1 أ نا هُوَ الرَّجُلُ المُتَألِّمُ! لَمّا ضَرَبَنِي اللهُ بِعَصا غَضَبِهِ.

I am the man who has been suffering because of the power of God’s anger.

2 س اقَنِي وَأجبَرَنِي عَلَى المَسِيرِ فِي الظُّلْمَةِ، لا فِي النُّورِ.

He has led me and brought me into darkness and not into light.

3 ل َطَمَنِي بِيَدِهِ مَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ، طَوالَ اليَوْمِ.

For sure He has turned His hand against me again and again all day long.

4 أ بلَى لَحمِي وَجِلْدِي، وَكَسَّرَ عِظامِي.

He has made my flesh and my skin waste away. He has broken my bones.

5 ح َشَدَ اللهُ جُيُوشاً ضِدِّي، وَحاصَرَنِي بِالفَقْرِ وَالتَّعَبِ.

He has shut me in with trouble and suffering.

6 أ جلَسَنِي فِي ظُلْمَةٍ كَثِيفَةٍ كَما المَوْتَى مُنْذُ القِدَمِ.

He has made me live in dark places, like those who have been dead a long time.

7 ب َنَى جِداراً حَولِي لِئَلّا أهرُبَ، وَوَضَعَ عَلَيَّ سَلاسِلَ ثَقِيلَةً.

He has put a wall around me so that I cannot go out. He has put heavy chains on me.

8 ص َرَخْتُ وَاستَغَثْتُ، لَكِنَّهُ تَجاهَلَ صَلاتِي.

Even when I cry and call for help, he shuts out my prayer.

9 س َوَّرَ طُرُقِي بِحِجارَةٍ مَنحُوتَةٍ. عَوَّجَ سُبُلِي.

He has stopped me with blocks of stone. He has made my paths no longer straight.

10 ي َتَرَبَّصُ بِي كَدُبٍّ، كَأسَدٍ فِي مَكْمَنِهِ.

He is like a bear lying in wait, like a lion hiding in secret places.

11 ط ارَدَنِي وَأبعَدَنِي عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ، مَزَّقَنِي إرَباً. وَتَرَكَنِي خَراباً.

He has turned me from the path and torn me to pieces. He has destroyed me.

12 ح َنَى قَوْسَهُ، وَنَصَبَنِي هَدَفاً لِسِهامِهِ.

He used His bow, and set me as a mark for His arrow.

13 أ صابَ كُلْيَتَيَّ بِسِهامٍ سَحَبَها مِنْ جُعْبَتِهِ.

He has taken out His arrows and sent them into my heart.

14 ص ِرْتُ أُضحُوكَةً لِكُلِّ شَعبِي، وَأُغنِيَةً يَتَسَلُّونَ بِها طَوالَ اليَوْمِ.

All my people laugh at me. They sing songs that make fun of me all day long.

15 م َلأنِي بِكُلِّ مَرارَةٍ، وَسَقانِي أمَرَّ شَرابٍ.

He has filled me with bitter feelings. He has made me drunk with wormwood.

16 أ عطانِي حَصَىً لِأمضَغَ فَتَفَتَّتَتْ أسنانِي. سَحَقَنِي فِي التُّرابِ بِقَدَمَيهِ.

He has broken my teeth with rocks, and has covered me with dust.

17 م َنَعَ عَنْ نَفسِيَ السَّلامَ. وَنَسِيتُ ما هُوَ «الخَيرُ.»

Peace has left my soul. I have forgotten what it is like to be happy.

18 ق ُلْتُ لِنَفْسِي: «ضاعَ نَصْرِي الَّذِي رَجَوْتُهُ! لَنْ يُنقِذَنِي اللهُ.»

So I say, “My strength is gone, and so has my hope from the Lord.”

19 أ تَذَكَّرُ ألَمِي وَتَشَرُّدِي، كَسُمٍّ وَمَرارَةٍ.

Remember my trouble and my traveling from place to place, the wormwood and bitter feelings.

20 ت َتَذَكَّرُ نَفسِي حَقّاً كُلَّ مَتاعِبِي، فَتَكتَئِبُ.

I remember it always, and my soul bows down within me.

21 ل َكِنِّي أتَذَكَّرُ شَيئاً آخَرَ، فَيَتَوَّلَّدُ فِيَّ رَجاءٌ.

But this I remember, and so I have hope.

22 إ حساناتُ اللهِ لا تَتَوَقَّفُ، وَمَراحِمُهُ لا تَنْتَهِي.

It is because of the Lord’s loving-kindness that we are not destroyed for His loving-pity never ends.

