On days when Tachanun is said:
It is customary to recite this psalm (49) in the house of a mourner during the week of mourning, following the morning and evening services. On weekdays when Tachanun is not said Psalm 16 (page 218) is substituted. This psalm, the final hymn of the psalms set down by the sons of Korach has significance for all mankind. Its message is that man must utilize all his material and physical resources to enhance his spiritual existence so that when his soul survives the body's brief stay on earth it can ascend to immortality. If man fails to recognize his purpose in life and instead regards the acquisition of material wealth the primary aim of life, he forfeits his hope of immortality, and his existence will not continue beyond the grave.—S.R. Hirsch
לַמְנַצֵּֽחַ To Him Who grants victory,
לִבְנֵי קֹֽרַח מִזְמוֹר: a psalm by the sons of Korach.
שִׁמְ֒עוּ זֹאת כָּל־הָעַמִּים Hear this all peoples,
הַאֲזִֽינוּ כָּל יֽשְׁ֒בֵי חָֽלֶד: listen all inhabitants of the decaying world!
גַּם בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם בְּנֵי אִישׁ Sons of Adam and sons of men,1Others translate b'nei adam, “Men of low degree” or “Men without pedigree,” and b'nei ish, “Men of high degree” who can trace their ancestry to men of distinction.
יַֽחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיוֹן: rich and poor together.
פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת My mouth shall speak wisdom,
וְהָגוּת לִבִּי and the meditation of my heart
תְבוּנוֹת: shall be of understanding.
אַטֶּה לְמָשָׁל אָזְנִי I will incline my ear to a parable,
אֶפְתַּח I will begin to solve,
בְּכִנּוֹר to the accompaniment of a harp,
חִידָתִי: my riddle.
לָֽמָּה אִירָא בִּֽימֵי רָע Why should I fear in the days of evil?
עֲוֹן עֲקֵבַי יְסוּבֵּֽנִי: The iniquity I trod upon2These are the sins which a person considers trivial and commits out of carelessness, just as one who walks is not concerned if he steps on something small or insignificant.—S.R. Hirsch surrounds me.
הַבֹּטְ֒חִים עַל חֵילָם Those who trust in their wealth
וּבְ֒רֹב עָשְׁרָם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ: and take pride in their great riches.3Those who trust in their wealth and glory in their great riches should be in fear.
אָח לֺא פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ A man will not redeem his brother
לֺא יִתֵּן לֵאלֺהִים כָּפְרוֹ: neither can he give to God his ransom.4S.R. Hirsch translates, “And thus does not give to God his ransom.” They fail to use their riches to free their fellow men from want and care, and so neglect to pay God the ransom due Him for their own souls. Radak says even if he wanted to ransom his soul from God, he could not, for God does not accept bribes.
וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֹן נַפְשָׁם The redemption of their soul is too costly
וְחָדַל לְעוֹלָם: and it shall cease5Because they neglected their duty, their soul shall cease to be. They have done nothing to insure the perpetuation of their souls.—S.R. Hirsch to be forever.
וִיחִי עוֹד לָנֶֽצַח Shall he then live forever,
לֺא יִרְאֶה הַשָּֽׁחַת: shall he never see the grave?
כִּי יִרְאֶה חֲכָמִים יָמֽוּתוּ For he sees that wise men die,
יַֽחַד כְּסִיל וָבַֽעַר יֹאבֵֽדוּ the fools and senseless perish equally6When the wise die, only their bodies pass away; but their souls live on. The foolish and senseless sinners perish completely, leaving no trace of body or soul.—Rashi, Radak
וְעָזְ֒בוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָם: and leave their wealth to others.
