יִתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־אֹיְבֶ֙יךָ֙ הַקָּמִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ נִגָּפִ֖ים לְפָנֶ֑יךָ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ יֵצְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה דְרָכִ֖ים יָנ֥וּסוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃

The Lord will render your enemies who rise against you defeated and routed before you. On one path they will emerge toward you, in the manner of warriors setting out to war, and on seven paths they will flee before you. When an army loses

יְצַ֨ו יְהוָ֤ה אִתְּךָ֙ אֶת־הַבְּרָכָ֔ה בַּאֲסָמֶ֕יךָ וּבְכֹ֖ל מִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֶ֑ךָ וּבֵ֣רַכְךָ֔ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃

The Lord will command for you the blessing in your silos, and in all your various endeavors, and He will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

יְקִֽימְךָ֨ יְהוָ֥ה לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם קָד֔וֹשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר נִֽשְׁבַּֽע־לָ֑ךְ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ֖ בִּדְרָכָֽיו׃

Furthermore, the Lord will establish you as a holy people to Him, as He took an oath to you. This shall be if you shall observe the commandments of the Lord your God, and walk in His ways.

וְרָאוּ֙ כָּל־עַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה נִקְרָ֣א עָלֶ֑יךָ וְיָֽרְא֖וּ מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

Then, all the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is invoked upon you, as you constantly mention His name and honor Him, and they shall fear you. They will not provoke you in any manner.

וְהוֹתִֽרְךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ לְטוֹבָ֔ה בִּפְרִ֧י בִטְנְךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י בְהַמְתְּךָ֖ וּבִפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ עַ֚ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהוָ֛ה לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ לָ֥תֶת לָֽךְ׃

The Lord will increase you for good. He will give you abundant blessing, even more than you expect or request, in the fruit of your womb, and in the fruit of your animals, and in the fruit of your land. He will bless you with all this, on the land with regard to which the Lord took an oath to your fathers to give you.

יִפְתַּ֣ח יְהוָ֣ה ׀ לְ֠ךָ אֶת־אוֹצָר֨וֹ הַטּ֜וֹב אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם לָתֵ֤ת מְטַֽר־אַרְצְךָ֙ בְּעִתּ֔וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֕ךְ אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהִלְוִ֙יתָ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א תִלְוֶֽה׃

The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to provide you with the rain of your land at its time, and to bless all your handiwork. And due to this plenty, you shall lend to many nations, as they will need your help, but you shall not borrow, as you will not require the assistance of others.

וּנְתָֽנְךָ֨ יְהוָ֤ה לְרֹאשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א לְזָנָ֔ב וְהָיִ֙יתָ֙ רַ֣ק לְמַ֔עְלָה וְלֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה לְמָ֑טָּה כִּֽי־תִשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מִצְוֺ֣ת ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לִשְׁמֹ֥ר וְלַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

The Lord will set you as a head, and not as a tail. In all matters you will take the lead, and you will not follow others. And you will be only above, and you will not be below. All this shall come to pass, if you shall heed the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, to observe and to perform them.

וְלֹ֣א תָס֗וּר מִכָּל־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֜י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול לָלֶ֗כֶת אַחֲרֵ֛י אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים לְעָבְדָֽם׃ (ס)

You shall not stray from any of the matters that I am commanding you today right or left, the fundamental commandment being not to follow other gods to serve them. This concludes the blessings.

וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־לֹ֤א תִשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם וּבָ֧אוּ עָלֶ֛יךָ כָּל־הַקְּלָל֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֽוּךָ׃

It shall be, if you do not heed the voice of the Lord your God, to take care to perform all His commandments and His statutes that I am commanding you today, all these curses will come upon you and find you.

אָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בָּעִ֑יר וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃

Some of the curses parallel the aforementioned blessings: Cursed are you in the city, and cursed are you in the field.

אָר֥וּר טַנְאֲךָ֖ וּמִשְׁאַרְתֶּֽךָ׃

Cursed is your basket and your kneading bowl.

אָר֥וּר פְּרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּר֥וֹת צֹאנֶֽךָ׃

Cursed is the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your land, the calving of your cattle, and the lambing of your flock.

אָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּבֹאֶ֑ךָ וְאָר֥וּר אַתָּ֖ה בְּצֵאתֶֽךָ׃

Cursed are you upon your arrival, and cursed are you upon your departure.

יְשַׁלַּ֣ח יְהוָ֣ה ׀ בְּ֠ךָ אֶת־הַמְּאֵרָ֤ה אֶת־הַמְּהוּמָה֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּגְעֶ֔רֶת בְּכָל־מִשְׁלַ֥ח יָדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשֶׂ֑ה עַ֣ד הִשָּֽׁמֶדְךָ֤ וְעַד־אֲבָדְךָ֙ מַהֵ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֛י רֹ֥עַ מַֽעֲלָלֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲזַבְתָּֽנִי׃

The Lord will release among you the curse, the confusion, panic and disorder, and the process of diminution. These will befall you in all your endeavors that you will perform, until your destruction, and until your swift annihilation, because of the wickedness of your deeds, that you performed when you forsook Me.

יַדְבֵּ֧ק יְהוָ֛ה בְּךָ֖ אֶת־הַדָּ֑בֶר עַ֚ד כַּלֹּת֣וֹ אֹֽתְךָ֔ מֵעַל֙ הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

The Lord will attach the pestilence, an infectious plague, to you, until it eradicates you from upon the land that you are coming there to take possession of it.

יַכְּכָ֣ה יְ֠הוָה בַּשַּׁחֶ֨פֶת וּבַקַּדַּ֜חַת וּבַדַּלֶּ֗קֶת וּבַֽחַרְחֻר֙ וּבַחֶ֔רֶב וּבַשִּׁדָּפ֖וֹן וּבַיֵּרָק֑וֹן וּרְדָפ֖וּךָ עַ֥ד אָבְדֶֽךָ׃

The Lord will smite you with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with desiccation, a disease of dryness, and with the enemy’s sword , and with blight, the loss of bulk and weight of crops or a living body, and with mildew, a disease that ruins the crops. Alternatively, the verse may be referring to the human disease of jaundice. And they, all these plagues, shall pursue you until your annihilation.

וְהָי֥וּ שָׁמֶ֛יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹאשְׁךָ֖ נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְהָאָ֥רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתֶּ֖יךָ בַּרְזֶֽל׃

Your heavens that are over your head will be as impenetrable as bronze, and will not produce rain, and the earth that is

יִתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־מְטַ֥ר אַרְצְךָ֖ אָבָ֣ק וְעָפָ֑ר מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יֵרֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּׁמְדָֽךְ׃

The Lord will render the rain of your land dust and dirt; from the heavens it will descend upon you, until your destruction. Rather than rain falling and facilitating growth, the wind will blow and bring dust and dirt.

יִתֶּנְךָ֨ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ נִגָּף֮ לִפְנֵ֣י אֹיְבֶיךָ֒ בְּדֶ֤רֶךְ אֶחָד֙ תֵּצֵ֣א אֵלָ֔יו וּבְשִׁבְעָ֥ה דְרָכִ֖ים תָּנ֣וּס לְפָנָ֑יו וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְזַעֲוָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

The Lord will render you routed before your enemies; on one path you will go out toward him, and on seven paths you will flee before him. This is the exact opposite of the blessing stated earlier (28:7). You will be a horror, a paradigm of a nightmare scenario, to all the kingdoms of the earth.

וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָֽתְךָ֙ לְמַאֲכָ֔ל לְכָל־ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאֵ֖ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃

Your carcass will be for food for every bird of the heavens, and for the animals of the earth, and there is none to frighten them. No one will prevent the birds and animals from feasting upon your corpses.

יַכְּכָ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה בִּשְׁחִ֤ין מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ ובעפלים [וּבַטְּחֹרִ֔ים] וּבַגָּרָ֖ב וּבֶחָ֑רֶס אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תוּכַ֖ל לְהֵרָפֵֽא׃

The Lord will smite you with the rash of Egypt, a skin disease that causes swelling and irritation, with which the Egyptians were stricken. And He will also strike you with hemorrhoids, sores and diseases in the area of the anus, with skin eruptions, and with dry boils, skin diseases that cause lesions and great embarrassment, from which you will be unable to be healed.

יַכְּכָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה בְּשִׁגָּע֖וֹן וּבְעִוָּר֑וֹן וּבְתִמְה֖וֹן לֵבָֽב׃

The Lord will smite you with madness, and with blindness, and with confusion of the heart, the disorientation of one’s thoughts and will.

וְהָיִ֜יתָ מְמַשֵּׁ֣שׁ בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֗יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ הָעִוֵּר֙ בָּאֲפֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תַצְלִ֖יחַ אֶת־דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְהָיִ֜יתָ אַ֣ךְ עָשׁ֧וּק וְגָז֛וּל כָּל־הַיָּמִ֖ים וְאֵ֥ין מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

As a result, you shall grope at noon as the blind gropes in the dark. You will not know the path to follow and you will lose your orientation. And you will not succeed on your way, and you will only be exploited and robbed all the days, and there is no savior. You will be unable to put up any resistance, you will fail in all your endeavors, and you will lose everything.

אִשָּׁ֣ה תְאָרֵ֗שׂ וְאִ֤ישׁ אַחֵר֙ ישגלנה [יִשְׁכָּבֶ֔נָּה] בַּ֥יִת תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְלֹא־תֵשֵׁ֣ב בּ֑וֹ כֶּ֥רֶם תִּטַּ֖ע וְלֹ֥א תְחַלְּלֶּֽנּוּ׃

You will betroth a woman and another man will lie with her; you will build a house and yet you will not live in it; you will plant a vineyard, and you will not celebrate it.

שׁוֹרְךָ֞ טָב֣וּחַ לְעֵינֶ֗יךָ וְלֹ֣א תֹאכַל֮ מִמֶּנּוּ֒ חֲמֹֽרְךָ֙ גָּז֣וּל מִלְּפָנֶ֔יךָ וְלֹ֥א יָשׁ֖וּב לָ֑ךְ צֹֽאנְךָ֙ נְתֻנ֣וֹת לְאֹיְבֶ֔יךָ וְאֵ֥ין לְךָ֖ מוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃

Having intended to slaughter and consume your ox, you will find that your ox is slaughtered before your eyes, and you will not eat from it. Your donkey is robbed from before you and will not return to you, as the robber will never release it; your flock is given to your enemies, and there is no savior for you.

בָּנֶ֨יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֜יךָ נְתֻנִ֨ים לְעַ֤ם אַחֵר֙ וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֔וֹת וְכָל֥וֹת אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְאֵ֥ין לְאֵ֖ל יָדֶֽךָ׃

Your sons and your daughters are given to another people, they are taken captive and enslaved, and even if they work as hired hands in distant, foreign lands, your eyes see them as they depart, and long for them all the day, and you are powerless to do anything about it.

פְּרִ֤י אַדְמָֽתְךָ֙ וְכָל־יְגִ֣יעֲךָ֔ יֹאכַ֥ל עַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדָ֑עְתָּ וְהָיִ֗יתָ רַ֛ק עָשׁ֥וּק וְרָצ֖וּץ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

A nation that you did not know will eat the fruit of your land and all your toil. A foreign nation will raid your land and take all of your produce, leaving you with nothing. You will be only exploited and broken all the days, both by external enemies that plunder your possessions, and by internal troubles.

וְהָיִ֖יתָ מְשֻׁגָּ֑ע מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה׃

Everything will go against you. In every direction in which you look you will see only troubles and distress. When you perceive this, you will be mad from the sight of your eyes that you will see.

יַכְּכָ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה בִּשְׁחִ֣ין רָ֗ע עַל־הַבִּרְכַּ֙יִם֙ וְעַל־הַשֹּׁקַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תוּכַ֖ל לְהֵרָפֵ֑א מִכַּ֥ף רַגְלְךָ֖ וְעַ֥ד קָדְקֳדֶֽךָ׃

The Lord will smite you with a terrible rash on the knees and on the shins from which you will be unable to be healed, from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.

