1 ل ِماذا، يا اللهُ ، تَبقَى بَعِيداً هَكَذا، صامِتاً فِي زَمانِ الضِّيقِ؟

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

2 ي ُخَطِّطُ الأشْرارُ المُتَكَبِّرُونَ للشَّرِّ. وَيَسقُطُ المَساكِينُ فِي فَخِّ مَكائِدِ الأشرارِ.

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

3 ح َقّاً يَفتَخِرُ الأشْرارُ بِرَغَباتِهِمِ الشِّرِّيرَةِ لِلَّذّاتِ. وَالجَشِعُونَ يَلْعَنُونَ وَيَحتَقِرُونَ اللهَ.

For 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.

4 ع ِندَما يَغْضَبُ الأشْرارُ، فَإنَّهُمْ لا يَطلُبُونَ فِي تَكَبُّرِهِمْ مَشُورَةَ اللهِ. لا مَكانَ للهِ فِي خُطَطِهِمْ.

The 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.

5 ي َفعَلُ الأشْرارُ دَوْماً أُمُوراً مُلتَوِيَةً. وَهُمْ لا يَرَوْنَ أحكامُكَ وَتَعلِيمَكَ. لَكِنَّكَ تَسْخَرُ بِهِمْ.

His 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.

6 ي َقُولُونَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إنَّهُمْ لَنْ يَفشَلُوا، وَلَنْ يَحدُثَ لَهُمْ سُوءٌ أبَداً.

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

7 أ فواهُهُمْ مَملوءَةٌ بِاللَّعَناتِ وَالمَكرِ وَالتَّهدِيدِ، وَتَحتَ ألسِنَتِهِمْ شَقاءٌ وَشَرٌّ.

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

8 ي َكمُنُونَ فِي الأزِقَّةِ لِيَغتالُوا الأبرِياءَ. يَقبَعُونَ فِي السِّرِّ مُتَرَقِّبِينَ مُرُورَ المَسْكِينِ.

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

9 ي َكمُنُونَ كَأسَدٍ فِي عَرِينِهِ. يَختَبِئُونَ لِيُمسِكُوا بِالمَساكِينِ. لِيُمسِكُوهُمْ وَيَجُرُّوهُمْ فِي شَبَكَتِهِمْ.

He 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.

10 ي َنطَرِحُ المَساكِينُ أيضاً مِنْ بَطشِ الأشرارِ.

is crushed, sinks down; and the helpless falls by his mighty.

11 ي َقُولُ المَساكِين فِي أنفُسِهِمْ: «اللهُ نَسِيَنا. يَتَجاهَلُنا وَلا يَرَى ما يَحدُثُ لَنا.»

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

12 ق ُمْ يا اللهُ. ارفَعْ يَدَكَ لِتُعاقِبَهُمْ. لا تَنْسَ المَساكِينَ.

Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand; forget not the humble.

13 ل ِماذا يُهِينُ الشِّريرُ اللهَ وَيَقُولُ لِنَفْسِهِ: «لَنْ يُحاسِبَنِي اللهُ عَلَى ما فَعَلْتُ»؟

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

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

You 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.

15 ا كسِرْ يا اللهُ ذِراعَ الشِّرِّيرِ! حَطِّمْ ما فَعَلَهُ مِنْ شَرٍّ فَلا يَبقَى لَهُ أثَرٌ!

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

16 ا للهُ مَلِكٌ إلَى أبَدِ الآبِدِينَ! وَسَتُقطَعُ الأُمَمُ الشِّرِّيرَةُ مِنْ أرْضِهِ!

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

17 ا سْمَعْ يا اللهُ مَطلَبَ المَساكِينِ المُتَّضِعِينَ. شَجِّعْهُمْ! اسْتَمِعْ إلَى صَلَواتِهِمْ.

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,

18 أ نصِفِ الأيتامَ وَالمُضطَهَدِينَ، فَلا يَعُودُ الإنْسانُ، الّذِي هُوَ مِنَ الأرْضِ، يُرْعِبُهُمْ.

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