Israel’s Great Misery
(Matthew 10:34–39; Luke 12:49–53)

1  אַ֣לְלַי (Woe) לִ֗י (to me)

כִּ֤י (for) הָיִ֙יתִי֙ (I have become) כְּאָסְפֵּי־ (like the gathering) קַ֔יִץ (of the summer fruit),

כְּעֹלְלֹ֖ת (like the gleanings) בָּצִ֑יר (of the vintage);

אֵין־ (there is no) אֶשְׁכּ֣וֹל (cluster) לֶאֱכ֔וֹל (to eat),

בִּכּוּרָ֖ה (no early fig) אִוְּתָ֥ה (that desires) נַפְשִֽׁי׃ (my soul).

2  אָבַ֤ד (Has perished) חָסִיד֙ (the godly one) מִן־ (from) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the earth),

וְיָשָׁ֥ר (and an upright one) בָּאָדָ֖ם (among mankind). אָ֑יִן (There is not)

כֻּלָּם֙ (they all) לְדָמִ֣ים (for blood); יֶאֱרֹ֔בוּ (lie in wait)

אִ֥ישׁ (each man) אֶת־ (against) אָחִ֖יהוּ (his brother) יָצ֥וּדוּ (they hunt) חֵֽרֶם׃ (with a net).

3  עַל־ (Upon) הָרַ֤ע (the evil) כַּפַּ֙יִם֙ (are their hands) לְהֵיטִ֔יב (to make good on it),

הַשַּׂ֣ר (the prince) שֹׁאֵ֔ל (is asking), וְהַשֹּׁפֵ֖ט (and the judge) בַּשִׁלּ֑וּם (for a bribe);

וְהַגָּד֗וֹל (and the great one) דֹּבֵ֨ר (is speaking) הַוַּ֥ת (the desire) נַפְשׁ֛וֹ (of his soul);

ה֖וּא (it) וַֽיְעַבְּתֽוּהָ׃ (and they wrap up).

4  טוֹבָ֣ם (Their best one of them) כְּחֵ֔דֶק (is like a brier),

יָשָׁ֖ר (the upright one) מִמְּסוּכָ֑ה (a thorn hedge);

י֤וֹם (The day) מְצַפֶּ֙יךָ֙ (of your watchmen) פְּקֻדָּתְךָ֣ (and your punishment)

בָ֔אָה (has come);

עַתָּ֥ה (now) תִהְיֶ֖ה (is) מְבוּכָתָֽם׃ (their confusion).

5  אַל־ (Not) תַּאֲמִ֣ינוּ (do trust) בְרֵ֔עַ (in a friend),

אַֽל־ (do not) תִּבְטְח֖וּ (do put your⁺ confidence) בְּאַלּ֑וּף (in a companion);

מִשֹּׁכֶ֣בֶת (from her who lies down) חֵיקֶ֔ךָ (in your bosom).

שְׁמֹ֖ר (Guard) פִּתְחֵי־ (the doors) פִֽיךָ׃ (of your mouth).

6  כִּֽי־ (For) בֵן֙ (a son) מְנַבֵּ֣ל (dishonors) אָ֔ב (a father),

בַּ֚ת (and daughter) קָמָ֣ה (rises) בְאִמָּ֔הּ (against her mother),

כַּלָּ֖ה (a daughter-in-law) בַּחֲמֹתָ֑הּ (against her mother-in-law);

אֹיְבֵ֥י (the enemies) אִ֖ישׁ (of a man)

אַנְשֵׁ֥י (are the men) בֵיתֽוֹ׃ (of his own house).

Israel’s Confession and Comfort

7  וַאֲנִי֙ (And I) בַּיהוָ֣ה (for YHWH); אֲצַפֶּ֔ה (I will watch)

אוֹחִ֖ילָה (I will wait) לֵאלֹהֵ֣י (for the God) יִשְׁעִ֑י (of my salvation)

יִשְׁמָעֵ֖נִי (will hear me) אֱלֹהָֽי׃ (My God).

8  אַֽל־ (Not) תִּשְׂמְחִ֤י (do rejoice) אֹיַ֙בְתִּי֙ (O my enemy); לִ֔י (over me) כִּ֥י (when) נָפַ֖לְתִּי (I fall),

קָ֑מְתִּי (I will arise);

כִּֽי־ (when) אֵשֵׁ֣ב (I sit) בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ (in the darkness),

יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH is) א֥וֹר (a light) לִֽי׃ס (for me).

9  זַ֤עַף (The indignation) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH), אֶשָּׂ֔א (I will bear)

כִּ֥י (because) חָטָ֖אתִי (I have sinned) ל֑וֹ (against Him)

עַד֩ (until) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (when) יָרִ֤יב (He will fight) רִיבִי֙ (my fight),

וְעָשָׂ֣ה (and execute) מִשְׁפָּטִ֔י (justice by me)

יוֹצִיאֵ֣נִי (He will bring me forth) לָא֔וֹר (to the light),

אֶרְאֶ֖ה (and I will look) בְּצִדְקָתֽוֹ׃ (on His righteousness).

10  וְתֵרֶ֤א (And will see) אֹיַ֙בְתִּי֙ (she who is my enemy)

וּתְכַסֶּ֣הָ (and she will cover her) בוּשָׁ֔ה (shame)

הָאֹמְרָ֣ה (she who said) אֵלַ֔י (to me)

אַיּ֖וֹ (Where is) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהָ֑יִךְ (your God)?

