1

אֵל־נְקָמוֹת יְהֹוָה אֵל נְקָמוֹת הוֹפִיעַ׃

God of retribution, ETERNAL One, God of retribution, appear!

2

הִנָּשֵׂא שֹׁפֵט הָאָרֶץ הָשֵׁב גְּמוּל עַל־גֵּאִים׃

Rise up, judge of the earth, give the arrogant their deserts!

3

עַד־מָתַי רְשָׁעִים יְהֹוָה עַד־מָתַי רְשָׁעִים יַעֲלֹזוּ׃

How long shall the wicked, O ETERNAL One, how long shall the wicked exult,

4

יַבִּיעוּ יְדַבְּרוּ עָתָק יִתְאַמְּרוּ כׇּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן׃

shall they utter insolent speech, shall all evildoers vaunt themselves?

5

עַמְּךָ יְהֹוָה יְדַכְּאוּ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ יְעַנּוּ׃

They crush Your people, O ETERNAL One, they afflict Your very own;

6

אַלְמָנָה וְגֵר יַהֲרֹגוּ וִיתוֹמִים יְרַצֵּחוּ׃

they kill the widow and the stranger; they murder the fatherless,

7

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא יִרְאֶה־יָּהּ וְלֹא־יָבִין אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב׃

thinking, “Yah does not see it, the God of Jacob does not pay heed.”

8

בִּינוּ בֹּעֲרִים בָּעָם וּכְסִילִים מָתַי תַּשְׂכִּילוּ׃

Take heed, you most brutish people; fools, when will you get wisdom?

9

הֲנֹטַע אֹזֶן הֲלֹא יִשְׁמָע אִם־יֹצֵר עַיִן הֲלֹא יַבִּיט׃

Shall the One who implants the ear not hear, the One who forms the eye not see?

10

הֲיֹסֵר גּוֹיִם הֲלֹא יוֹכִיחַ הַמְלַמֵּד אָדָם דָּעַת׃

Shall the One who disciplines nations not punish, the One who instructs humankind in knowledge?

11

יְהֹוָה יֹדֵעַ מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָדָם כִּי־הֵמָּה הָבֶל׃

GOD knows human designs to be futile.

12

אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר־תְּיַסְּרֶנּוּ יָּהּ וּמִתּוֹרָתְךָ תְלַמְּדֶנּוּ׃

Happy are those whom You discipline, O Yah, whom You instruct in Your teaching,

13

לְהַשְׁקִיט לוֹ מִימֵי רָע עַד יִכָּרֶה לָרָשָׁע שָׁחַת׃

whom You give tranquility in times of misfortune, until a pit be dug for the wicked.

14

כִּי לֹא־יִטֹּשׁ יְהֹוָה עַמּוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ לֹא יַעֲזֹב׃

For GOD will not forsake this people; God’s very own will not be abandoned.

15

כִּי־עַד־צֶדֶק יָשׁוּב מִשְׁפָּט וְאַחֲרָיו כׇּל־יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב׃

Judgment shall again accord with justice and all the upright shall rally to it.

16

מִי־יָקוּם לִי עִם־מְרֵעִים מִי־יִתְיַצֵּב לִי עִם־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן׃

Who will take my part against evildoers? Who will stand up for me against wrongdoers?

17

לוּלֵי יְהֹוָה עֶזְרָתָה לִּי כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה דוּמָה נַפְשִׁי׃

Were not GOD my help, I should soon dwell in silence.

18

אִם־אָמַרְתִּי מָטָה רַגְלִי חַסְדְּךָ יְהֹוָה יִסְעָדֵנִי׃

When I think my foot has given way, Your faithfulness, O ETERNAL One, supports me.

19

בְּרֹב שַׂרְעַפַּי בְּקִרְבִּי תַּנְחוּמֶיךָ יְשַׁעַשְׁעוּ נַפְשִׁי׃

When I am filled with cares, Your assurance soothes my soul.

20

הַיְחׇבְרְךָ כִּסֵּא הַוּוֹת יֹצֵר עָמָל עֲלֵי־חֹק׃

Shall the seat of injustice be Your partner, that frames mischief by statute?

21

יָגוֹדּוּ עַל־נֶפֶשׁ צַדִּיק וְדָם נָקִי יַרְשִׁיעוּ׃

They band together to do away with the righteous; they condemn the innocent to death.

22

וַיְהִי יְהֹוָה לִי לְמִשְׂגָּב וֵאלֹהַי לְצוּר מַחְסִי׃

But GOD is my haven; my God is my sheltering rock.

23

וַיָּשֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־אוֹנָם וּבְרָעָתָם יַצְמִיתֵם יַצְמִיתֵם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ׃ {פ}

Their evil will be made to recoil upon them, through their own wickedness they will be annihilated; the ETERNAL our God will annihilate them.