תהלים צ״ז | Psalms 97, abridged translation by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman and Efrat Rotem

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=30003

Date: 2020-02-06

Last Updated: 2025-02-18

Categories: Ḳabbalat Shabbat, Tehilim Book 4 (Psalms 90–106)

Tags: Nusaḥ Ha-Ari z"l, Psalms 97, Tuesday

Excerpt: Psalms 97, in Hebrew with an abridged translation. . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
יהוה מָלָךְ תָּגֵל הָאָרֶץ, יִשְׂמְחוּ אִיִים רַבִּים׃ עָנָן וַעֲרָפֶל סְבִיבָיו, צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאוֹ׃	YHVH reigns׃ let the earth rejoice, the many nations be glad. Cloud and mist surround God, Right and justice are the foundation of God’s throne.
אֵשׁ לְפָנָיו תֵּלֵךְ, וּתְלַהֵט סָבִיב צָרָיו׃ הֵאִירוּ בְרָקָיו תֵּבֵל, רָאֲתָה וַתָּחֵל הָאָרֶץ׃ הָרִים כַּדּוֹנַג נָמַסּוּ מִלִּפְנֵי יהוה, מִלִּפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃
הִגִּידוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם צִדְקוֹ, וְרָאוּ כָל־הָעַמִּים כְּבוֹדוֹ׃ יֵבֹשׁוּ כָּל־עֹבְדֵי פֶסֶל הַמִּתְהַלְלִים בָּאֱלִילִים, הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ כָּל אֱלֹהִים׃	The heavens tell of God’s righteousness, the peoples witness God’s glory. Idolaters are ashamed – let all who are worshiped bow before Elohim!
שָׁמְעָה וַתִּשְׂמַח צִיּוֹן וַתָּגֵלְנָה בְּנוֹת יְהוּדָה, לְמַעַן מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ יהוה׃ כִּי־אַתָּה יהוה עֶלְיוֹן עַל־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ, מְאֹד נַעֲלֵיתָ עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִים׃	Tsiyon hears and is glad, The cities of Yehudah rejoice over your judgments YHVH. For you, YHVH, are supreme over all the earth, You are exalted far above the gods that are worshiped.
אֹהֲבֵי יהוה שִׂנְאוּ רָע, שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹת חֲסִידָיו מִיַּד רְשָׁעִים יַצִּילֵם׃ אוֹר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב שִׂמְחָה׃ שִׂמְחוּ צַדִּיקִים בַּיהוה, וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ:	YHVH loves those who hate evil!     Light dawns for the righteous, gladness for the upright in heart. Let the righteous rejoice in YHVH, and give thanks to God’s holy name.

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This translation of Psalms 97 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,’ and God with ‘Elohim.’ Where gaps in the translation were left, I have left them incomplete. –Aharon Varady.

Source(s)

 

Contributor: Efrat Rotem (translation)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Efrat Rotem (translation)
  Bio: Rabbi Efrat Rotem was ordained through the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem in 2015. She served as the rabbi of Kehilat HaLev in central Tel Aviv, a member congregation of the Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism. She also designed and taught courses and seminars on her rabbinical outlook, which integrates pluralist Judaism, critical feminism, and queer identity and worldview. She holds an MA in Literature from Tel Aviv University and has translated texts from English to Hebrew. She also studied Creative Writing at Haifa University.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/efrat-rotem
• 
  Name: Levi Weiman-Kelman (translation)
  Bio: 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.
  Website: http://www.kolhaneshama.org.il
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/levi-weiman-kelman
• 
  Name: the Masoretic Text
  Bio: 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.
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masoretic_Text
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/mesorah
• 
  Name: Unknown Author(s)
  Bio: Sometimes the best we can do in attributing a historical work is to indicate the period and place it was written, the first prayer book it may have been printed in, or the archival collection in which the manuscript was found. We invite the public to help to attribute all works to their original composers. If you know something not mentioned in the commentary offered, please leave a comment or contact us.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/unknown

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