A Mizmor of David

(Psalm 15)

 

YeHOWAH,

Self-Existent, Eternal One,

Who shall sojourn

Or seek hospitality

In Your dwelling place,

The Tent of Your habitation?

 

Who shall

Settle down

Or establish his home

In Your Qodesh,

Set-Apart Mountain?

 

The one who walks

The correct path,

One who is upright in conduct,

Whole,

Complete,

Undefiled

In his manner of life,

One who works

Tsedek—righteousness—

And speaks truth

In his heart.

 

This one does not

Walk about

As a tale-bearer,

He does not move

His feet

To spy maliciously,

To slander

With his language

Or fabricate unkind words

Against his fellow herdsmen,

A member of the flock.

He does not exalt himself,

By lifting the shoulder,

Raising the hand,

To scorn,

To taunt

His kinsman.

 

The condemned and guilty

He despises.

In his eyes,

The men who reject ALOHIM

And His Torah

Are spurned,

Loathsome cast-aways.

But those who reverence

YeHOWAH,

He Who Exists,

This one shall be heavy

With abundance.

He will not swear

Allegiance

To those who trample

And break into pieces

The covenant.

And he will not change.

 

He does not bestow

Pale money,

Metals or ornaments,

To the stinging serpent

Of usury.

He does not present gifts

To pervert  justice:

To free those

Deserving punishment

Or to carry away,

To take for himself,

The innocent,

Those free from blame.

He that labors at this

Shall never waver,

Shall never diminish

And grow weak,

For as long as one can see

Or observe,

To the edge of the horizon

And beyond.