קִרְבָּם Their inner7Some translate the word kirbom as “their graves,” by transposing the letters to kivrom. Because they have no merits, the wicked will not arise at the time of resurrection and therefore, “Their graves are their houses forever” (Ibn Ezra). thoughts are
בָּתֵּֽימוֹ לְעוֹלָם that their houses [will last] forever,
מִשְׁכְּ֒נֹתָם לְדוֹר וָדֹר their homes for generation after generation;
קָרְ֒אוּ בִשְׁמוֹתָם (for) they have proclaimed8They spread their names far and wide by erecting monuments and edifices and naming them after themselves. In this manner, they seek to fulfill their yearning for immortality.—S.R. Hirsch their names
עֲלֵי אֲדָמוֹת: throughout the lands.
וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל־יָלִין But man does not endure in his splendor,
נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּ֒הֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ: he is likened to the silenced animals.
זֶה דַרְכָּם This is their way—
כֶּֽסֶל לָֽמוֹ their folly remains with them,
וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם and [yet] their descendants
בְּפִיהֶם יִרְצוּ סֶֽלָה: take pleasure in their speech, Selah.
כַּצֹּאן לִשְׁ֒אוֹל שַׁתּוּ Like sheep—they are destined for the grave;
מָֽוֶת יִרְעֵם death shall be their shepherd,
וַיִּרְדּוּ בָם יְשָׁרִים and the upright shall dominate them
לַבֹּֽקֶר at morning,
וְצוּרָם לְבַלּוֹת שְׁאוֹל their form will be consumed in the grave;
מִזְּ֒בֻל לוֹ: [it will not remain] their dwelling-place.
אַךְ־אֱלֺהִים יִפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי But God will redeem my soul
מִיַּד שְׁאוֹל from the [grasp of] the grave,
כִּי יִקָּחֵֽנִי סֶֽלָה: for He will take me [to Himself] Selah.
אַל־תִּירָא כִּי־יַעֲשִׁר אִישׁ Fear not when a man grows rich,
כִּי־יִרְבֶּה כְּבוֹד בֵּיתוֹ: when the glory of his house is increased.
כִּי לֺא בְמוֹתוֹ יִקַּח הַכֹּל For when he dies, he shall carry nothing away,
לֺא־יֵרֵד אַחֲרָיו כְּבוֹדוֹ: his glory will not descend after him.
כִּי־נַפְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּיו יְבָרֵךְ Because while he lived, he blessed his soul.
וְיוֹדֻֽךָ (saying): they will praise you
כִּי־תֵיטִיב לָךְ: because you have done well for yourself.
תָּבוֹא עַד־דּוֹר אֲבוֹתָיו He will join the generation of his fathers,
עַד־נֵֽצַח לֺא יִרְאוּ אוֹר: they shall not see light, for all eternity.
אָדָם בִּיקָר Man with [all] his splendor,
וְלֺא־יָבִין [but] without understanding9Man created in the image of God possesses glorious potential, and his soul is filled with Divine splendor, but when he fails to appreciate and utilize his potential, he is likened to the dead animals.—Radak
נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּ֒הֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ: is likened to the silenced animals.
(Mourner's Kaddish.)
On weekdays when Tachanun is not said, the following is said in the house of a mourner.
מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד A Michtam10According to Rashi, a michtam was a very special musical arrangement composed for this psalm. of David.
שָׁמְרֵֽנִי אֵל Preserve me, Almighty,
כִּי־חָסִֽיתִי בָךְ: for I have taken refuge in You.
אָמַֽרְתְּ לַיהֺוָה You said to Adonoy,
אֲדֹנָי אָֽתָּה You are my Master,
טוֹבָתִי בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ: I have no well-being without You.11You are not obliged to reward me for obeying Your command since You are my Master. And as Your servant, I must heed Your every wish.—Rashi
לִקְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָֽרֶץ הֵֽמָּה Due to the holy that are in the earth,12Any good You do on my behalf is only through the merit of those holy and pious men of the past who are now buried in the earth.—Rashi
וְאַדִּירֵי and the mighty,
כָּל־חֶפְצִי־בָם: are all my desires [fulfilled].
