Week 4 (Book 7): The Eagle is Saying

 B”H

The Eagle is saying, 

And You, G-d, Lord of Hosts, Lord of Israel, 

A faithful God, without injustice He is righteous and upright. 

With praise, I call to the Lord, for from my enemies I shall be saved. 

Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea,

Awake to [remember] all the nations; 

The Lord is a Master of war; the Lord is His Name. 

The deeds of the [Mighty] Rock are perfect, 

For all His ways are just[ice]; 

Lord, when You went forth out of Seir,

Do not be gracious to any wicked traitors, sela!" 

Make known to me the path of life, 

Your cheeks are comely with rows, your neck with necklaces.     

And it came to pass upon a day, when Elkanah sacrificed, 

With the bliss of Your right hand forever.

Praiseworthy is the man to whom the Lord ascribes no iniquity

And in whose spirit there is no guile.

I shall sing to the Lord, the G-d of Israel.

That he gave to Peninnah his wife, 

And to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

Whose sin is concealed. 

 

When I was silent, 

While the king was still at his table, 

My spikenard gave forth its fragrance.

My bones decayed with my moaning all day long.

 

Praiseworthy is he whose transgression is forgiven, 

That I may be satiated with the joy of Your presence, 

We will make you rows of gold with studs of silver.   

Of David, a maskil 

 

Week 3 (Book 7): The Dove is Saying

 B”H

The Dove is saying: 

Like a swift or crane, so do I chatter; 

Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes;

When I call out the name of the Lord, 

Ascribe greatness to our G-d. 

The G-d of my father, and I will ascribe to Him exaltation.

The dove says before The Holy One, Blessed be He, 

[He is] my savior Who saves me from violence. 

To worship and to sacrifice unto Hashem of hosts in Shiloh. 

I moan like a dove, my eyes fail with looking upward; 

G-d is my rock, under whom I take cover; 

This is my G-d, and I will make Him a habitation, 

I have set the Lord before me at all times 

O G-d, I am oppressed, be my security." 

My shield, and the horn of my salvation, 

I, to the Lord I shall sing,

And this man went up out of his city from year to year 

Tell me, you whom my soul loves, 

You will not allow Your pious one to see purgatory.

May my sustenance be as bitter as an olive in Your hands, 

Rather than it being sweet as honey through flesh and blood. 

"Master of the World! 

My support, and my refuge; 

Because He is at my right hand, I shall not falter. 

For why should I be like one who veils herself 

I have made a covenant with My chosen one; 

If you do not know, O fairest of women, 

Go your way in the footsteps of the flocks 

My flesh, too, rests secure. 

I have sworn to David, My servant:

At the gathering of the steeds of Pharaoh's chariots 

Have I silenced you, my beloved.

Therefore my heart rejoices and my soul exults; 

And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, 

Were there priests unto Hashem.   

Where do you feed, where do you rest [the flocks] at noon, 

Beside the flocks of your companions?"

For You will not abandon 

My soul to the grave, 

And pasture your kids 

Beside the shepherds' dwellings.

   

Week 2 (Book 7): The Hen is Saying

 B”H

The Hen is saying, 

He gives bread to all flesh, for His kindness endures forever."

And he said, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and a rescuer to me.”

Draw me, we will run after you 

When the people offer themselves willingly, bless the Lord.

My lesson will drip like rain; 

We will rejoice and be glad in you. 

My word will flow like dew;

They have loved you sincerely.

As the heavens, with which You will establish Your faithfulness. 

A horse and its rider He cast into the sea. 

Like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

You guide my destiny. 

Like storm winds on vegetation and like raindrops on grass. 

The king brought me to his chambers. 

And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah 

The Eternal's strength and His vengeance were my salvation;

They made me a keeper of the vineyards;

Even the inheritance pleases me.

My own vineyard I did not keep.

And the name of the second was Peninnah; 

And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

My mother's sons were incensed against me; 

When breaches are made in Israel, 

I am black but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem! 

Portions have fallen to me in pleasant places; 

We will recall your love more fragrant than wine; 

The Lord is my allotted portion and my cup; 

For I said, "Forever will it be built with kindness; 

Do not look upon me [disdainfully] because I am swarthy, 

Even at night my conscience instructs me.

For the sun has gazed upon me; 

I will bless the Lord, Who counseled me; 

Week 1 (Book 7): The Rooster is saying,

 B”H

The Rooster is saying, 

A maskil by Eitan the Ezrachite. 

A michtam, by David. 

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, 

Now Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to the righteous 

Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! 

In the Garden of Eden, all the trees in the Garden of  Eden 

And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!

Scatter their spices, and they rejoice and praise, 

To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.

And then He, too, is aroused and praises."

I will sing of the Lord's kindness forever; 

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, 

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, 

O everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in! 

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.

Lift up your heads, O gates! Lift them up, O everlasting doors! 

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, 

Who is this King of glory? G-d strong and mighty, G-d mighty in battle!"

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, 

And the King of glory shall come in! 

On the day that the Lord delivered him 

Who is this King of glory? 

G-d of hosts, He is the King of glory, Selah!"

Stand, O righteous ones, and busy yourselves with Torah,

Of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, 

For your love is better than wine.

For I have put my trust in You. 

 

So that your reward will be double in the World-to-Come."

