(To the choir-master. Melody: The Lily of the Law. Of Asaph. A psalm.)

In finem, pro iis qui commutabuntur. Testimonium Asaph, psalmus.

Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, a testimony for Asaph, a psalm.

Give audience, thou that art the guide of Israel, that leadest Joseph with a shepherd’s care. Thou who art enthroned above the Cherubim,

Qui regis Israël, intende; qui deducis velut ovem Joseph. Qui sedes super cherubim, manifestare

Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Thou that sittest upon the cherubims, shine forth

reveal thyself to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses; exert thy sovereign strength, and come to our aid.

coram Ephraim, Benjamin, et Manasse. Excita potentiam tuam, et veni, ut salvos facias nos.

before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses. Stir up thy might, and come to save us.

O God, restore us to our own; smile upon us, and we shall find deliverance.

Deus, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.

Convert us, O God: and shew us thy face, and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts, wilt thou always turn away in anger from thy servants’ prayer;

Domine Deus virtutum, quousque irasceris super orationem servi tui?

O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy servant?

daily wilt thou allot us, for food, for drink, only the full measure of our tears?

cibabis nos pane lacrimarum, et potum dabis nobis in lacrimis in mensura?

How long wilt thou feed us with the bread of tears: and give us for our drink tears in measure?

Thou hast made us a coveted prize to our neighbours, enemies mock at our ill fortune!

Posuisti nos in contradictionem vicinis nostris, et inimici nostri subsannaverunt nos.

Thou hast made us to be a contradiction to our neighbours: and our enemies have scoffed at us.

O God of hosts, restore us to our own; smile upon us, and we shall find deliverance.

Deus virtutum, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.

O God of hosts, convert us: and shew thy face, and we shall be saved.

Long ago, thou didst bring a vine out of Egypt, rooting out the heathen to plant it here;

Vineam de Ægypto transtulisti: ejecisti gentes, et plantasti eam.

Thou hast brought a vineyard out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the Gentiles and planted it.

thou didst prepare the way for its spreading, and it took root where thou hadst planted it, filled the whole land.

Dux itineris fuisti in conspectu ejus; plantasti radices ejus, et implevit terram.

Thou wast the guide of its journey in its sight: thou plantedst the roots thereof, and it filled the land.

How it overshadowed the hills, how the cedars, divinely tall, were overtopped by its branches!

Operuit montes umbra ejus, et arbusta ejus cedros Dei.

The shadow of it covered the hills: and the branches thereof the cedars of God.

It spread out its tendrils to the sea, its shoots as far as the great river.

Extendit palmites suos usque ad mare, et usque ad flumen propagines ejus.

It stretched forth its branches unto the sea, and its boughs unto the river.

Why is it that in these days thou hast levelled its wall, for every passer-by to rob it of its fruit?

Ut quid destruxisti maceriam ejus, et vindemiant eam omnes qui prætergrediuntur viam?

Why hast thou broken down the hedge thereof, so that all they who pass by the way do pluck it?

See how the wild boar ravages it, how it gives pasture to every beast that roams!

Exterminavit eam aper de silva, et singularis ferus depastus est eam.

The boar out of the wood hath laid it waste: and a singular wild beast hath devoured it.

God of hosts, relent, look down from heaven, look to this vine, that needs thy care.

Deus virtutum, convertere, respice de cælo, et vide, et visita vineam istam:

Turn again, O God of hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard:

Revive the stock which thy own hand has planted, branches that by thee throve, and throve for thee.

et perfice eam quam plantavit dextera tua, et super filium hominis quem confirmasti tibi.

And perfect the same which thy right hand hath planted: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.

Death be in thy frown for the men that have cut it down and burned it.

Incensa igni et suffossa, ab increpatione vultus tui peribunt.

Things set on fire and dug down shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

Thy chosen friends, a race by thee thriving, and thriving for thee, O let thy hand protect them still!

Fiat manus tua super virum dexteræ tuæ, et super filium hominis quem confirmasti tibi.

Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand: and upon the son of man whom thou hast confirmed for thyself.

Henceforth we will never forsake thee; grant us life, and we will live only to invoke thy name.

Et non discedimus a te: vivificabis nos, et nomen tuum invocabimus.

And we depart not from thee, thou shalt quicken us: and we will call upon thy name.

Lord God of hosts, restore us to our own; smile upon us, and we shall find deliverance.

Domine Deus virtutum, converte nos, et ostende faciem tuam, et salvi erimus.

O Lord God of hosts, convert us: and shew thy face, and we shall be saved.