1

לָמָה יְהֹוָה תַּעֲמֹד בְּרָחוֹק תַּעְלִים לְעִתּוֹת בַּצָּרָה׃

Why, O ETERNAL One, do You stand aloof, heedless in times of trouble?

2

בְּגַאֲוַת רָשָׁע יִדְלַק עָנִי יִתָּפְשׂוּ בִּמְזִמּוֹת זוּ חָשָׁבוּ׃

The wicked in their arrogance hound the lowly— may they be caught in the schemes they devise!

3

כִּי־הִלֵּל רָשָׁע עַל־תַּאֲוַת נַפְשׁוֹ וּבֹצֵעַ בֵּרֵךְ נִאֵץ יְהֹוָה׃

The wicked crow about their unbridled lusts; the grasping revile and scorn GOD.

4

רָשָׁע כְּגֹבַהּ אַפּוֹ בַּל־יִדְרֹשׁ אֵין אֱלֹהִים כׇּל־מְזִמּוֹתָיו׃

The wicked, arrogant as they are, in all their scheming [think], “God does not care and does not call to account.”

5

יָחִילוּ דְרָכָו בְּכׇל־עֵת מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּוֹ כׇּל־צוֹרְרָיו יָפִיחַ בָּהֶם׃

Their ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are far beyond them; they snort at all their foes.

6

אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ בַּל־אֶמּוֹט לְדֹר וָדֹר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־בְרָע׃

Such people think, “I shall not be shaken, through all time never be in trouble.”

7

אָלָה פִּיהוּ מָלֵא וּמִרְמוֹת וָתֹךְ תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן׃

Their mouth is full of oaths, deceit, and fraud; mischief and evil are under their tongue.

8

יֵשֵׁב בְּמַאְרַב חֲצֵרִים בַּמִּסְתָּרִים יַהֲרֹג נָקִי עֵינָיו לְחֵלְכָה יִצְפֹּנוּ׃

They lurk in outlying places; from a covert they slay the innocent; their eyes spy out the hapless.

9

יֶאֱרֹב בַּמִּסְתָּר כְּאַרְיֵה בְסֻכֹּה יֶאֱרֹב לַחֲטוֹף עָנִי יַחְטֹף עָנִי בְּמׇשְׁכוֹ בְרִשְׁתּוֹ׃

They wait in a covert like a lion in a lair; wait to seize the lowly; they seize the lowly as they pull their net shut;

10

(ודכה) [יִדְכֶּה] יָשֹׁחַ וְנָפַל בַּעֲצוּמָיו (חלכאים) [חֵל כָּאִים]׃

they stoop, they crouch, and the hapless fall prey to their might.

11

אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ שָׁכַח אֵל הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו בַּל־רָאָה לָנֶצַח׃

They think, “God is not mindful, the divine face is hidden and never looks.”

12

קוּמָה יְהֹוָה אֵל נְשָׂא יָדֶךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח (עניים) [עֲנָוִים]׃

Rise, O ETERNAL One! Strike at them, O God! Do not forget the lowly.

13

עַל־מֶה נִאֵץ רָשָׁע אֱלֹהִים אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ לֹא תִדְרֹשׁ׃

Why should the wicked scorn God, thinking You do not call to account?

14

רָאִתָה כִּי־אַתָּה עָמָל וָכַעַס תַּבִּיט לָתֵת בְּיָדֶךָ עָלֶיךָ יַעֲזֹב חֵלֵכָה יָתוֹם אַתָּה הָיִיתָ עוֹזֵר׃

You do look! You take note of mischief and vexation! To requite is in Your power. To You the hapless can entrust themselves; You have ever been the orphans’ help.

15

שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע וָרָע תִּדְרוֹשׁ־רִשְׁעוֹ בַל־תִּמְצָא׃

O break the power of the wicked and evildoers, so that when You look for their wickedness You will find it no more.

16

יְהֹוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד אָבְדוּ גוֹיִם מֵאַרְצוֹ׃

GOD is sovereign for ever and ever; the nations will perish from this land.

17

תַּאֲוַת עֲנָוִים שָׁמַעְתָּ יְהֹוָה תָּכִין לִבָּם תַּקְשִׁיב אׇזְנֶךָ׃

You will listen to the entreaty of the lowly, O ETERNAL One, You will make their hearts firm; You will incline Your ear

18

לִשְׁפֹּט יָתוֹם וָדָךְ בַּל־יוֹסִיף עוֹד לַעֲרֹץ אֱנוֹשׁ מִן־הָאָרֶץ׃ {פ}

to champion the orphan and the downtrodden, that mere earthly mortals tyrannize no more.