיָגוֹן חַיַּי וּשְׁנוֹתַי בַּאֲנָחָה כָּשַׁל בַּעֲוׂנִי כֹחִי וַעֲצָמַי עָשֵׁשׁוּ׃

12Because of all my foes I am the particular butt of my neighbors, a horror to my friends; those who see me on the street avoid me.

יבמִכָּל־צֹרְרַי הָיִיתִי חֶרְפָּה וְלִשֲׁכֵנַי מְאֹד וּפַחַד לִמְיֻדָּעָי רֹאַי בַּחוּץ נָדְדוּ מִמֶּנִּי׃

13I am put out of mind like the dead; I am like an object given up for lost.

יגנִשְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵת מִלֵּב הָיִיתִי כִּכְלִי אֹבֵד׃

14I hear the whisperings of many, intrigue on every side, as they scheme together against me, plotting to take my life.

ידכִּי שָׁמַעְתִּי דִּבַּת רַבִּים מָגוֹר מִסָּבִיב בְּהִוָּסְדָם יַחַד עָלַי לָקַחַת נַפְשִׁי זָמָמוּ׃

15But I trust in You, Hashem; I say, “You are my God!”

טווַאֲנִי עָלֶיךָ בָטַחְתִּי יְהֹוָה אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהַי אָתָּה׃

16My fate is in Your hand; save me from the hand of my enemies and pursuers.

טזבְּיָדְךָ עִתֹּתָי הַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד־אוֹיְבַי וּמֵרֹדְפָי׃

17Show favor to Your servant; as You are faithful, deliver me.

יזהָאִירָה פָנֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בְחַסְדֶּךָ׃

18Hashem, let me not be disappointed when I call You; let the wicked be disappointed; let them be silenced in Sheol;

יחיְהֹוָה אַל־אֵבוֹשָׁה כִּי קְרָאתִיךָ יֵבֹשׁוּ רְשָׁעִים יִדְּמוּ לִשְׁאוֹל׃

19let lying lips be stilled that speak haughtily against the righteous with arrogance and contempt.

יטתֵּאָלַמְנָה שִׂפְתֵי שָׁקֶר הַדֹּבְרוֹת עַל־צַדִּיק עָתָק בְּגַאֲוָה וָבוּז׃

20How abundant is the good that You have in store for those who fear You, that You do in the full view of men for those who take refuge in You.

כמָה רַב־טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר־צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ פָּעַלְתָּ לַחֹסִים בָּךְ נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם׃

21You grant them the protection of Your presence against scheming men; You shelter them in Your pavilion from contentious tongues.

כאתַּסְתִּירֵם בְּסֵתֶר פָּנֶיךָ מֵרֻכְסֵי אִישׁ תִּצְפְּנֵם בְּסֻכָּה מֵרִיב לְשֹׁנוֹת׃

22Blessed is Hashem, for He has been wondrously faithful to me, a veritable bastion.

ba-RUKH a-do-NAI KEE hif-LEE khas-DO LEE b'-EER ma-TZOR

כבבָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה כִּי הִפְלִיא חַסְדּוֹ לִי בְּעִיר מָצוֹר׃

 31:22   For He has been wondrously faithful to me, a veritable bastion

Rashi (1040-1105)

King David sings Hashem’s praise for being by his side during the most trying times, especially when King Shaul seeks to destroy him. David teaches us the recipe for protecting against enemies even from within: Keep God close by, and heed His words. In this verse, he praises the Lord for being faithful to him b’eer matzor (בעיר מצור). Though translated here a ‘a veritable bastion,’ these words can also mean ‘a besieged city.’ According to Rashi, this is a reference to the city of Keilah, described in Shmuel I (chapter 23). After saving that city from the Philistines, David learns that Shaul is on the chase. He wonders if the people of Keilah will turn him over to Shaul, and asks Hashem for guidance because Keilah is “a town with gates and bars” (I Samuel 23:7) and once Shaul arrives he will be trapped inside. God tells David that Shaul is indeed on the way, and that the people of Keilah will turn on him if he remains in the ‘besieged city.’ David gathers his men and leaves the city at once, causing Shaul to give up the chase. Once again, David, saved by Hashem’s counsel, sings a song of praise to his redeemer.

23Alarmed, I had thought, “I am thrust out of Your sight”; yet You listened to my plea for mercy when I cried out to You.

כגוַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְחָפְזִי נִגְרַזְתִּי מִנֶּגֶד עֵינֶיךָ אָכֵן שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי בְּשַׁוְּעִי אֵלֶיךָ׃

24So love Hashem, all you faithful; Hashem guards the loyal, and more than requites him who acts arrogantly.

כדאֶהֱבוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה כָּל־חֲסִידָיו אֱמוּנִים נֹצֵר יְהֹוָה וּמְשַׁלֵּם עַל־יֶתֶר עֹשֵׂה גַאֲוָה׃

25Be strong and of good courage, all you who wait for Hashem.

כהחִזְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם כָּל־הַמְיַחֲלִים לַיהֹוָה׃