Saadia · Devarim 31
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- Devarim 31:1
וַיֵּלֶךְ מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל-כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל
.
And Moses went on, and spoke to the sons of Israel all of this discourse.
- Devarim 31:2
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם בֶּן-מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם--לֹא-אוּכַל עוֹד לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא וַיהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה
. . . .
And he said to them: 'I am today a son of a hundred and twenty years; I am no longer able to go out and come in — and God has already said to me: You shall not cross this Jordan.'
- Devarim 31:3
יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא עֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ הוּא-יַשְׁמִיד אֶת-הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ--וִירִשְׁתָּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הוּא עֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה
. . . . . .
God your Lord — whose light goes before you — He shall destroy these nations from before you, and you shall inherit them. Joshua — he shall cross before you, as God has said.
- Devarim 31:4
וְעָשָׂה יְהוָה לָהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְסִיחוֹן וּלְעוֹג מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי וּלְאַרְצָם--אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁמִיד אֹתָם
. . .
And God shall do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites, and to the people of their land, whom He destroyed.
- Devarim 31:5
וּנְתָנָם יְהוָה לִפְנֵיכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָהֶם--כְּכָל-הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם
. . .
And God shall deliver them into your hands, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I commanded you.
- Devarim 31:6
חִזְקוּ וְאִמְצוּ אַל-תִּירְאוּ וְאַל-תַּעַרְצוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם כִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּךְ--לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ
. . . .
Be strong and firm; do not fear them nor be in dread of them — for God your Lord, whose light goes with you, will not leave you nor forsake you.
- Devarim 31:7
וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו לְעֵינֵי כָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ--כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתָם לָתֵת לָהֶם וְאַתָּה תַּנְחִילֶנָּה אוֹתָם
. . . . . . . . .
Then Moses called Joshua and said to him, in the presence of all the house of Israel: 'Be strong and firm, for you shall enter with these people into the land which God swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.'
- Devarim 31:8
וַיהוָה הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ לְפָנֶיךָ הוּא יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ--לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ לֹא תִירָא וְלֹא תֵחָת
. . . .
And God — whose light goes before you — He shall be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.
- Devarim 31:9
וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וַיִּתְּנָהּ אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי הַנֹּשְׂאִים אֶת-אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְהוָה וְאֶל-כָּל-זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
. . . .
Then Moses wrote this Torah and delivered it to the imāms, the sons of Levi, who bear the ark of the covenant of God, and to the rest of the elders of the house of Israel.
- Devarim 31:10
וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אוֹתָם לֵאמֹר מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה--בְּחַג הַסֻּכּוֹת
. .
And he commanded them, saying: 'At every period of seven years, at the time of the year of release, at the festival of Tabernacles —
- Devarim 31:11
בְּבוֹא כָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵרָאוֹת אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר תִּקְרָא אֶת-הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת נֶגֶד כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל--בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם
. . . .
when all the house of Israel comes to present themselves before God your Lord in the place which He shall choose — you shall read this Torah before them, within their hearing, so that they may hear it.'
- Devarim 31:12
הַקְהֵל אֶת-הָעָם הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ--לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ וּלְמַעַן יִלְמְדוּ וְיָרְאוּ אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְשָׁמְרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת
. . . . . .
And that is by assembling the people — the men, the women, the children, and the stranger who is in your settlements — so that they may hear and learn, and fear God your Lord, and keep and act upon all the words of this Torah.
- Devarim 31:13
וּבְנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ יִשְׁמְעוּ וְלָמְדוּ--לְיִרְאָה אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כָּל-הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חַיִּים עַל-הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ
. . . . . .
And so too their children who have not yet come of age — they shall hear and learn, and fear God your Lord, for all the length of their days in which they live in the land which you are crossing the Jordan to enter and to possess.
- Devarim 31:14
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ לָמוּת--קְרָא אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְהִתְיַצְּבוּ בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַאֲצַוֶּנּוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ מֹשֶׁה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
. . . . .
And God said to Moses: 'Behold, your days have drawn near to death. Summon Joshua, and both of you stand in the tent of the assembly, so that I may appoint him as successor.' And Moses and Joshua went and stood in the tent of the assembly.
- Devarim 31:15
וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה בָּאֹהֶל בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן וַיַּעֲמֹד עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן עַל-פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל
. .
And God appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and it stood at its entrance.
- Devarim 31:16
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה הִנְּךָ שֹׁכֵב עִם-אֲבֹתֶיךָ וְקָם הָעָם הַזֶּה וְזָנָה אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵי נֵכַר-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוּא בָא-שָׁמָּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ וַעֲזָבַנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת-בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתִּי אִתּוֹ
. . . . . . .
And God said first to Moses: 'You shall presently lie down with your fathers, and this people shall arise and go astray, following the objects of worship of the people of the land to which it is going, in their midst; and it shall forsake Me and break My covenant which I made with it.
