Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=44112
open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft licenseDate: 2022-05-01
Last Updated: 2025-03-27
Categories: Tehilim Book 1 (Psalms 1–41)
Tags: devotional interpretation, dreaming, interpretive translation, שויתי shiviti
Excerpt: Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi's translation and reworking of Psalms 16 was first published in Psalms in a Translation for Praying (Alliance for Jewish Renewal, Philadelphia: 2014), p. 19. . . .
Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
---|---|
מִכְתָּ֥ם לְדָוִ֑ד
|
David’s imprinted song
|
שׇֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֝֗ל
כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃ |
God! Keep me safe,
for I have taken cover in You. |
אָמַ֣רְתְּ לַֽ֭יהֹוָה
אֲדֹנָ֣י אָ֑תָּה ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃ |
I have said to YaH,
“You are my Lord; although I am of little worth, You are good to me—and kind.” |
לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֣רֶץ הֵ֑מָּה
וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י כׇּל־חֶפְצִי־בָֽם׃ יִרְבּ֥וּ עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ אַחֵ֢ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ בַּל־אַסִּ֣יךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם וּֽבַל־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם עַל־שְׂפָתָֽי׃ |
Some who are earthbound
think of the idols as sacred and mighty, falsely supposing that their desires will be fulfilled by them. Rushing after idols; their sorrows will increase. I will not make libations of blood to them; I will not put their names on my lips. |
יְֽהֹוָ֗ה מְנָת־חֶלְקִ֥י וְכוֹסִ֑י
אַ֝תָּ֗ה תּוֹמִ֥יךְ גּוֹרָלִֽי׃ חֲבָלִ֣ים נָֽפְלוּ־לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃ אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭הֹוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃ שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהֹוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃ |
YaH! You are my chosen portion and my cup;
You keep me in Your care. Your Providence is pleasing to me; What a good heritage is now mine. I will bless You, YaH, for Your counsels to me, how in dreams You give me wise guidance. I place myself constantly in Your Presence; I will not falter because You are at my side |
לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׂמַ֣ח לִ֭בִּי
וַיָּ֣גֶל כְּבוֹדִ֑י אַף־בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶֽטַח׃ כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב נַפְשִׁ֣י לִשְׁא֑וֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗ לִרְא֥וֹת שָֽׁחַת׃ |
Therefore my heart is joyous,
my guts feel delight. My body is serene, for You will not forsake my soul to torment, neither will You let down Your devotee. |
תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים
שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃ |
Please! Make me know the path of life.
My complete happiness is in Your presence; may I forever feel the pleasures of Your kindness. |
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s translation and reworking of Psalms 16 was first published in Psalms in a Translation for Praying (Alliance for Jewish Renewal, Philadelphia: 2014), p. 19.
Reb Zalman was, in 2009, an early advocate of the Open Siddur Project and generously shared his liturgical and prayer work with the project following his vision of a common “Database Davvenen.” I have set his translation opposite the Masoretic Hebrew text of the psalm according to the phrasing he provided. –Aharon Varady
Contributor: Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (translation)
Co-authors:
Featured Image:
Title: Shiviti – The Royal Library of Denmark David Simonsen Manuscripts Collection (Restored by Andrew Meit)
Caption: Shiviti by Mashiaḥ Asgari (held in The Royal Library of Denmark David Simonsen Manuscripts Collection) - black letters on white background. Digital restoration by Andrew Meit.