The Perils of the Pilgrim
לָמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה תַּעֲמֹ֣ד בְּרָח֑וֹק תַּ֝עְלִ֗ים לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃
Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
בְּגַאֲוַ֣ת רָ֭שָׁע יִדְלַ֣ק עָנִ֑י יִתָּפְשׂ֓וּ׀ בִּמְזִמּ֖וֹת ז֣וּ חָשָֽׁבוּ׃
In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise.
כִּֽי־הִלֵּ֣ל רָ֭שָׁע עַל־תַּאֲוַ֣ת נַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּבֹצֵ֥עַ בֵּ֝רֵ֗ךְ נִ֘אֵ֥ץ׀ יְהוָֽה׃
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
רָשָׁ֗ע כְּגֹ֣בַהּ אַ֭פּוֹ בַּל־יִדְרֹ֑שׁ אֵ֥ין אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים כָּל־מְזִמּוֹתָֽיו׃
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God.
יָ֘חִ֤ילוּ דְרָכָ֨יו בְּכָל־עֵ֗ת מָר֣וֹם מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ כָּל־צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו יָפִ֥יחַ בָּהֶֽם׃
He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes.
אָמַ֣ר בְּ֭לִבּוֹ בַּל־אֶמּ֑וֹט לְדֹ֥ר וָ֝דֹ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־בְרָֽע׃
He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
אָלָ֤ה פִּ֣יהוּ מָ֭לֵא וּמִרְמ֣וֹת וָתֹ֑ךְ תַּ֥חַת לְ֝שׁוֹנ֗וֹ עָמָ֥ל וָאָֽוֶן׃
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
יֵשֵׁ֤ב׀ בְּמַאְרַ֬ב חֲצֵרִ֗ים בַּֽ֭מִּסְתָּרִים יַהֲרֹ֣ג נָקִ֑י עֵ֝ינָ֗יו לְֽחֵלְכָ֥ה יִצְפֹּֽנוּ׃
He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
יֶאֱרֹ֬ב בַּמִּסְתָּ֨ר׀ כְּאַרְיֵ֬ה בְסֻכֹּ֗ה יֶ֭אֱרֹב לַחֲט֣וֹף עָנִ֑י יַחְטֹ֥ף עָ֝נִ֗י בְּמָשְׁכ֥וֹ בְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃
He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net.
יִדְכֶּ֥ה יָשֹׁ֑חַ וְנָפַ֥ל בַּ֝עֲצוּמָ֗יו חֵ֣יל כָּאִֽים׃
They are crushed and beaten down; the helpless fall prey to his strength.
אָמַ֣ר בְּ֭לִבּוֹ שָׁ֣כַֽח אֵ֑ל הִסְתִּ֥יר פָּ֝נָ֗יו בַּל־רָאָ֥ה לָנֶֽצַח׃
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
קוּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֭ל נְשָׂ֣א יָדֶ֑ךָ אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח עֲנָוִֽים׃
Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless.
עַל־מֶ֤ה׀ נִאֵ֖ץ רָשָׁ֥ע׀ אֱלֹהִ֑ים אָמַ֥ר בְּ֝לִבּ֗וֹ לֹ֣א תִּדְרֹֽשׁ׃
Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
רָאִ֡תָה כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה׀ עָ֘מָ֤ל וָכַ֨עַס׀ תַּבִּיט֮ לָתֵ֪ת בְּיָ֫דֶ֥ךָ עָ֭לֶיךָ יַעֲזֹ֣ב חֵלֶ֑כָה יָ֝ת֗וֹם אַתָּ֤ה׀ הָיִ֬יתָ עוֹזֵֽר׃
But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
שְׁ֭בֹר זְר֣וֹעַ רָשָׁ֑ע וָ֝רָ֗ע תִּֽדְרוֹשׁ־רִשְׁע֥וֹ בַל־תִּמְצָֽא׃
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
יְהוָ֣ה מֶ֭לֶךְ עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד אָבְד֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ׃
The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.
תַּאֲוַ֬ת עֲנָוִ֣ים שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ יְהוָ֑ה תָּכִ֥ין לִ֝בָּ֗ם תַּקְשִׁ֥יב אָזְנֶֽךָ׃
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,