Your people, O God, are oppressed

Moses Ḥazan of Thebes

10th or 11th Century

Your people, O God, are oppressed by the hand of oppressors, and given as prey to their teeth.

In tears, they are beaten and confounded in their enemies’ lands.

They live among the young lions, and they have been sold into the hands of their troublers.

Your people—[sold] for no riches. You have set no high price for them.¹

Your people are dejected and rejected, between islands and ships, dispersed by wicked people,

killed, melting in fear, amid dross [i.e., the wicked], and drowning in the deep.

You have shown them new troubles, both weak and harsh, with no compassion.

Your people—You have given us poisonous wine, harshly.

Your people sufer rage, shoving, and blasting, and multitudes of polluters [i.e., the wicked] say, “We have swallowed them!”

Robbers, corvée drivers, oppress Your people, and make their arrows ready on their strings.

They fll their towers, and push [us into them], and our brethren [Christians and Muslims] burn the brazier and set traps.

Your people, O Lord, they crush; they afict Your inheritance [i.e., the Jewish people].

Your people—[the enemies] plot to destroy them— Moab and Hagrites, foreigners and cruel people, who have inherited Your palaces [i.e., the land of Israel].

Peoples teem like the teeming of the seas, to tear up, in rage, the souls of Your poor ones.

They speak words of emptiness, to empty their sword from the scabbard, to burnish their javelin against the poor ones, who are so tested by You.

Your people —[the enemies] plot cunningly against them and take council against Your protected ones.

Your people —the congregation of revolters dispossesses them and pushes them of the road, to knock them down.

Their contemporaries tear down paths, wielding swords and battles against them.

You have put an end to dross and broken their arms [in the past]; we are Yours, O hidden Rock.

Your people and Your pastured fock, we acknowledge You forever.

Your people bear the burden of plunderers and oppressors, who tread on Your pious.

They open their mouths to blaspheme; they are thorns that afict Your beloved ones.

Armies of the wicked throng and speak haughty words; those that rebel against You plot agai n st You and against

Yo u r p e o p l e , against all Your servants.

Your people walk in darkness, in the plunderer’s hand, like a lonely, wandering little bird, evening and daytime.

The many armies pursue them feetly, Edom and Ishmaelites and Aram-Naharayim.

The men of Shammah and Dumah have placed [them] in a pit—Judah and Ephraim are desolate—

Your people , whom You brought up out of the land of Egypt.

Your people are crushed between thorns, oppressed by the cruel—and they sing Your praise.

We are pushed down, given no rest, and scattered, and we cry out, for we have forgotten the ways of You r pa t h.

Pardon our rebellion, forgive our iniquity, and come back to give us life and satisfaction from Your goodness—

May Yo u r p e o p l e rejoice in You.

Your people have prepared their minds, with many thoughts, and prepare their loins to praise You.

From among the foliage [see Psalms 104:12], they pour out their hearts like water, and raise their eyes to You.

Bring Your legions [i.e., the Jewish people] down, out of the hands of the Hittites, and do not destroy Your redeemed ones—

Your people , Your inheritance, whom You ransomed with Your greatness.

Your people , who fear You, and are carried by You, the heads of Your troops, who put their hope i n You,

assemble today and express song in Your presence. They praise You, and see the glory of Your deeds—

Your people willingly giving of themselves on the day of Your might.

Your people —have compassion and mercy for them, O high and lofty One! For she, the exiled and straying one [i.e., the Jewish people], puts her trust in You.

Remember Your love for the swarthy and beautiful one! Come near to my life and rescue it!

The noble ones assemble, all stationed and hoping, day and night,

Your people —give them Your blessing. Selah!

Translated by Gabriel Wasserman.

Notes

[I.e., their enemies have enslaved them, and not even paid for the slaves; see Psalms 44:13.—Trans.]

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 3: Encountering Christianity and Islam.

Your people, O God, are oppressed

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