יוֹלֵ֨ךְ יְהוָ֜ה אֹֽתְךָ֗ וְאֶֽת־מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּקִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ אֶל־גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתָּ אַתָּ֣ה וַאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְעָבַ֥דְתָּ שָּׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן׃

The Lord will lead you and your king whom you will establish over you to a nation that you did not know, you or your ancestors, and you will serve there other gods, of wood and stone. In exile you will be subjugated to your oppressors in every manner. Pagan influences will dominate your lives.

וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה לְמָשָׁ֖ל וְלִשְׁנִינָ֑ה בְּכֹל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יְנַהֶגְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה שָֽׁמָּה׃

You will become an astonishment, a proverb, and an adage among all the peoples that the Lord will lead you there. Your very name will become an insult. When one wishes to speak of failures and miserable situations, he will compare them to your case as the classic example.

זֶ֥רַע רַ֖ב תּוֹצִ֣יא הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּמְעַ֣ט תֶּאֱסֹ֔ף כִּ֥י יַחְסְלֶ֖נּוּ הָאַרְבֶּֽה׃

Much seed you will take out to the field to sow, and little will you gather from the field, as the locust will consume it.

כְּרָמִ֥ים תִּטַּ֖ע וְעָבָ֑דְתָּ וְיַ֤יִן לֹֽא־תִשְׁתֶּה֙ וְלֹ֣א תֶאֱגֹ֔ר כִּ֥י תֹאכְלֶ֖נּוּ הַתֹּלָֽעַת׃

Vineyards you will plant and till, and yet you will not drink wine and you will not store it, as the worm will eat them, the grapes.

זֵיתִ֛ים יִהְי֥וּ לְךָ֖ בְּכָל־גְּבוּלֶ֑ךָ וְשֶׁ֙מֶן֙ לֹ֣א תָס֔וּךְ כִּ֥י יִשַּׁ֖ל זֵיתֶֽךָ׃

Olive trees you will have within all your borders, and yet you will not anoint yourself with their oil, as your olives will fall to the ground before they ripen, and you will extract nothing from them.

בָּנִ֥ים וּבָנ֖וֹת תּוֹלִ֑יד וְלֹא־יִהְי֣וּ לָ֔ךְ כִּ֥י יֵלְכ֖וּ בַּשֶּֽׁבִי׃

Sons and daughters will you beget and they will not be for you, as they will go into captivity.

כָּל־עֵצְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ יְיָרֵ֖שׁ הַצְּלָצַֽל׃

All your trees and the fruit of your land, the worm will deplete .

הַגֵּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבְּךָ֔ יַעֲלֶ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ מַ֣עְלָה מָּ֑עְלָה וְאַתָּ֥ה תֵרֵ֖ד מַ֥טָּה מָּֽטָּה׃

The stranger who is living in your midst will ascend over you higher and higher, and you will descend lower and lower.

ה֣וּא יַלְוְךָ֔ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹ֣א תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ ה֚וּא יִהְיֶ֣ה לְרֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה לְזָנָֽב׃

He, the stranger, will lend to you and you will not lend to him; he will be as a head, and you will be as a tail.

וּבָ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַקְּלָל֣וֹת הָאֵ֗לֶּה וּרְדָפ֙וּךָ֙ וְהִשִּׂיג֔וּךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָ֑ךְ כִּי־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְוֺתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽךְ׃

All these curses will come upon you, and will pursue you, and will find you until your destruction, because you did not heed the voice of the Lord your God, to observe His commandments and His statutes that He commanded you.

וְהָי֣וּ בְךָ֔ לְא֖וֹת וּלְמוֹפֵ֑ת וּֽבְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

They, all these troubles and plagues, will be in you as a sign and as a wonder, an indicator of your evil deeds, or as a paradigm of curses, and in your descendants forever;

תַּ֗חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֙דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃

you will suffer these curses because you did not serve the Lord your God when you had the opportunity with joy and with gladness of heart, due to abundance of everything.

וְעָבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ יְהוָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ בְּרָעָ֧ב וּבְצָמָ֛א וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם וּבְחֹ֣סֶר כֹּ֑ל וְנָתַ֞ן עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ עַל־צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ׃

Therefore, you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will dispatch against you in the reverse situation: in a state of hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in the lack of everything; and he, the enemy, will place an iron yoke on your neck, subjugating you until he destroys you.