23 ف َهِيَ جَدِيدَةٌ مَعَ كُلِّ صَباحٍ. عَظِيمَةٌ أمانَتُكَ.

It is new every morning. He is so very faithful.

24 ن َفسيِ تَقُولُ: « اللهُ قِسْمَتِي.» وَلِهَذا أنتَظِرُهُ وَأضَعُ رَجائِي فِيهِ.

“The Lord is my share.” says my soul, “so I have hope in Him.”

25 ص الِحٌ هُوَ اللهُ لِمَنْ يَنتَظِرُهُ. صالِحٌ لِلَّذِي يَطلُبُهُ.

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the one who looks for Him.

26 ح َسَنٌ لِلمَرْءِ أنْ يَرجُوَ بِهُدُوءٍ خَلاصَ اللهِ.

It is good that one should be quiet and wait for the saving power of the Lord.

27 ح َسَنٌ لِلرَّجُلِ أنْ يَحمِلَ المَسؤُولِيَّةَ فِي شَبابِهِ.

It is good for a man to carry the load while he is young.

28 أ نْ يَجلِسَ وَحدَهُ وَيَسكُتَ، عِندَما يَضَعُ اللهُ المَسؤُولِيَّةَ عَلَيهِ.

Let him sit alone and be quiet when God has laid the load on him.

29 أ نْ يَضَعَ فَمَهُ فِي التُّرابِ مُنكَسِراً، فَلَعَلَّهُ يَكُونُ لَهُ رَجاءٌ.

Let him put his mouth in the dust. There may be hope yet.

30 أ نْ يُعطِيَ خَدَّهُ لِلَّذِي يَضرِبُهُ، وَيَشْبَعَ مَهانَةً.

Let him give his face to the one who hits him, and be filled with shame.

31 ل ِأنَّ الرَّبَّ لا يَرفُضُ البَشَرَ إلَى الأبَدِ.

For the Lord will not turn away from a man forever.

32 ل ِأنَّهُ وَلَوْ ابتَلَى يُظهِرُ الرَّحمَةَ أيضاً، بِحَسَبِ فَيْضِ مَحَبَّتِهِ الثَّابِتَةِ.

For if He causes sorrow, He will have loving-pity because of His great loving-kindness.

33 ل ِأنَّهُ لا يُؤذِيَ وَلا يُحزِنُ أحَدَا عَنْ طِيبِ خاطِرٍ.

He does not want to cause trouble or sorrow for the children of men.

34 ل ا يَفرَحُ حِينَ يَسحَقُ واحِداً مِنّا نَحنُ البَشَرَ المَحجُوزِينَ فِي الأرْضِ.

He is not pleased when all those on earth who are in prison are crushed under foot.

35 و َلا يَفرَحُ حِينَ يُعَوِّجُ أحَدُهُمُ العَدالَةَ وَيَغِشَّ آخَرَ أمامَ عَينَيهِ.

The Most High is not pleased when the rights are kept away from a man who is before Him,

36 ح ِينَ يُغتَصَبُ حَقُّ إنسانٌ فِي المَحكَمَةِ، ألا يَرَى الرَّبُّ ذَلِكَ؟

and when wrong is done to him in his cause. The Lord is not pleased with these things.

37 م َنِ الَّذِي يَقُولُ فَيَصِيرَ، إلّا إنْ أمَرَ اللهُ بِحُدُوثِهِ؟

Who has said that something would happen and then it did happen, unless the Lord has said that it should be?

38 أ لا تَخرُجُ بِأمْرِ العَلِيِّ الأُمُورُ السَّيِّئَةُ وَالحَسَنَةُ مَعاً؟

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and bad come?

39 ل ِماذا يَتَذَمَّرُ إنسانٌ حَيٌّ مِنْ مُعاقَبَتِهِ عَلَى خَطاياهُ؟

Why should any living man complain about the punishment of his sins?

40 ل ِنَفحَصْ سُلُوكَنا وَنُدَقِّقْ فِيهِ، وَلنَرجِعْ إلَى اللهِ.

Let us test and look over our ways, and return to the Lord.

41 ل ِنَرفَعْ قُلُوبَنا مَعَ أيدِينا إلَى اللهِ فِي السَّماواتِ.

Let us lift up our heart and hands to God in heaven, saying,

42 ت َمَرَّدْنا وَعَصَيْنا. وَأنتَ لَمْ تَغفِرْ لَنا.

“We have sinned and would not obey You, and You have not forgiven us.

43 غ َطَّيتَنا بِغَضَبِكَ وَطارَدْتَنا. قَتَلْتَ بِلا رَحمَةٍ.

