Psalms 129

1 A Song of Ascents. Many a time, have they harassed me from my youth, well may Israel say:

A song for pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. Many enemies have attacked from the time I was young. Let everyone in Israel say:

2 Many a time, have they harassed me from youth, yet have they not prevailed against me.

Many enemies have attacked from the time I was young, but they never defeated me.

3 Upon my back, have ploughmen ploughed, They have lengthened their furrow!

They beat me on my back, leaving long furrows as if it had been ploughed by a farmer.

4 Yahweh, is righteous, He hath cut asunder the cords of the lawless.

But the Lord does what is right: he has cut me free from the ropes of the wicked.

5 Let all who hate Zion, be ashamed and shrink back:

May everyone who hates Zion be driven back in humiliating defeat.

6 Let them become like the grass of housetops, which, before it is pulled up, hath withered;

May they be like grass that grows on a roof that withers before it can be harvested,

7 Wherewith no reaper, hath filled his hand, nor binder, his bosom:

There's not enough even for a reaper to hold, not enough even for the binder to bind.

8 Neither have the passers-by ever said, The blessing of Yahweh, be unto you, —We have blessed you in the Name of Yahweh.

May passers-by not say to them, “The blessing of the Lord be on you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.”