יִשָּׂ֣א יְהוָה֩ עָלֶ֨יךָ גּ֤וֹי מֵרָחוֹק֙ מִקְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִדְאֶ֖ה הַנָּ֑שֶׁר גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תִשְׁמַ֖ע לְשֹׁנֽוֹ׃

The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth. It will appear suddenly, as the eagle will swoop down from a great height and from a vast distance, so that its approach is undetected. Since the enemies will come from afar, they will be a nation whose language you will not understand, and you will be unable to communicate with them.

גּ֖וֹי עַ֣ז פָּנִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־יִשָּׂ֤א פָנִים֙ לְזָקֵ֔ן וְנַ֖עַר לֹ֥א יָחֹֽן׃

It will be a brazen nation that will not show favor to the elderly, and will not have mercy on the young. It will not pity anyone.

וְ֠אָכַל פְּרִ֨י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֥ וּפְרִֽי־אַדְמָתְךָ֮ עַ֣ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָךְ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֜יר לְךָ֗ דָּגָן֙ תִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָ֔ר שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֑ךָ עַ֥ד הַאֲבִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ׃

It will eat the fruit of your animals and the fruit of your land, until your destruction, which will not leave you grain, wine, or oil, the calving of your cattle, or the lambing of your flock, until it annihilates you. Even if it does not act in a deliberately destructive manner, since it does not intend to settle in the conquered land it will exploit it without considering its long-term viability, leaving nothing intact.

וְהֵצַ֨ר לְךָ֜ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֗יךָ עַ֣ד רֶ֤דֶת חֹמֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ הַגְּבֹה֣וֹת וְהַבְּצֻר֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בֹּטֵ֥חַ בָּהֵ֖ן בְּכָל־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ וְהֵצַ֤ר לְךָ֙ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ בְּכָ֨ל־אַרְצְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לָֽךְ׃

It will besiege you, or torment you, at all your gates, until

וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ פְרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֗ בְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁר־יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֖ אֹיְבֶֽךָ׃

You shall eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and your daughters that the Lord your God gave you, in siege and in the distress that your enemy will distress you. The famine in the besieged city will be so severe that you will be reduced to eating the flesh of your children.

הָאִישׁ֙ הָרַ֣ךְ בְּךָ֔ וְהֶעָנֹ֖ג מְאֹ֑ד תֵּרַ֨ע עֵינ֤וֹ בְאָחִיו֙ וּבְאֵ֣שֶׁת חֵיק֔וֹ וּבְיֶ֥תֶר בָּנָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹתִֽיר׃

These verses illustrate the horrors of the extreme famine: The man among you who is tender and very delicate will be selfish toward his brother, and even toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remaining children that he will leave;

מִתֵּ֣ת ׀ לְאַחַ֣ד מֵהֶ֗ם מִבְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹאכֵ֔ל מִבְּלִ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ כֹּ֑ל בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹיִבְךָ֖ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃

he will consume his children’s flesh by himself, rather than give to one of them from the flesh of his children that he will eat. Not only will he eat the flesh of his own children, he will refuse to give any of it to his closest relatives, including his surviving children. He will do so because everything he had will be lost, not leaving anything for him. The hunger will be so intense that it will overcome love and the most intimate family ties. Any vestige of one’s humanity will be wiped out, in the siege and in the distress that your enemy will distress you within all your gates.

הָרַכָּ֨ה בְךָ֜ וְהָעֲנֻגָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־נִסְּתָ֤ה כַף־רַגְלָהּ֙ הַצֵּ֣ג עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵהִתְעַנֵּ֖ג וּמֵרֹ֑ךְ תֵּרַ֤ע עֵינָהּ֙ בְּאִ֣ישׁ חֵיקָ֔הּ וּבִבְנָ֖הּ וּבְבִתָּֽהּ׃

The same will happen to the tender and delicate woman among you, who did not venture setting the sole of her foot on the ground due to her great delicacy and due to her tenderness. The most delicate of women will be selfish toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter ,

