The Hurtful Tongue
שְׁמַע־אֱלֹהִ֣ים קוֹלִ֣י בְשִׂיחִ֑י מִפַּ֥חַד א֝וֹיֵ֗ב תִּצֹּ֥ר חַיָּֽי׃
Hear, O God, my voice of complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
תַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִי מִסּ֣וֹד מְרֵעִ֑ים מֵ֝רִגְשַׁ֗ת פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity,
אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁנְנ֣וּ כַחֶ֣רֶב לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם דָּרְכ֥וּ חִ֝צָּ֗ם דָּבָ֥ר מָֽר׃
who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,
לִיר֣וֹת בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֣ים תָּ֑ם פִּתְאֹ֥ם יֹ֝רֻ֗הוּ וְלֹ֣א יִירָֽאוּ׃
ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear.
יְחַזְּקוּ־לָ֨מוֹ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר רָ֗ע יְֽ֭סַפְּרוּ לִטְמ֣וֹן מוֹקְשִׁ֑ים אָ֝מְר֗וּ מִ֣י יִרְאֶה־לָּֽמוֹ׃
They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.
יַֽחְפְּֽשׂוּ־עוֹלֹ֗ת תַּ֭מְנוּ חֵ֣פֶשׂ מְחֻפָּ֑שׂ וְקֶ֥רֶב אִ֝֗ישׁ וְלֵ֣ב עָמֹֽק׃
They devise injustice and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.
וַיֹּרֵ֗ם אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים חֵ֥ץ פִּתְא֑וֹם הָ֝י֗וּ מַכּוֹתָֽם׃
But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be wounded.
וַיַּכְשִׁיל֣וּהוּ עָלֵ֣ימוֹ לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם יִ֝תְנֹדֲד֗וּ כָּל־רֹ֥אֵה בָֽם׃
They will be made to stumble, their own tongues turned against them. All who see will shake their heads.
וַיִּֽירְא֗וּ כָּל־אָ֫דָ֥ם וַ֭יַּגִּידוּ פֹּ֥עַל אֱלֹהִ֗ים וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥הוּ הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ׃
Then all mankind will fear and proclaim the work of God; so they will ponder what He has done.