You, [my soul,] have said to God, "You are my Master; 

The son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, 

For the fragrance of your goodly oils, Your name is 'oil poured forth.' 

I have hoped for Your salvation, O G-d."

From the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; 

Watch over me, O God, 

For the sake of the holy ones who lie in the earth, 

"How long will you sleep, O sluggard? 

Those who hasten after other [gods], their sorrows shall increase; 

When will you arise from your sleep?" 

I will not offer their libations of blood, nor take their names upon my lips.

Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; 

And for the mighty-all my desires are fulfilled in their merit. 

Open your eyes and you shall be satisfied with bread." 

You are not obligated to benefit me.” 

"It is time to act for G-d; for they have made void Your Torah." 

The son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

Therefore, the maidens loved you. 

And they spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He;

Week 52 (Book 7): The Dogs Are Saying

 B”H

The Dogs are saying: 

Come, let us worship and bow down; 

Let us kneel before G-d our Maker.

Let every soul praise G-d. Hallelujah! 

Blessed is the Lord forever. Amen and Amen. 

Praise Him with timbres and dance, 

And he said to them, "Set your hearts to all of the words 

Which I bear witness for you this day, 

And the Lord said to him, "Because I shall be with you, 

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.

So that you may command your children 

To observe to do all the words of this Torah. 

And you shall strike Midian as one man." 

Praise Him with resounding cymbals, 

The strangers will wilt, and become lame from their bondage.

A war for the Lord against Amalek from generation to generation.

For the Lord desired to kill them. 

Flee, my beloved, and liken yourself to a gazelle 

Or to a fawn of the hinds on the spice mountains."

No, my sons, for the rumor 

Which I hear the Lord's people spreading, is not good. 

And he said, For there is a hand on the throne of the Eternal, 

But they would not hearken to their father's voice,

And he said to Him, "If I have now found favor in your eyes, 

If man will sin to man, the judge will judge him. 

Then show me a sign that it is You that speaks with me.

If, however, he will sin against God, 

Who will intercede in the judgment in his behalf?" 

Then Moses built an altar, and he named it 

Praise Him with resonant cymbals.

And the lad, Samuel, was growing up, 

And bettering himself both with the Lord and with people.

The Lord is my miracle.  

Week 50 (Book 7): The Ant is Saying

 B”H

The Ant is saying, 

Go to the ant, you sluggard; 

Consider her ways and be wise. 

And the angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, 

"The Lord is with you, mighty man of valor." 

Now, Eli had become very old, 

Now Moses hands were heavy; 

And Gideon said to him, "Please my lord, if the Lord be with us, 

And to your name I will sing praises. 

And he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, 

And when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail. 

Remember, O Lord, the disgrace of Your servants, 

So they took a stone and placed it under him, and he sat on it. 

And was gathered to his people. 

Why then has all this befallen us? 

Remember, O Lord, for the sons of Edom, 

And He has delivered us into the hand of Midian.

O Daughter of Babylon, who is destined to be plundered, 

But now the Lord has forsaken us, 

One from this [side], and one from that [side]; 

'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' 

And where are all His wonders which our forefathers told us, saying, 

Which I bear in my bosom, [the disgrace] of all great nations.

Praiseworthy is he who will take and dash your infants against the rock.

And die on the mountain upon which you are climbing 

You, O Solomon, shall have the thousand, 

And those who watch its fruit, two hundred.

The day of Jerusalem, those who say, 

Raze it, raze it, down to its foundation!

Just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor 

Aaron and Hur supported his hands, 

My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; 

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O' Lord, among the nations. 

It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, 

And be gathered to your people, 

At the entrance of the tent of meeting.

Israel would prevail 

And that they would lie with the women who congregated 

Praiseworthy is he who repays you 

Your recompense that you have done to us.

So he was with his hands in faith until sunset.   

Week 49 (Book 7): The Snail is Saying

 B”H

The Snail is saying, 

Go up this Mount Avarim [to] Mount Nebo, 

Which is in the land of Moab, that is facing Jericho, 

So Moses said to Joshua, Pick men for us, 

With the staff of G-d in my hand. 

And the angel of the Lord came, 

You have lifted me; from the violent man You deliver me.

He gave the vineyard to the keepers; 

For the Lord remembered Hannah, and she conceived 

Joshua did as Moses had told him, to fight against Amalek; 

A stillborn of a mole that does not see the sun

You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.

And see the Land of Canaan, which I am giving 

And go out and fight against Amalek. 

Like the snail that melts away, 

To the children of Israel as a possession, 

And above those that rise against me, 

Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill 

And I said to you, 'I am the Lord your G-d, 

And that brings me forth from my enemies; 

But you have not obeyed me. 

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].

Where are Your former acts of kindness, O Lord, 

To be enabled to flee from Midian.

And bore three sons and two daughters. 

How shall we sing the song of the Lord on foreign soil?

Each one brought for the fruit thereof one thousand pieces of silver.

That belonged to Joash the Abiezrite; 

Which You swore to David in your trust 

And Moses, Aaron, and Hur ascended to the top of the hill.

And sat under the oak which was in Ophra, 

And the lad Samuel grew up with the Lord.

Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-Hamon; 

If I do not bring up Jerusalem at the beginning of my joy