You have covered Yourself with anger and have followed us, killing without pity.

44 ت َغَطَّيتَ بِسَحابَةٍ، مانِعاً كُلَّ صَلاةٍ مِنَ الوُصُولِ إلَيكَ.

You have covered Yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

45 ج َعَلْتَنا نَبدُو وَسَخاً وَقُمامَةً بَينَ شُعُوبٍ كَثِيرَةٍ.

You have made us a waste and something that is not wanted among the nations.

46 ي َفتَحُ أعداؤُنا كُلُّهُمْ أفواهَهُمْ عَلَينا مُستَهزِئِينَ.

All those who hate us have spoken against us.

47 و َقَعَ عَلَينا رُعبٌ وَخَطَرٌ، دَمارٌ وَهَلاكٌ.

Fear and a trap have come upon us. We are laid waste and destroyed.

48 ج َداوِلُ ماءٍ تَجرِي مِنْ عَينَيَّ بِسَبَبِ دَمارِ ابْنَةِ شَعبِي.

My eyes flow with rivers of tears because my people are destroyed.

49 ت َسكُبُ عَينِي دُمُوعاً بِلا انقِطاعٍ.

Tears flow from my eyes all the time without stopping,

50 س َأبكِي إلَى أنْ يَنظُرَ اللهُ مِنَ السَّماواتِ، وَيَرَى ما يَجرِي.

until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.

51 أ تعَسَتْ عَينِي نَفسِي بِسَبَبِ بُكائِي عَلَى مَدِينَتِي.

My eyes bring me suffering because of what is happening to all the women of my city.

52 ا لَّذِينَ عادُونِي دُونَ داعٍ، اصطادُونِي كَعُصْفُورٍ.

I have been hunted like a bird by those who hate me for no reason.

53 ح اوَلُوا أنْ يُنهُوا حَياتِي بِإلقائِي فِي هاوِيَةٍ. وَألقَوْا عَلَيَّ حِجارَةً.

They threw me alive into the deep hole and have put a stone on me.

54 ط َغَتِ المِياهُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِي، فَقُلْتُ: «انتَهَى أمرِي.»

Water flowed over my head, and I said, “I am cut off!”

55 ب ِاسْمِكَ أدعُو يا اللهُ مِنْ أعمَقِ حُفرَةٍ.

I called on Your name, O Lord, out of the deep hole.

56 أ تَوَسَّلُ إلَيكَ فَاسْمَعْ. وَلا تَسُدَّ أُذُنَيكَ عَنْ تَنَهُّدِي وَاسْتِغاثَتِي!

You have heard my voice. Do not close Your ears to my cry for help.

57 ا قتَرِبْ حِينَ أدعُوكَ. قُلْ لِي: «لا تَخَفْ.»

You came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not be afraid!”

58 ت َوَلَّ قَضِيَّتِي يا رَبُّ. افْدِ حَياتِي!

You have helped me in my cause, O Lord. You have saved my life.

59 ا نظُرْ يا اللهُ كَيفَ ظُلِمْتُ. اقْضِ لِي بِالعَدلِ.

O Lord, You have seen the wrong done to me. Judge in my favor.

60 ا نظُرْ كُلَّ أعمالِ انتِقامِهِمْ، كُلَّ مُؤامَراتِهِمْ عَلَيَّ!

You have seen how much they hate me and plan against me.

61 ا سْمَعْ يا اللهُ تَعيِيرَهُمْ، كُلَّ مُؤامَراتِهِمْ عَلَيَّ!

O Lord, You have heard how they put me to shame and how they work against me.

62 ط َوالَ النَّهارِ يَتَكَلَّمُ أعدائِي عَلَيَّ وَيُطلِقُونَ الشّائِعاتِ.

The lips and thoughts of those who hurt me are against me all day long.

63 ه ا أنا قَدْ أصبَحتُ أُغنِيَتَهُمُ الَّتِي يَتَنَدَّرُونَ بِها، مِنَ الفَجرِ إلَى الغَسَقِ.

Watch their sitting down and standing up. I am their song as they make fun of me.

64 ل َيتَكَ يا اللهُ تُجازِيهِمْ حَسْبَ ما فَعَلَتْهُ أيادِيهِمْ.

O Lord, You will punish them for what they have done.

65 ض َعْ عَذاباً فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلْتَكُنْ عَلَيهِمْ لَعنَتُكَ.

You will give them hard hearts, and curse them.

66 ط ارِدْهُمْ بِغَضَبِكَ، وَافنِهِمْ مِنْ تَحتِ سَماواتِ اللهِ.

Go after them in anger and destroy them from under Your heavens, O Lord.