וּֽבְשִׁלְיָתָ֞הּ הַיּוֹצֵ֣ת ׀ מִבֵּ֣ין רַגְלֶ֗יהָ וּבְבָנֶ֙יהָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּלֵ֔ד כִּֽי־תֹאכְלֵ֥ם בְּחֹֽסֶר־כֹּ֖ל בַּסָּ֑תֶר בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹיִבְךָ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃

and toward her afterbirth that emerges from between her legs, her young babies, and toward the rest of her children whom she will bear. She will be selfish as she will eat them in the lack of everything in secret. She will snatch her children to eat by herself in hiding, in the siege and in the distress that your enemy will distress you at your gates. The siege will be so appalling that the people will be reduced to cannibalizing their own children, an act which shatters the moral boundaries of any human society.

אִם־לֹ֨א תִשְׁמֹ֜ר לַעֲשׂ֗וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את הַכְּתוּבִ֖ים בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת־הַשֵּׁ֞ם הַנִּכְבָּ֤ד וְהַנּוֹרָא֙ הַזֶּ֔ה אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

All this will come to pass, if you will not take care to perform all the words of this Torah that are written in this book, to fear this revered and awesome name, the Lord your God;

וְהִפְלָ֤א יְהוָה֙ אֶת־מַכֹּ֣תְךָ֔ וְאֵ֖ת מַכּ֣וֹת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ מַכּ֤וֹת גְּדֹלוֹת֙ וְנֶ֣אֱמָנ֔וֹת וָחֳלָיִ֥ם רָעִ֖ים וְנֶאֱמָנִֽים׃

then the Lord will intensify your blows, and the blows of your descendants, and they will increase in size and severity, great and profound blows, and dire and profound illnesses. Alternatively, the phrase means lengthy and persistent blows and illnesses.

וְהֵשִׁ֣יב בְּךָ֗ אֵ֚ת כָּל־מַדְוֵ֣ה מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָגֹ֖רְתָּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְדָבְק֖וּ בָּֽךְ׃

He will return to you all the afflictions of Egypt of which you were terrified, when you saw the manner in which they were visited upon the Egyptians, and they will come and cleave to you.

גַּ֤ם כָּל־חֳלִי֙ וְכָל־מַכָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א כָת֔וּב בְּסֵ֖פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את יַעְלֵ֤ם יְהוָה֙ עָלֶ֔יךָ עַ֖ד הִשָּׁמְדָֽךְ׃

Also, every illness and every blow that is not written in the book of this Torah, the Lord will pile them upon you, until your destruction. The list of afflictions will grow longer, and include other diseases not written here, as well as other afflictions that will demean and humiliate you.

וְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם֙ בִּמְתֵ֣י מְעָ֔ט תַּ֚חַת אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱיִיתֶ֔ם כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹ֑ב כִּי־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

You shall remain few in number, instead of your having been like the stars of the heavens in plenitude. During your long history you were a great people, and through natural population increase you should have become an exceedingly great multitude. That is not the case, however, because you did not heed the voice of the Lord your God.

וְ֠הָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֨שׂ יְהוָ֜ה עֲלֵיכֶ֗ם לְהֵיטִ֣יב אֶתְכֶם֮ וּלְהַרְבּ֣וֹת אֶתְכֶם֒ כֵּ֣ן יָשִׂ֤ישׂ יְהוָה֙ עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם לְהַאֲבִ֥יד אֶתְכֶ֖ם וּלְהַשְׁמִ֣יד אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְנִסַּחְתֶּם֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃

It shall be that as the Lord exulted over you to do you good, and to multiply you, when you followed His path and performed His will, so the Lord will cause others to exult over you to annihilate you and to destroy you, and you will be expelled from upon the land that you are coming there to take possession of it.

וֶהֱפִֽיצְךָ֤ יְהוָה֙ בְּכָל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים מִקְצֵ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ וְעַד־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ וְעָבַ֨דְתָּ שָּׁ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יָדַ֛עְתָּ אַתָּ֥ה וַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן׃

The Lord will disperse you among all the peoples from the end of the earth to the end of the earth. You will not all be exiled to one place; rather you will be scattered throughout the

וּבַגּוֹיִ֤ם הָהֵם֙ לֹ֣א תַרְגִּ֔יעַ וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה מָנ֖וