To Him Who grants victory,

a psalm by the sons of Korach.

Hear this all peoples,

listen all inhabitants of the decaying world!

Sons of Adam and sons of men,¹ “Men of low degree” or “Men without pedigree,” and b'nei ish, “Men of high degree” who can trace their ancestry to men of distinction.

footnotes: ¹ Others translate b'nei adam,

rich and poor together.

My mouth shall speak wisdom,

and the meditation of my heart

shall be of understanding.

I will incline my ear to a parable,

I will begin to solve,

to the accompaniment of a harp,

my riddle.

Why should I fear in the days of evil?

The iniquity I trod upon² surrounds me.

footnotes: ² These are the sins which a person considers trivial and commits out of carelessness, just as one who walks is not concerned if he steps on something small or insignificant.—S.R. Hirsch

Those who trust in their wealth

and take pride in their great riches.³

footnotes: ³ Those who trust in their wealth and glory in their great riches should be in fear.

A man will not redeem his brother

neither can he give to God his ransom.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ S.R. Hirsch translates, “And thus does not give to God his ransom.” They fail to use their riches to free their fellow men from want and care, and so neglect to pay God the ransom due Him for their own souls. Radak says even if he wanted to ransom his soul from God, he could not, for God does not accept bribes.

The redemption of their soul is too costly

and it shall cease⁵ to be forever.

footnotes: ⁵ Because they neglected their duty, their soul shall cease to be. They have done nothing to insure the perpetuation of their souls.—S.R. Hirsch

Shall he then live forever,

shall he never see the grave?

For he sees that wise men die,

the fools and senseless perish equally⁶

footnotes: ⁶ When the wise die, only their bodies pass away; but their souls live on. The foolish and senseless sinners perish completely, leaving no trace of body or soul.—Rashi, Radak

and leave their wealth to others.

Their inner⁷ as “their graves,” by transposing the letters to *kivrom.*Because they have no merits, the wicked will not arise at the time of resurrection and therefore, “Their graves are their houses forever” (Ibn Ezra). thoughts are

footnotes: ⁷ Some translate the word kirbom

that their houses [will last] forever,

their homes for generation after generation;

(for) they have proclaimed⁸ their names

footnotes: ⁸ They spread their names far and wide by erecting monuments and edifices and naming them after themselves. In this manner, they seek to fulfill their yearning for immortality.—S.R. Hirsch

throughout the lands.

But man does not endure in his splendor,

he is likened to the silenced animals.

This is their way—

their folly remains with them,

and [yet] their descendants

take pleasure in their speech, Selah.

Like sheep—they are destined for the grave;

death shall be their shepherd,

and the upright shall dominate them

at morning,

their form will be consumed in the grave;

[it will not remain] their dwelling-place.

But God will redeem my soul

from the [grasp of] the grave,

for He will take me [to Himself] Selah.

Fear not when a man grows rich,

when the glory of his house is increased.

For when he dies, he shall carry nothing away,

his glory will not descend after him.

Because while he lived, he blessed his soul.

(saying): they will praise you

because you have done well for yourself.

He will join the generation of his fathers,

they shall not see light, for all eternity.

Man with [all] his splendor,

[but] without understanding⁹

footnotes: ⁹ Man created in the image of God possesses glorious potential, and his soul is filled with Divine splendor, but when he fails to appreciate and utilize his potential, he is likened to the dead animals.—Radak

is likened to the silenced animals.

A Michtam¹⁰ was a very special musical arrangement composed for this psalm. of David.

footnotes: ¹⁰ According to Rashi, a michtam

Preserve me, Almighty,

for I have taken refuge in You.

You said to Adonoy,

You are my Master,

I have no well-being without You.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ You are not obliged to reward me for obeying Your command since You are my Master. And as Your servant, I must heed Your every wish.—Rashi

Due to the holy that are in the earth,¹²

footnotes: ¹² Any good You do on my behalf is only through the merit of those holy and pious men of the past who are now buried in the earth.—Rashi

and the mighty,

are all my desires [fulfilled].

Let their sufferings multiply,

those who follow another [sovereignty];

I will not pour their libations of blood,

nor carry their names

upon my lips.

Adonoy is the portion of my inheritance

and of my cup;

You guide my fate.

The portions that have fallen to me

are in pleasant places;

a beautiful inheritance is mine.

I will bless Adonoy

Who has given me counsel;

even for the nights

in which my mind admonished me.

I have set Adonoy before me always;¹³ 22a

footnotes: ¹³ Rabbi Hana Ben Bizra said in the name of Rabbi Shimon the Pious, “He who prays should regard himself as though the Shechina, the Divine Presence, were before him, as it is written, ‘I have set Adonoy before me always’.”—Maseches Sanhedrin

for surely He is at my right hand,

I will not be moved.

Therefore my heart rejoiced

and my soul exulted;

also my flesh will dwell in safety.

For You will not abandon my soul

to the grave,

nor will You allow Your devoted one

to see the pit.

You will make known to me

the path of life;

fullness of joy is in Your presence;

pleasantness is at Your right hand, evermore.

Mourner's Kaddish

Exalted and sanctified be His great Name

in the world which He created

according to His will

and may He rule His kingdom

bring forth His redemption

and hasten the coming if His Messiah

in your lifetime and in your days,

and in the lifetime

of the entire House of Israel,

speedily and in the near future—

and say Amein.

May His great Name be blessed

forever and for all eternity.

Blessed and praised,

glorified, and exalted and uplifted,

honored and elevated and extolled

be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;

above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above)

all the blessings and hymns,

praises and consolations

which we utter in the world—and say Amein.

May there be abundant peace from heaven

and life

for us and for all Israel,

—and say Amein.

He Who makes peace

(Ten Days of Penitence: the peace)

in His high heavens

may He, make peace

for us and for all Israel,

and say, Amen.