Approaching God with Fear

1  שְׁמֹ֣ר (Guard) רַגְלֶיךָ (your feet) כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר (when) תֵּלֵךְ֙ (you walk) אֶל־ (to) בֵּ֣ית (the house) הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים (of God), וְקָר֣וֹב (and drawing near) לִשְׁמֹ֔עַ (to listen) מִתֵּ֥ת (is above giving) הַכְּסִילִ֖ים (of fools) זָ֑בַח (the sacrifice); כִּֽי־ (for) אֵינָ֥ם (there are none of them) יוֹדְעִ֖ים (knowing) לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (they do) רָֽע׃ (evil). 2  אַל־ (Not) תְּבַהֵ֨ל (do be rash) עַל־ (with) פִּ֜יךָ (your mouth), וְלִבְּךָ֧ (and your heart) אַל־ (do not) יְמַהֵ֛ר (let it hurry) לְהוֹצִ֥יא (to bring out) דָבָ֖ר (a word) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (God). כִּ֣י (For) הָאֱלֹהִ֤ים (God is) בַּשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ (in the heavens), וְאַתָּ֣ה (and you) עַל־ (are upon) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the earth); עַֽל־ (upon) כֵּ֛ן (thus) יִהְי֥וּ (let be) דְבָרֶ֖יךָ (your words) מְעַטִּֽים׃ (few).

3  כִּ֛י (For) בָּ֥א (comes) הַחֲל֖וֹם (a dream) בְּרֹ֣ב (with an abundance) עִנְיָ֑ן (of business),

וְק֥וֹל (so the voice) כְּסִ֖יל (of a fool) בְּרֹ֥ב (with an abundance) דְּבָרִֽים׃ (of words).

4  כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ (When) תִּדֹּ֨ר (you vow) נֶ֜דֶר (a vow) לֵֽאלֹהִ֗ים (to God), אַל־ (not) תְּאַחֵר֙ (should you delay) לְשַׁלְּמ֔וֹ (to fulfill it) כִּ֛י (for) אֵ֥ין (there is no) חֵ֖פֶץ (delight) בַּכְּסִילִ֑ים (in fools). אֵ֥ת (-) אֲשֶׁר־ (What) תִּדֹּ֖ר (you have vowed), שַׁלֵּֽם׃ (you must fulfill). 5  ט֖וֹב (Better) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) לֹֽא־ (not) תִדֹּ֑ר (you did vow), מִשֶׁתִּדּ֖וֹר (than that you vow) וְלֹ֥א (and not) תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃ (fulfill it).

6  אַל־ (Do not) תִּתֵּ֤ן (give) אֶת־ (-) פִּ֙יךָ֙ (your mouth) לַחֲטִ֣יא (to cause to sin) אֶת־ (-) בְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָ (your flesh), וְאַל־ (and not) תֹּאמַר֙ (do say) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) הַמַּלְאָ֔ךְ (the messenger) כִּ֥י (that) שְׁגָגָ֖ה (an error) הִ֑יא (it was). לָ֣מָּה (Why) יִקְצֹ֤ף (should be angry) הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (God) עַל־ (concerning) קוֹלֶ֔ךָ (your voice), וְחִבֵּ֖ל (and destroy) אֶת־ (-) מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה (the work) יָדֶֽיךָ׃ (of your hands)? 7  כִּ֣י (For) בְרֹ֤ב (in an abundance) חֲלֹמוֹת֙ (of dreams) וַהֲבָלִ֔ים (vapors) וּדְבָרִ֖ים (and words) הַרְבֵּ֑ה (abound); כִּ֥י (but) אֶת־ (-) הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) יְרָֽא׃ (you must fear).

The Futility of Wealth
(Psalm 49:1–20)

8  אִם־ (If) עֹ֣שֶׁק (the oppression) רָ֠שׁ (of the poor) וְגֵ֨זֶל (and the robbing) מִשְׁפָּ֤ט (of justice) וָצֶ֙דֶק֙ (and righteousness) תִּרְאֶ֣ה (you see) בַמְּדִינָ֔ה (in a province), אַל־ (not) תִּתְמַ֖הּ (should you be astonished) עַל־ (concerning) הַחֵ֑פֶץ (the matter); כִּ֣י (for) גָבֹ֜הַּ (one higher) מֵעַ֤ל (over) גָּבֹ֙הַ֙ (a high one) שֹׁמֵ֔ר (is watching), וּגְבֹהִ֖ים (and higher ones) עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (over them). 9  וְיִתְר֥וֹן (And This even gain for) אֶ֖רֶץ (the land) בַּכֹּ֣ל (in every way) הִיא (it is); מֶ֥לֶךְ (a king) לְשָׂדֶ֖ה (by the field) נֶעֱבָֽד׃ (is served).

10  אֹהֵ֥ב (The one loving) כֶּ֙סֶף֙ (silver) לֹא־ (not) יִשְׂבַּ֣ע (will be satisfied) כֶּ֔סֶף (with silver); וּמִֽי־ (and he who) אֹהֵ֥ב (loves) בֶּהָמ֖וֹן (increase), לֹ֣א (not) תְבוּאָ֑ה (with increase). גַּם־ (Also) זֶ֖ה (this) הָֽבֶל׃ (is vapor). 11  בִּרְבוֹת֙ (In the multiplying) הַטּוֹבָ֔ה (of good) רַבּ֖וּ (are multiplied) אוֹכְלֶ֑יהָ (those devouring it); וּמַה־ (and what) כִּשְׁרוֹן֙ (profit is) לִבְעָלֶ֔יהָ (for its owners) כִּ֖י (-) אִם־ (but) רְאִיַּת (the beholding) עֵינָֽיו׃ (with his eyes)?

