https://opensiddur.org/?p=30034תהלים ט״ו | Psalms 15, abridged translation by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman & Shaul Vardi2020-02-06 15:47:52Psalms 15, in Hebrew with an abridged translation.Textthe Open Siddur ProjectShaul Vardi (translation)Shaul Vardi (translation)Levi Weiman-Kelman (translation)the Masoretic TextDavid ben Yishai (traditional attribution)https://opensiddur.org/copyright-policy/Shaul Vardi (translation)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/Tehilim Book 1 (Psalms 1–41)Psalms 15moral prescription
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Those who are upright; who do justly;
They speak the truth within their hearts.
They do not slander others, or wrong them,
Or bring shame upon them.
They have contempt for the lawless,
And honor those who revere the YHVH
They give their word, and, do not retract.
They do not exploit others,
they never take bribes.
עֹשֵׂה־אֵלֶּה לֹא יִמּוֹט לְעוֹלם:
Those who act this way shall never be shaken.
This translation of Psalms 15 can be found in HaAvodah SheBaLev – the Service of the Heart (Kehilat Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem, 2007). “Adonai” is used as a circumlocution for the Tetragrammaton in the English translation. I have replaced ‘Adonai’ with ‘YHVH.’ –Aharon Varady.
Shaul Vardi is a freelance translator and editor living in Jerusalem and active in the Reform community Kol HaNeshama (KKH). Among other liturgical projects, Shaul devised the transliteration methods used in KKH’s bilingual Siddur and in the bilingual accompaniment to the new Israeli Reform Siddur Tefilat Ha-Adam. He also composed the first Hebrew-language “mi she-berakh” for LGBTQI+ Pride Shabbat.
Levi Weiman-Kelman is the founding rabbi of Congregation Kol Haneshama, a Reform community in Jerusalem devoted to prayer, study and social action. He is a founding member of Rabbis for Human Rights and teaches at the Hebrew Union College.
The Masoretic Text is the authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the Tanakh for Karaite and Rabbinic Judaism. It was primarily copied, edited and distributed by a group of Jews known as the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries CE. The Masoretic Text defines the Jewish canon and its precise letter-text, with its vocalization and accentuation known as the Masorah.
David ben Yishai was the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah, reigning ca. 1010–970 BCE. While almost half of the Psalms are headed "l'David" and tradition identifies several with specific events in David’s life (e.g., Psalms № 3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63 and 142), most scholars consider these headings to be late additions and that no psalm can be attributed to David with certainty. 1 Samuel 16:15-18 describes David as a skillful harp (lyre) player and "the sweet psalmist of Israel."
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