| JPS | Alter | Fox | Friedman | Hebrew | |
| 1 |
Give ear, O heavens, let me speak; Let the earth hear the words I utter! |
Give ear, O heavens, that I may speak, and let the earth hear my mouth's utterances. |
Give ear, O heavens, that I may speak, hear, O earth, the utterance of my mouth. |
Listen, skies, so I may speak and let the earth hear what my mouth says. |
הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וַאֲדַבֵּ֑רָה וְתִשְׁמַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ אִמְרֵי־פִֽי |
| 2 |
May my discourse come down as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, Like showers on young growth, Like droplets on the grass. |
Let my teaching drop like rain, my saying flow like dew, like showers on the green and like cloudbursts on the grass. |
Let my teaching drip like rain, let my words flow like dew, like droplets on new-growth, like showers on grass. |
Let my teaching come down like showers; let my saying emerge like dew, like raindrops on plants and like rainfalls on herbs. |
יַעֲרֹ֤ף כַּמָּטָר֙ לִקְחִ֔י תִּזַּ֥ל כַּטַּ֖ל אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּשְׂעִירִ֣ם עֲלֵי־דֶ֔שֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵֽשֶׂב׃ |
| 3 |
For the name of the LORD I proclaim; Give glory to our God! |
For the name of the LORD do I call. Hail greatness for our God. |
For the name of YHWH I proclaim, give greatness to our God! |
When I call YHWH's name, avow our God's greatness. |
כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֶקְרָ֑א הָב֥וּ גֹ֖דֶל לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ |
| 4 |
The Rock!--His deeds are perfect, Yea, all His ways are just; A faithful God, never false, True and upright is He. |
The Rock, His acts are perfect, for all His ways are justice. A steadfast God without wrong, true and right is He. |
The Rock, whole-and-perfect are his deeds, for all his ways are just. A God steadfast, (with) no corruption, equitable and upright is he. |
The Rock: His work is unblemished, for all His ways are judgment. A God of trust, and without injustice, He's virtuous and right. |
הַצּוּר֙ תָּמִ֣ים פָּעֳל֔וֹ כִּ֥י כָל־דְּרָכָ֖יו מִשְׁפָּ֑ט אֵ֤ל אֱמוּנָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין עָ֔וֶל צַדִּ֥יק וְיָשָׁ֖ר הֽוּא |
| 5 |
Children unworthy of Him-- That crooked, perverse generation-- Their baseness has played Him false. |
Did He act ruinously? No, his sons' the fault -- A perverse and twisted brood. |
His children have wrought-ruin toward him--a defect in them, a generation crooked and twisted! |
It corrupted at Him--not His children, their flaw-- a crooked and twisted generation. |
שִׁחֵ֥ת ל֛וֹ לֹ֖א בָּנָ֣יו מוּמָ֑ם דּ֥וֹר עִקֵּ֖שׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל |
| 6 |
Do you thus requite the LORD, O dull and witless people? Is not He the Father who created you, Fashioned you and made you endure! |
To the LORD will you requite thus, base and unwise people? Is He not your father, your shaper, He made you and set you unshaken? |
(Is it) YHWH whom you (thus) pay back, O people foolish and not wise? Is he not your faither, your creator, he (who) made you and established you? |
Is it to YHWH that you repay like this?! Foolish people and unwise! Isn't He your father, who created you, He who made you and reared you? |
הֲלַיְהוָה֙ תִּגְמְלוּ־זֹ֔את עַ֥ם נָבָ֖ל וְלֹ֣א חָכָ֑ם הֲלוֹא־הוּא֙ אָבִ֣יךָ קָּנֶ֔ךָ ה֥וּא עָֽשְׂךָ֖ וַֽיְכֹנְנֶֽךָ |
...The song, which may predate Deuteronomy, may have been placed here as a traditional poem that meaningfully deals with catastrophe (Tigay). Despite the obscurity of some of its phrases, it stands as a witness to Israel's self-understanding, albeit a negative one. (Fox)
Verse 1
Alter. The high stylistic solemnity of the poem is signaled by a formal beginning (verses 1-2) that calls attention the the poet's own act of uttering sublime speech....
The Song of Moses...is certainly older than the body of Deuteronomy, though how much older is a matter of scholarly debate.... On stylistic grounds, then, the poem--or at least much of it--could be as early as the period of the Judges, that is, the eleventh century B.C.E.
Chatam Sofer (1762-1839). The term "heavens" refers to people who are more spiritually inclined, and "earth" is a reference to those who are more concerned with the temporal, mundane aspects of life. If the first group will "give ear" to God, then the second group will follow suit and "hear the words" of God's instruction.
Alter. The high stylistic solemnity of the poem is signaled by a formal beginning (verses 1-2) that calls attention the the poet's own act of uttering sublime speech....
The Song of Moses...is certainly older than the body of Deuteronomy, though how much older is a matter of scholarly debate.... On stylistic grounds, then, the poem--or at least much of it--could be as early as the period of the Judges, that is, the eleventh century B.C.E.