12  מְתוּקָה֙ (Sweet is) שְׁנַ֣ת (the sleep) הָעֹבֵ֔ד (of the one working), אִם־ (whether) מְעַ֥ט (little) וְאִם־ (or) הַרְבֵּ֖ה (much) יֹאכֵ֑ל (he eats); וְהַשָּׂבָע֙ (and the satsifaction) לֶֽעָשִׁ֔יר (of the rich one) אֵינֶ֛נּוּ (not) מַנִּ֥יחַֽ (will allow rest) ל֖וֹ (for him) לִישֽׁוֹן׃ (to sleep).

13  יֵ֚שׁ (There is) רָעָ֣ה (an evil) חוֹלָ֔ה (sickening) רָאִ֖יתִי (I have seen) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun): עֹ֛שֶׁר (Riches) שָׁמ֥וּר (guarded) לִבְעָלָ֖יו (for their owner), לְרָעָתֽוֹ׃ (to his harm). 14  וְאָבַ֛ד (And perished) הָעֹ֥שֶׁר (wealth) הַה֖וּא (that) בְּעִנְיַ֣ן (in a business) רָ֑ע (of evil), וְהוֹלִ֣יד (and he begets) בֵּ֔ן (a son) וְאֵ֥ין (and there is not) בְּיָד֖וֹ (in his hand) מְאֽוּמָה׃ (anything).

15  כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר (As) יָצָא֙ (he came forth) מִבֶּ֣טֶן (from the womb) אִמּ֔וֹ (of his mother) עָר֛וֹם (naked), יָשׁ֥וּב (shall he return) לָלֶ֖כֶת (to go) כְּשֶׁבָּ֑א (as he came), וּמְא֙וּמָה֙ (and) לֹא־ (nothing) יִשָּׂ֣א (he shall carry) בַעֲמָל֔וֹ (for his toil) שֶׁיֹּלֵ֖ךְ (to go) בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (in his hand). 16  וְגַם־ (And also) זֹה֙ (this) רָעָ֣ה (is an evil) חוֹלָ֔ה (sickening): כָּל־ (Exactly) עֻמַּ֥ת (as) שֶׁבָּ֖א (he came), כֵּ֣ן (so) יֵלֵ֑ךְ (shall he go). וּמַה־ (And what) יִּתְר֣וֹן (profit) ל֔וֹ (is for him) שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל (who has toiled) לָרֽוּחַ׃ (for the wind)? 17  גַּ֥ם (Even) כָּל־ (all) יָמָ֖יו (his days) בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ (in darkness) יֹאכֵ֑ל (he will eat), וְכָעַ֥ס (and having sorrow) הַרְבֵּ֖ה (abounding), וְחָלְי֥וֹ (and sickness) וָקָֽצֶף׃ (and anger).

18  הִנֵּ֞ה (Behold) אֲשֶׁר־ (what) רָאִ֣יתִי (have seen) אָ֗נִי (I): ט֣וֹב (To be good) אֲשֶׁר־ (that which) יָפֶ֣ה (is beautiful) לֶֽאֶכוֹל־ (to eat) וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹת (and to drink) וְלִרְא֨וֹת (and to see) טוֹבָ֜ה (good) בְּכָל־ (in all) עֲמָל֣וֹ׀ (his toil) שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל (that he toils) תַּֽחַת־ (under) הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ (the sun) מִסְפַּ֧ר (all) יְמֵי־ (the days) חַיָּו (his life), אֲשֶׁר־ (that) נָֽתַן־ (has given) ל֥וֹ (to him) הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (God)— כִּי־ (for) ה֥וּא (it is) חֶלְקֽוֹ׃ (his portion).

19  גַּ֣ם (Also) כָּֽל־ (every) הָאָדָ֡ם (man) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (for whom) נָֽתַן־ (has given) ל֣וֹ (to him) הָאֱלֹהִים֩ (God) עֹ֨שֶׁר (riches) וּנְכָסִ֜ים (and wealth), וְהִשְׁלִיט֨וֹ (and given him power) לֶאֱכֹ֤ל (to eat) מִמֶּ֙נּוּ֙ (from it), וְלָשֵׂ֣את (and to receive) אֶת־ (-) חֶלְק֔וֹ (his portion), וְלִשְׂמֹ֖חַ (and to rejoice) בַּעֲמָל֑וֹ (in his toil); זֹ֕ה (this), מַתַּ֥ת (a gift) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (of God) הִֽיא׃ (it is). 20  כִּ֚י (For) לֹ֣א (not) הַרְבֵּ֔ה (much) יִזְכֹּ֖ר (shall he remember) אֶת־ (-) יְמֵ֣י (the days) חַיָּ֑יו (of his life), כִּ֧י (because) הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים (God) מַעֲנֶ֖ה (occupies him) בְּשִׂמְחַ֥ת (with the joy) לִבּֽוֹ׃ (of his heart).