1 W hy do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself, in times of trouble (distress and desperation)?

لِماذا، يا اللهُ ، تَبقَى بَعِيداً هَكَذا، صامِتاً فِي زَمانِ الضِّيقِ؟

2 T he wicked in pride and arrogance hotly pursue and persecute the poor; let them be taken in the schemes which they have devised.

يُخَطِّطُ الأشْرارُ المُتَكَبِّرُونَ للشَّرِّ. وَيَسقُطُ المَساكِينُ فِي فَخِّ مَكائِدِ الأشرارِ.

3 F or the wicked man boasts (sings the praises) of his own heart’s desire, and the one greedy for gain curses and spurns, yes, renounces and despises the Lord.

حَقّاً يَفتَخِرُ الأشْرارُ بِرَغَباتِهِمِ الشِّرِّيرَةِ لِلَّذّاتِ. وَالجَشِعُونَ يَلْعَنُونَ وَيَحتَقِرُونَ اللهَ.

4 T he wicked one in the pride of his countenance will not seek, inquire for, and yearn for God; all his thoughts are that there is no God.

عِندَما يَغْضَبُ الأشْرارُ، فَإنَّهُمْ لا يَطلُبُونَ فِي تَكَبُّرِهِمْ مَشُورَةَ اللهِ. لا مَكانَ للهِ فِي خُطَطِهِمْ.

5 H is ways are grievous at all times; Your judgments are far above and on high out of his sight; as for all his foes, he sniffs and sneers at them.

يَفعَلُ الأشْرارُ دَوْماً أُمُوراً مُلتَوِيَةً. وَهُمْ لا يَرَوْنَ أحكامُكَ وَتَعلِيمَكَ. لَكِنَّكَ تَسْخَرُ بِهِمْ.

6 H e thinks in his heart, I shall not be moved; for throughout all generations I shall not come to want or be in adversity.

يَقُولُونَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إنَّهُمْ لَنْ يَفشَلُوا، وَلَنْ يَحدُثَ لَهُمْ سُوءٌ أبَداً.

7 H is mouth is full of cursing, deceit, oppression (fraud); under his tongue are trouble and sin (mischief and iniquity).

أفواهُهُمْ مَملوءَةٌ بِاللَّعَناتِ وَالمَكرِ وَالتَّهدِيدِ، وَتَحتَ ألسِنَتِهِمْ شَقاءٌ وَشَرٌّ.

8 H e sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he slays the innocent; he watches stealthily for the poor (the helpless and unfortunate).

يَكمُنُونَ فِي الأزِقَّةِ لِيَغتالُوا الأبرِياءَ. يَقبَعُونَ فِي السِّرِّ مُتَرَقِّبِينَ مُرُورَ المَسْكِينِ.

9 H e lurks in secret places like a lion in his thicket; he lies in wait that he may seize the poor (the helpless and the unfortunate); he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.

يَكمُنُونَ كَأسَدٍ فِي عَرِينِهِ. يَختَبِئُونَ لِيُمسِكُوا بِالمَساكِينِ. لِيُمسِكُوهُمْ وَيَجُرُّوهُمْ فِي شَبَكَتِهِمْ.

10 i s crushed, sinks down; and the helpless falls by his mighty.

يَنطَرِحُ المَساكِينُ أيضاً مِنْ بَطشِ الأشرارِ.

11 t hinks in his heart, God has quite forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see.

يَقُولُ المَساكِين فِي أنفُسِهِمْ: «اللهُ نَسِيَنا. يَتَجاهَلُنا وَلا يَرَى ما يَحدُثُ لَنا.»

12 A rise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand; forget not the humble.

قُمْ يا اللهُ. ارفَعْ يَدَكَ لِتُعاقِبَهُمْ. لا تَنْسَ المَساكِينَ.

13 W hy does the wicked condemn (spurn and renounce) God? Why has he thought in his heart, You will not call to account?

لِماذا يُهِينُ الشِّريرُ اللهَ وَيَقُولُ لِنَفْسِهِ: «لَنْ يُحاسِبَنِي اللهُ عَلَى ما فَعَلْتُ»؟

14 Y ou have seen it; yes, You note trouble and grief (vexation) to requite it with Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.

لَكِنَّكَ تَرَى يا اللهُ ما يَحدُثُ. تَرَى كُلَّ الضِّيقِ وَالألَمِ! وَتَمُدُّ يَدَكَ لِتُساعِدَ البُؤَساءَ. أنتَ مُعِينُ مَنْ لا مُعِينَ لَهُ!

15 B reak the arm of the wicked man; and as for the evil man, search out his wickedness until You find no more.

اكسِرْ يا اللهُ ذِراعَ الشِّرِّيرِ! حَطِّمْ ما فَعَلَهُ مِنْ شَرٍّ فَلا يَبقَى لَهُ أثَرٌ!

16 T he Lord is King forever and ever; the nations will perish out of His land.

اللهُ مَلِكٌ إلَى أبَدِ الآبِدِينَ! وَسَتُقطَعُ الأُمَمُ الشِّرِّيرَةُ مِنْ أرْضِهِ!

17 O Lord, You have heard the desire and the longing of the humble and oppressed; You will prepare and strengthen and direct their hearts, You will cause Your ear to hear,

اسْمَعْ يا اللهُ مَطلَبَ المَساكِينِ المُتَّضِعِينَ. شَجِّعْهُمْ! اسْتَمِعْ إلَى صَلَواتِهِمْ.

18 T o do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man, who is of the earth, may not terrify them any more.

أنصِفِ الأيتامَ وَالمُضطَهَدِينَ، فَلا يَعُودُ الإنْسانُ، الّذِي هُوَ مِنَ الأرْضِ، يُرْعِبُهُمْ.