- Devarim 31:17
וְחָרָה אַפִּי בוֹ בַיּוֹם-הַהוּא וַעֲזַבְתִּים וְהִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי מֵהֶם וְהָיָה לֶאֱכֹל וּמְצָאֻהוּ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הֲלֹא עַל כִּי-אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת הָאֵלֶּה
. . . . . . .
And My anger shall intensify against them at that time, and I shall leave them, and I shall withhold My mercy from them — so that they shall become prey; and many evils and hardships shall befall them. And they shall say at that time: Is it not because the providence of my Lord is not with me that these afflictions have befallen me?
- Devarim 31:18
וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל כָּל-הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כִּי פָנָה אֶל-אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים
. . . .
And yet, I persist in withholding My mercy from them at that time, on account of the evil which they have done — since they have turned to other objects of worship.'
- Devarim 31:19
וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם אֶת-הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת וְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת-בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂימָהּ בְּפִיהֶם לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה-לִּי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד--בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
. . . .
And now, write down for yourselves this song of praise, and teach it to the sons of Israel, until you receive it in full from their mouths — so that it may be a witness for Me against them.
- Devarim 31:20
כִּי-אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֶל-הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר-נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָיו זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ וְאָכַל וְשָׂבַע וְדָשֵׁן וּפָנָה אֶל-אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַעֲבָדוּם וְנִאֲצוּנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת-בְּרִיתִי
. . . . . .
For when I bring them into the land which I swore to their fathers — a land flowing with milk and honey — their people shall eat and be satisfied and grow fat; then they shall turn to other objects of worship and serve them, and they shall reject Me and break My covenant.
- Devarim 31:21
וְהָיָה כִּי-תִמְצֶאןָ אֹתוֹ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת-יִצְרוֹ אֲשֶׁר הוּא עֹשֶׂה הַיּוֹם בְּטֶרֶם אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי
. . . . . . .
And when many afflictions and hardships befall them, this song of praise shall be present before Me as a witness against them — for it must not be forgotten from the mouths of their offspring; since I know their thoughts, and what they are about to do, from this very day, before I bring them into the land which I have sworn.'
- Devarim 31:22
וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
.
So Moses wrote this song of praise on that day, and taught it to the sons of Israel.
- Devarim 31:23
וַיְצַו אֶת-יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן וַיֹּאמֶר חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ--כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ
. . . .
Then He appointed Joshua son of Nun as successor, and said to him: 'Be strong and firm, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I have sworn to them — and I shall be with you.'
- Devarim 31:24
וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת מֹשֶׁה לִכְתֹּב אֶת-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה-הַזֹּאת--עַל-סֵפֶר עַד תֻּמָּם
. .
Then, when Moses had finished writing all the words of this Torah in a scroll, until they were complete —
- Devarim 31:25
וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר
. .
Moses commanded the Levites, the bearers of the ark of the covenant of God, and said to them:
- Devarim 31:26
לָקֹחַ אֵת סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֹתוֹ מִצַּד אֲרוֹן בְּרִית-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְהָיָה-שָׁם בְּךָ לְעֵד
. .
'Take this scroll of the Torah and place it beside the ark of the covenant of God your Lord — it shall be there as a witness against you.
- Devarim 31:27
כִּי אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת-מֶרְיְךָ וְאֶת-עָרְפְּךָ הַקָּשֶׁה הֵן בְּעוֹדֶנִּי חַי עִמָּכֶם הַיּוֹם מַמְרִים הֱיִתֶם עִם-יְהוָה וְאַף כִּי-אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִי
. . .
For I know your contrariness and the stubbornness of your neck. Behold — while I am yet alive with you this day, you have not ceased to be disobedient to God; how much more so after my death!'
- Devarim 31:28
הַקְהִילוּ אֵלַי אֶת-כָּל-זִקְנֵי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם וַאֲדַבְּרָה בְאָזְנֵיהֶם אֵת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָעִידָה בָּם אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ
. . .
'Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your overseers, so that I may speak to them these words, and call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against them.'
- Devarim 31:29
כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִי כִּי-הַשְׁחֵת תַּשְׁחִתוּן וְסַרְתֶּם מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם וְקָרָאת אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים--כִּי-תַעֲשׂוּ אֶת-הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה לְהַכְעִיסוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶם
. . . . . ]]
For I know that after my death you shall act corruptly, and deviate from the path which I commanded you — and affliction shall come upon you in the end of these days, since you shall do evil before God, provoking Him to anger by the work of your hands.
- Devarim 31:30
וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה בְּאָזְנֵי כָּל-קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת--עַד תֻּמָּם
. .
Then Moses spoke to them all the words of this song of praise, until they were complete.
English is a working draft — author revising