יִרְבּוּ עַצְּבוֹתָם Let their sufferings multiply,
אַחֵר מָהָֽרוּ those who follow another [sovereignty];
בַּל־אַסִּיךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶם מִדָּם I will not pour their libations of blood,
וּבַל־אֶשָּׂא אֶת־שְׁמוֹתָם nor carry their names
עַל־שְׂפָתָי: upon my lips.
יְהֺוָה מְנָת־חֶלְקִי Adonoy is the portion of my inheritance
וְכוֹסִי and of my cup;
אַתָּה תּוֹמִיךְ גּוֹרָלִי: You guide my fate.
חֲבָלִים נָֽפְלוּ־לִי The portions that have fallen to me
בַּנְּעִמִים are in pleasant places;
אַף־נַחֲלָת שָׁפְרָה עָלָי: a beautiful inheritance is mine.
אֲבָרֵךְ אֶת־יְהֺוָה I will bless Adonoy
אֲשֶׁר יְעָצָֽנִי Who has given me counsel;
אַף־לֵילוֹת even for the nights
יִסְּרֽוּנִי כִלְיוֹתָי: in which my mind admonished me.
שִׁוּיתִי יְהֺוָה לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד I have set Adonoy before me always;13Rabbi Hana Ben Bizra said in the name of Rabbi Shimon the Pious, “He who prays should regard himself as though the Shechina, the Divine Presence, were before him, as it is written, ‘I have set Adonoy before me always’.”—Maseches Sanhedrin 22a
כִּי מִימִינִי for surely He is at my right hand,
בַּל־אֶמּוֹט: I will not be moved.
לָכֵן שָׂמַח לִבִּי Therefore my heart rejoiced
וַיָּֽגֶל כְּבוֹדִי and my soul exulted;
אַף־בְּשָׂרִי יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶֽטַח: also my flesh will dwell in safety.
כִּי לֹא־תַעֲזֹב נַפְשִׁי For You will not abandon my soul
לִשְׁאוֹל to the grave,
לֹא־תִתֵּן חֲסִידְךָ nor will You allow Your devoted one
לִרְאוֹת שָֽׁחַת: to see the pit.
תּוֹדִיעֵֽנִי You will make known to me
אֹֽרַח חַיִּים the path of life;
שֽׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ fullness of joy is in Your presence;
נְעִימוֹת בִּימִירְךָ נֶֽצַח: pleasantness is at Your right hand, evermore.
קדיש יתום Mourner's Kaddish
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא Exalted and sanctified be His great Name
בְּעָלְ֒מָא דִּי בְרָא in the world which He created
כִרְעוּתֵהּ according to His will
וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ and may He rule His kingdom
וְיַצְמַח פּוּרְ֒קָנֵהּ bring forth His redemption
וִיקָרֵב (קֵץ) מְשִׁיחֵהּ and hasten the coming if His Messiah
בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן in your lifetime and in your days,
וּבְחַיֵּי and in the lifetime
דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, of the entire House of Israel,
בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב speedily and in the near future—
וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: and say Amein.
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ May His great Name be blessed
לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְ֒מֵי עָלְ֒מַיָּא: forever and for all eternity.
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח Blessed and praised,
וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא glorified, and exalted and uplifted,
וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל honored and elevated and extolled
שְׁמֵהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא, בְּרִיךְ הוּא be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;
לְעֵֽלָּא (בעשי"ת וּלְ֒עֵֽלָּא מִכָּל) above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above)
מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא, all the blessings and hymns,
תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא, praises and consolations
דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְ֒מָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן, which we utter in the world—and say Amein.
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא May there be abundant peace from heaven
וְחַיִּים and life
עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל for us and for all Israel,
וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן: —and say Amein.
עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם He Who makes peace
(בעשי"ת הַשָּׁלוֹם) (Ten Days of Penitence: the peace)
בִּמְרוֹמָיו in His high heavens
הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם may He, make peace
עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל for us and for all Israel,
וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן and say, Amen.