עֵינַי֙ (My eyes) תִּרְאֶ֣ינָּה (will look) בָּ֔הּ (on her)

עַתָּ֛ה (now) תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה (she will be) לְמִרְמָ֖ס (for trampling)

כְּטִ֥יט (like mud) חוּצֽוֹת׃ (in the streets).

11  י֖וֹם (A day is) לִבְנ֣וֹת (for building), גְּדֵרָ֑יִךְ (your walls)

י֥וֹם (a day) הַה֖וּא (that) יִרְחַק־ (is removed) חֹֽק׃ (the limit).

12  י֥וֹם (Day) הוּא֙ (that) וְעָדֶ֣יךָ (and to you) יָב֔וֹא (they will come)

לְמִנִּ֥י (from) אַשּׁ֖וּר (Assyria), וְעָרֵ֣י (and the cities), מָצ֑וֹר (of Egypt)

וּלְמִנִּ֤י (and from) מָצוֹר֙ (Egypt) וְעַד־ (and to) נָהָ֔ר (the River),

וְיָ֥ם (and from sea) מִיָּ֖ם (to sea), וְהַ֥ר (and mountain) הָהָֽר׃ (to mountain).

13  וְהָיְתָ֥ה (And will be) הָאָ֛רֶץ (the earth) לִשְׁמָמָ֖ה (as a desolation)

עַל־ (over) יֹֽשְׁבֶ֑יהָ (those dwelling on it)

מִפְּרִ֖י (for the fruit) מַֽעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ס (of their deeds).

God’s Compassion on Israel

14  רְעֵ֧ה (Shepherd) עַמְּךָ֣ (your people) בְשִׁבְטֶ֗ךָ (with your staff),

צֹ֚אן (the flock) נַֽחֲלָתֶ֔ךָ (of your heritage),

שֹׁכְנִ֣י (dwelling) לְבָדָ֔ד (alone) יַ֖עַר (in a woodland),

בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) כַּרְמֶ֑ל (of Carmel);

יִרְע֥וּ (let them find pasture) בָשָׁ֛ן (in Bashan) וְגִלְעָ֖ד (and Gilead),

כִּימֵ֥י (as in the days) עוֹלָֽם׃ (of old).

15  כִּימֵ֥י (As in the days) צֵאתְךָ֖ (of your coming out) מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (from the land) מִצְרָ֑יִם (of Egypt)

אַרְאֶ֖נּוּ (I will make them see) נִפְלָאֽוֹת׃ (wonders).

16  יִרְא֤וּ (Will see) גוֹיִם֙ (Nations)

וְיֵבֹ֔שׁוּ (and they will be ashamed) מִכֹּ֖ל (of all) גְּבֽוּרָתָ֑ם (their might).

יָשִׂ֤ימוּ (They will put) יָד֙ (the hand) עַל־ (over) פֶּ֔ה (the mouth),

אָזְנֵיהֶ֖ם (their ears) תֶּחֱרַֽשְׁנָה׃ (will become deaf).

17  יְלַחֲכ֤וּ (They will lick) עָפָר֙ (the dust) כַּנָּחָ֔שׁ (like a snake),

כְּזֹחֲלֵ֣י (like the crawling things) אֶ֔רֶץ (of the earth).

יִרְגְּז֖וּ (They will come trembling) מִמִּסְגְּרֹֽתֵיהֶ֑ם (from their enclosures)

אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (our God), יִפְחָ֔דוּ (they will tremble)

וְיִֽרְא֖וּ (and they will be afraid) מִמֶּֽךָּ׃ (of You).

18  מִי־ (Who is) אֵ֣ל (a God) כָּמ֗וֹךָ (like You),

נֹשֵׂ֤א (lifting away) עָוֺן֙ (iniquity),

וְעֹבֵ֣ר (and passing) עַל־ (over) פֶּ֔שַׁע (the transgression)

לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית (of the remnant) נַחֲלָת֑וֹ (of His heritage)?

לֹא־ (Not) הֶחֱזִ֤יק (He does retain) לָעַד֙ (forever), אַפּ֔וֹ (His anger)

כִּֽי־ (because) חָפֵ֥ץ (delights) חֶ֖סֶד (in loving devotion) הֽוּא׃ (He).

19  יָשׁ֣וּב (He turn back), יְרַֽחֲמֵ֔נוּ (He will have compassion on us)

יִכְבֹּ֖שׁ (He will subdue) עֲוֺֽנֹתֵ֑ינוּ (our iniquities);

וְתַשְׁלִ֛יךְ (and You will cast) בִּמְצֻל֥וֹת (into the depths) יָ֖ם (of the sea)

כָּל־ (all) חַטֹּאותָֽם׃ (our sins).

20  תִּתֵּ֤ן (You will give forth) אֱמֶת֙ (faithfulness) לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב (to Jacob),

חֶ֖סֶד (loving devotion) לְאַבְרָהָ֑ם (to Abraham),

אֲשֶׁר־ (which) נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ (You have sworn) לַאֲבֹתֵ֖ינוּ (to our fathers)

מִ֥ימֵי (from the days) קֶֽדֶם׃ (of old).