Hope at Rock Bottom.

אֲנִ֤י הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ רָאָ֣ה עֳנִ֔י בְּשֵׁ֖בֶט עֶבְרָתֽוֹ׃

I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath;

אוֹתִ֥י נָהַ֛ג וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אֽוֹר׃

[2] he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light;

אַ֣ךְ בִּ֥י יָשֻׁ֛ב יַהֲפֹ֥ךְ יָד֖וֹ כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ ס

[3] surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long.

בִּלָּ֤ה בְשָׂרִי֙ וְעוֹרִ֔י שִׁבַּ֖ר עַצְמוֹתָֽי׃

[4] He has made my flesh and my skin waste away; he has broken my bones;

בָּנָ֥ה עָלַ֛י וַיַּקַּ֖ף רֹ֥אשׁ וּתְלָאָֽה׃

[5] he has besieged and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation;

בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּ֥ים הוֹשִׁיבַ֖נִי כְּמֵתֵ֥י עוֹלָֽם׃ ס

[6] he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago.

גָּדַ֧ר בַּעֲדִ֛י וְלֹ֥א אֵצֵ֖א הִכְבִּ֥יד נְחָשְׁתִּֽי׃

[7] He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has made my chains heavy;

גַּ֣ם כִּ֤י אֶזְעַק֙ וַאֲשַׁוֵּ֔עַ שָׂתַ֖ם תְּפִלָּתִֽי׃

[8] though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer;

גָּדַ֤ר דְּרָכַי֙ בְּגָזִ֔ית נְתִיבֹתַ֖י עִוָּֽה׃ ס

[9] he has blocked my ways with blocks of stones; he has made my paths crooked.

דֹּ֣ב אֹרֵ֥ב הוּא֙ לִ֔י ׳אַרְיֵה׳ ״אֲרִ֖י״ בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

[10] He is a bear lying in wait for me, a lion in hiding;

דְּרָכַ֥י סוֹרֵ֛ר וַֽיְפַשְּׁחֵ֖נִי שָׂמַ֥נִי שֹׁמֵֽם׃

[11] he turned aside my steps and tore me to pieces; he has made me desolate;

דָּרַ֤ךְ קַשְׁתּוֹ֙ וַיַּצִּיבֵ֔נִי כַּמַּטָּרָ֖א לַחֵֽץ׃ ס

[12] he bent his bow and set me as a target for his arrow.

הֵבִיא֙ בְּכִלְיוֹתָ֔י בְּנֵ֖י אַשְׁפָּתֽוֹ׃

[13] He drove into my kidneys the arrows of his quiver;

הָיִ֤יתִי שְּׂחֹק֙ לְכָל־עַמִּ֔י נְגִינָתָ֖ם כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

[14] I have become the laughingstock of all my people, the object of their taunts all day long.

הִשְׂבִּיעַ֥נִי בַמְּרוֹרִ֖ים הִרְוַ֥נִי לַעֲנָֽה׃ ס

[15] He has filled me with bitterness; he has sated me with wormwood.

וַיַּגְרֵ֤ס בֶּֽחָצָץ֙ שִׁנָּ֔י הִכְפִּישַׁ֖נִי בָּאֵֽפֶר׃

[16] He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes;

וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃

[17] my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is;

וָאֹמַר֙ אָבַ֣ד נִצְחִ֔י וְתוֹחַלְתִּ֖י מֵיְהוָֽה׃ ס

[18] so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord .”

זְכָר־עָנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃

[19] Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!

זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר ׳וְתָשִׁיחַ׳ ״וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ״ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃

[20] My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.

זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃ ס

[21] But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

חַֽסְדֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃

[22] The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

[23] they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

חֶלְקִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃ ס

[24] “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

ט֤וֹב יְהוָה֙ לְקוָֹ֔ו לְנֶ֖פֶשׁ תִּדְרְשֶֽׁנּוּ׃

[25] The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

ט֤וֹב וְיָחִיל֙ וְדוּמָ֔ם לִתְשׁוּעַ֖ת יְהוָֽה׃

[26] It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord .

ט֣וֹב לַגֶּ֔בֶר כִּֽי־יִשָּׂ֥א עֹ֖ל בִּנְעוּרָֽיו׃ ס

[27] It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

יֵשֵׁ֤ב בָּדָד֙ וְיִדֹּ֔ם כִּ֥י נָטַ֖ל עָלָֽיו׃

[28] Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him;

יִתֵּ֤ן בֶּֽעָפָר֙ פִּ֔יהוּ אוּלַ֖י יֵ֥שׁ תִּקְוָֽה׃

[29] let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope;

יִתֵּ֧ן לְמַכֵּ֛הוּ לֶ֖חִי יִשְׂבַּ֥ע בְּחֶרְפָּֽה׃ ס

[30] let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults.

כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יִזְנַ֛ח לְעוֹלָ֖ם אֲדֹנָֽי׃

[31] For the Lord will not cast off forever,

כִּ֣י אִם־הוֹגָ֔ה וְרִחַ֖ם כְּרֹ֥ב ׳חַסְדּוֹ׳ ״חֲסָדָֽיו׃״

[32] for, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

כִּ֣י לֹ֤א עִנָּה֙ מִלִּבּ֔וֹ וַיַּגֶּ֖ה בְּנֵי־אִֽישׁ׃ ס

[33] for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.

לְדַכֵּא֙ תַּ֣חַת רַגְלָ֔יו כֹּ֖ל אֲסִ֥ירֵי אָֽרֶץ׃

[34] To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth,

לְהַטּוֹת֙ מִשְׁפַּט־גָּ֔בֶר נֶ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֥י עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

[35] to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High,

לְעַוֵּ֤ת אָדָם֙ בְּרִיב֔וֹ אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א רָאָֽה׃ ס

[36] to subvert a man in his lawsuit, the Lord does not approve.

מִ֣י זֶ֤ה אָמַר֙ וַתֶּ֔הִי אֲדֹנָ֖י לֹ֥א צִוָּֽה׃

[37] Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?

מִפִּ֤י עֶלְיוֹן֙ לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֔א הָרָע֖וֹת וְהַטּֽוֹב׃

[38] Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?

מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר ׳עַל־חֶטְאוֹ׳ ״עַל־חֲטָאָֽיו׃״ ס

[39] Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?

נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יְהוָֽה׃

[40] Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord !

נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

[41] Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:

נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃ ס

[42] “We have transgressed and rebelled, and you have not forgiven.

סַכֹּ֤תָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃

[43] “You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us, killing without pity;

סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃

[44] you have wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through.

סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים׃ ס

[45] You have made us scum and garbage among the peoples.

פָּצ֥וּ עָלֵ֛ינוּ פִּיהֶ֖ם כָּל־אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃

[46] “All our enemies open their mouths against us;

פַּ֧חַד וָפַ֛חַת הָ֥יָה לָ֖נוּ הַשֵּׁ֥את וְהַשָּֽׁבֶר׃

[47] panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction;

פַּלְגֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ תֵּרַ֣ד עֵינִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃ ס

[48] my eyes flow with rivers of tears because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

עֵינִ֧י נִגְּרָ֛ה וְלֹ֥א תִדְמֶ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין הֲפֻגֽוֹת׃

[49] “My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite,

עַד־יַשְׁקִ֣יף וְיֵ֔רֶא יְהוָ֖ה מִשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

[50] until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees;

עֵינִי֙ עֽוֹלְלָ֣ה לְנַפְשִׁ֔י מִכֹּ֖ל בְּנ֥וֹת עִירִֽי׃ ס

[51] my eyes cause me grief at the fate of all the daughters of my city.

צ֥וֹד צָד֛וּנִי כַּצִּפּ֖וֹר אֹיְבַ֥י חִנָּֽם׃

[52] “I have been hunted like a bird by those who were my enemies without cause;

צָֽמְת֤וּ בַבּוֹר֙ חַיָּ֔י וַיַּדּוּ־אֶ֖בֶן בִּֽי׃

[53] they flung me alive into the pit and cast stones on me;

צָֽפוּ־מַ֥יִם עַל־רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס

[54] water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’

קָרָ֤אתִי שִׁמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֔ה מִבּ֖וֹר תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת׃

[55] “I called on your name, O Lord , from the depths of the pit;

קוֹלִ֖י שָׁמָ֑עְתָּ אַל־תַּעְלֵ֧ם אָזְנְךָ֛ לְרַוְחָתִ֖י לְשַׁוְעָתִֽי׃

[56] you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear to my cry for help!’

קָרַ֙בְתָּ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָאֶ֔ךָּ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אַל־תִּירָֽא׃ ס

[57] You came near when I called on you; you said, ‘Do not fear!’

רַ֧בְתָּ אֲדֹנָ֛י רִיבֵ֥י נַפְשִׁ֖י גָּאַ֥לְתָּ חַיָּֽי׃

[58] “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life.

רָאִ֤יתָה יְהוָה֙ עַוָּ֣תָתִ֔י שָׁפְטָ֖ה מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

[59] You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord ; judge my cause.

רָאִ֙יתָה֙ כָּל־נִקְמָתָ֔ם כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃ ס

[60] You have seen all their vengeance, all their plots against me.

שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃

[61] “You have heard their taunts, O Lord , all their plots against me.

שִׂפְתֵ֤י קָמַי֙ וְהֶגְיוֹנָ֔ם עָלַ֖י כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

[62] The lips and thoughts of my assailants are against me all the day long.

שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י מַנְגִּינָתָֽם׃ ס

[63] Behold their sitting and their rising; I am the object of their taunts.

תָּשִׁ֨יב לָהֶ֥ם גְּמ֛וּל יְהוָ֖ה כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיהֶֽם׃

[64] “You will repay them, O Lord , according to the work of their hands.

תִּתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ מְגִנַּת־לֵ֔ב תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ֖ לָהֶֽם׃

[65] You will give them dullness of heart; your curse will be on them.

תִּרְדֹּ֤ף בְּאַף֙ וְתַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת שְׁמֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

[66] You will pursue them in anger and destroy them from under your heavens, O Lord .”