Chatam Sofer (1762-1839). The term "heavens" refers to people who are more spiritually inclined, and "earth" is a reference to those who are more concerned with the temporal, mundane aspects of life. If the first group will "give ear" to God, then the second group will follow suit and "hear the words" of God's instruction.
Verse 2
JPS. The poem expresses the hope and expectation that its words--its demonstration of God's justice in all His dealings with Israel--will be received as eagerly as the rain is welcomed and have the same life-giving effect....
My discourse.
Rain - commentaries
Ibn Ezra. Moses prayed that his words would be like the dew and the rain--that they would "water the earth," meaning, that his words should enter the hearts of those who hear him, with the effect of the rain upon the earth, causing it to give birth and to sprout with growth.
S'fat Emet. For within every Jew there is a vital spark, and this spark must be awakened by Torah--like the earth, which contains the power to bring forth fruits and vegetables, and the rain awakens this power. For this reason the human אדם adam is named after the earth אדמה adamah.
Rabbi S. Z. Ulman. Everyone knows that there can be speaking words, which is hard, and talking, which is soft. Some plants thrive on heavy rainfall while others thrive on occasional showers.
And corresponding to them are people who only need compassion while others need stern justice. Some need gentle speaking; others require hard talk. Each one receives what is best according to his or her needs
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner: Our teacher, R. Solomon Ulman, is intrigued by the kind of words that Moses describes in referring to his own speech. What is actually meant by such a description?
The poetry works. Words, like rain, can be soft like morning dew that gently offers itself the earth's vegetation, tending to its growth. Or words can be like torrential rains that destroy and uproot.
Just as plants need different rains to nurture their growth, people need different words as well. There are times when gentle speech is required and there are times when harsh words of rebuke are needed. Know well the kind of words needed and speak them well, warns our teacher. All words, when properly delivered, are of the living God.
JPS. The poem expresses the hope and expectation that its words--its demonstration of God's justice in all His dealings with Israel--will be received as eagerly as the rain is welcomed and have the same life-giving effect....
My discourse.
- Others, "instruction, teaching, doctrine." (Plaut)
- teaching. Literally "what is received." (Fox)
- Hebrew lekah, "teaching," is derived from lakah, "take"; its basic sense may be "what is grasped by the mind."
- So will God's teachings nourish the soul of Israel. (Plaut)
- cloudbursts. The only thing certain about the unique Hebrew noun se'irim is that it has to be some form of precipitation. If it is cognate with se'arah, "storm," then "cloudburst" would be a likely meaning. (Alter)
Rain - commentaries
Ibn Ezra. Moses prayed that his words would be like the dew and the rain--that they would "water the earth," meaning, that his words should enter the hearts of those who hear him, with the effect of the rain upon the earth, causing it to give birth and to sprout with growth.
S'fat Emet. For within every Jew there is a vital spark, and this spark must be awakened by Torah--like the earth, which contains the power to bring forth fruits and vegetables, and the rain awakens this power. For this reason the human אדם adam is named after the earth אדמה adamah.
Rabbi S. Z. Ulman. Everyone knows that there can be speaking words, which is hard, and talking, which is soft. Some plants thrive on heavy rainfall while others thrive on occasional showers.
And corresponding to them are people who only need compassion while others need stern justice. Some need gentle speaking; others require hard talk. Each one receives what is best according to his or her needs
Rabbi Lawrence Kushner: Our teacher, R. Solomon Ulman, is intrigued by the kind of words that Moses describes in referring to his own speech. What is actually meant by such a description?
The poetry works. Words, like rain, can be soft like morning dew that gently offers itself the earth's vegetation, tending to its growth. Or words can be like torrential rains that destroy and uproot.
Just as plants need different rains to nurture their growth, people need different words as well. There are times when gentle speech is required and there are times when harsh words of rebuke are needed. Know well the kind of words needed and speak them well, warns our teacher. All words, when properly delivered, are of the living God.
Verse 3
give glory. Rather, "acknowledge God's greatness" (godel). Usually God's "greatness" refers to His great power. Here it seems to point to His great kindness and justice in dealing with Israel. (JPS)
give glory. Rather, "acknowledge God's greatness" (godel). Usually God's "greatness" refers to His great power. Here it seems to point to His great kindness and justice in dealing with Israel. (JPS)
Verses 4-6 state the thesis that God is entirely just and faithful while Israel is faithless, foolish, and ungrateful. (JPS)
Verse 4
This verse states the first main theme of the poem: God has treated Israel with complete justice. The adjectives used to describe God express the qualities of reliability and faithfulness. (JPS)
His deeds are perfect. This is, reliable, faithful. Literally Hebrew tamim means "whole," "unimpaired," "flawless." It frequently expresses the idea of unimpaired loyalty.... (JPS)
never false. Never faithless.
This verse states the first main theme of the poem: God has treated Israel with complete justice. The adjectives used to describe God express the qualities of reliability and faithfulness. (JPS)
His deeds are perfect. This is, reliable, faithful. Literally Hebrew tamim means "whole," "unimpaired," "flawless." It frequently expresses the idea of unimpaired loyalty.... (JPS)
never false. Never faithless.
