1 G ive ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

I will open my mouth in a parable (in instruction by numerous examples); I will utter dark sayings of old —

3 w hich we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

4 W e will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

We will not hide them from their children, but we will tell to the generation to come the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonderful works that He has performed.

5 F or he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

For He established a testimony (an express precept) in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, commanding our fathers that they should make known to their children,

6 t hat the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

That the generation to come might know them, that the children still to be born might arise and recount them to their children,

7 t hat they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:

That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but might keep His commandments

8 a nd might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

And might not be as their fathers—a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their hearts aright nor prepared their hearts to know God, and whose spirits were not steadfast and faithful to God.

9 T he children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.

The children of Ephraim were armed and carrying bows, yet they turned back in the day of battle.

10 T hey kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk according to His law

11 a nd forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

And forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them.

12 M arvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

Marvelous things did He in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 H e divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

He divided the Sea and caused them to pass through it, and He made the waters stand like a heap.

14 I n the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

In the daytime also He led them with a cloud and all the night with a light of fire.

15 H e clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as out of the deep.

16 H e brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

He brought streams also out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers.

17 A nd they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.

Yet they still went on to sin against Him by provoking and rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness (in the land of drought).

18 A nd they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.

And they tempted God in their hearts by asking for food according to their desire and appetite.

19 Y ea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

Yes, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

20 B ehold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?

Behold, He did smite the rock so that waters gushed out and the streams overflowed; but can He give bread also? Can He provide flesh for His people?

21 T herefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

Therefore, when the Lord heard, He was wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob, His anger mounted up against Israel,

22 b ecause they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

Because in God they believed not, and they trusted not in His salvation (His power to save).

23 t hough he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven;

24 a nd had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.

And He rained down upon them manna to eat and gave them heaven’s grain.

25 M an did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.

Everyone ate the bread of the mighty; God sent them meat in abundance.

26 H e caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.

He let forth the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by His power He guided the south wind.

27 H e rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:

He rained flesh also upon them like the dust, and winged birds like the sand of the seas.

28 a nd he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.

And He let fall in the midst of their camp, round about their tents.

29 S o they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;

So they ate and were well filled; He gave them what they craved and lusted after.

30 t hey were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,

But scarce had they stilled their craving, and while their meat was yet in their mouths,

31 t he wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

The wrath of God came upon them and slew the strongest and sturdiest of them and smote down Israel’s chosen youth.

32 F or all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

In spite of all this, they sinned still more, for they believed not in (relied not on and adhered not to Him for) His wondrous works.

33 T herefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

Therefore their days He consumed like a breath and their years in terror and sudden haste.

34 W hen he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.

When He slew them, inquired after Him diligently, and they repented and sincerely sought God.

35 A nd they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.

And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.

36 N evertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.

Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouths and lied to Him with their tongues.

37 F or their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.

For their hearts were not right or sincere with Him, neither were they faithful and steadfast to His covenant.

38 B ut he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

But He, full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not; yes, many a time He turned His anger away and did not stir up all His wrath and indignation.

39 F or he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

For He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that goes and does not return.

40 H ow oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

How often they defied and rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!

41 Y ea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

And time and again they turned back and tempted God, provoking and incensing the Holy One of Israel.

42 T hey remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

They remembered not His hand, nor the day when He delivered them from the enemy,

43 H ow he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:

How He wrought His miracles in Egypt and His wonders in the field of Zoan

44 a nd had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.

And turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink from them.

45 H e sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

He sent swarms of flies among them which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them.

46 H e gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.

He gave also their crops to the caterpillar and their labor to the locust.

47 H e destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.

He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore trees with frost and ice.

48 H e gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

He gave them up also to the hail and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 H e cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

He let loose upon them the fierceness of His anger, His wrath and indignation and distress, by sending angels of calamity and woe among them.

50 H e made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

He leveled and made a straight path for His anger; He did not spare from death but gave their beasts over to the pestilence and the life over to the plague.

51 a nd smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.

52 b ut made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

But led His own people forth like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.

53 A nd he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

And He led them on safely and in confident trust, so that they feared not; but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

54 A nd he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

And He brought them to His holy border, the border of His sanctuary, even to this mountain which His right hand had acquired.

55 H e cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.

He drove out the nations also before and allotted their land as a heritage, measured out and partitioned; and He made the tribes of Israel to dwell in the tents of those dispossessed.

56 Y et they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

Yet they tempted and provoked and rebelled against the Most High God and kept not His testimonies.

57 b ut turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

But they turned back and dealt unfaithfully and treacherously like their fathers; they were twisted like a warped and deceitful bow.

58 F or they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.

For they provoked Him to anger with their high places and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.

59 W hen God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

When God heard this, He was full of wrath; and He utterly rejected Israel, greatly abhorring and loathing,

60 s o that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;

So that He forsook the tabernacle at Shiloh, the tent in which He had dwelt among men,

61 a nd delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.

And delivered His strength and power (the ark of the covenant) into captivity, and His glory into the hands of the foe (the Philistines).

62 H e gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.

He gave His people over also to the sword and was wroth with His heritage.

63 T he fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.

The fire devoured their young men, and their bereaved virgins were not praised in a wedding song.

64 T heir priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.

Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.

65 T hen the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.

Then the Lord awakened as from sleep, as a strong man whose consciousness of power is heightened by wine.

66 A nd he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.

And He smote His adversaries in the back; He put them to lasting shame and reproach.

67 M oreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:

Moreover, He rejected the tent of Joseph and chose not the tribe of Ephraim.

68 b ut chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved.

69 A nd he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.

And He built His sanctuary like the heights and like the earth which He established forever.

70 H e chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:

He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;

71 f rom following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

From tending the ewes that had their young He brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob His people, of Israel His inheritance.

72 S o he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

So was their shepherd with an upright heart; he guided them by the discernment and skillfulness his hands.