Verse 5
Other translations:
JPS 1917 - Is corruption His? No; His children's is the blemish.
Plaut. Unworthy children--That crooked, perverse generation--Their baseness has played God false.
Mayes. He has dealt corruptly with Him not His children their blemish. (literal translation)
JPS. This verse states the second main theme of the poem: Israel, in contrast to God, is faithless and perfidious, a "crooked, perverse generation."
Alter. The Hebrew syntax here is impacted and hence the meaning obscure. This translation--like all others, only a guess at the sense of the original--follows the sequence of Hebrew words fairly literally.
Friedman. The noun, Hebrew mum, means an injury of the sort that make a man unacceptable for the priesthood, or an animal unacceptable for sacrifice. Here I understand it to be some such damage in humans' nature, as God and Moses have just said (31:21, 27, 29). It is not humans, "His children," as such, but rather this inherent shortcoming in the nature that brings about corruption in the eyes of the deity.
Unworthy children. לא בניו (lo banav), "[God's] no-children," in contrast to the actively engaged "father" in the next verse. (Plaut)
Da'at Zekenim. What Moses is explaining is that if His children, the Jewish people, perform corrupt deeds, it is not He who will suffer from this; the fallout of their evil deeds will leave a blemish on the children of those who have performed these deeds. They will bear the shame of the deeds of their fathers.
Rabbi Moses from Pontresia was bothered by the fact that if this interpretation is correct the Torah should have spelled the two words lo in the reverse manner, i.e. לא, לו. As a result, he interpreted the meaning as follows: “the blemish will not adhere to their children, but to them who have performed the corrupt deeds.”
Other translations:
JPS 1917 - Is corruption His? No; His children's is the blemish.
Plaut. Unworthy children--That crooked, perverse generation--Their baseness has played God false.
Mayes. He has dealt corruptly with Him not His children their blemish. (literal translation)
JPS. This verse states the second main theme of the poem: Israel, in contrast to God, is faithless and perfidious, a "crooked, perverse generation."
Alter. The Hebrew syntax here is impacted and hence the meaning obscure. This translation--like all others, only a guess at the sense of the original--follows the sequence of Hebrew words fairly literally.
Friedman. The noun, Hebrew mum, means an injury of the sort that make a man unacceptable for the priesthood, or an animal unacceptable for sacrifice. Here I understand it to be some such damage in humans' nature, as God and Moses have just said (31:21, 27, 29). It is not humans, "His children," as such, but rather this inherent shortcoming in the nature that brings about corruption in the eyes of the deity.
Unworthy children. לא בניו (lo banav), "[God's] no-children," in contrast to the actively engaged "father" in the next verse. (Plaut)
Da'at Zekenim. What Moses is explaining is that if His children, the Jewish people, perform corrupt deeds, it is not He who will suffer from this; the fallout of their evil deeds will leave a blemish on the children of those who have performed these deeds. They will bear the shame of the deeds of their fathers.
Rabbi Moses from Pontresia was bothered by the fact that if this interpretation is correct the Torah should have spelled the two words lo in the reverse manner, i.e. לא, לו. As a result, he interpreted the meaning as follows: “the blemish will not adhere to their children, but to them who have performed the corrupt deeds.”
Verse 6
JPS. The poem now addresses Israel directly, charging it with answering God's fatherly benefactions with ingratitude and rebellion.
Detached ה.
JPS. The poem now addresses Israel directly, charging it with answering God's fatherly benefactions with ingratitude and rebellion.
Detached ה.
- [Verse 6 begins with a ה that when written is detached from the word that follows.] This ה is the end of Moses' signature. If one takes the first letters of verses 1-6 (ה. ש. ה .כ. י. ה), they add up to 345 by way of gimatriyah; this matches the value of the letters in Moses' name (משה). In this way, Moses affixed his name to the book, ending his "signature" with the detached ה. (Midrash)
- The first letter (the Hebrew interrogative ה, which makes the line a question) is oversized in many manuscripts. This seems to underscore the question, to make it incredible: "You'd repay God this way?!" (Friedman)
- "Dull" - without knowledge of God; and "witless" (or wisdomless)--without the redeeming wisdom of Torah. (Chafetz Chayim)
- Targum Onkelos interprets "dull and witless people" as a nation that received the Torah but did not thereby become wise. Now the Midrash uses the word נבל (naval, dull) to mean "inferior variety" and says: Death, prophecy, and divine wisdom have inferior varieties. Sleep resembles but is not like death, and so are dreams an inferior reflection of prophecy, and Torah of divine wisdom. Hence a people that is naval is one that though it has received Torah falls short of divine wisdom and is לא חכם (lo chacham, witless). (The Gaon of Vilna)
- dull. Hebrew naval, "villain(ous)." As reflected in its combination with "witless" here, this word sometimes refers to the foolish attitudes of the villain. The villain feels safe because he is contemptuous of God, believing that He is inattentive to human events or powerless to affect them. Israel acts as if it shares this attitude. (JPS)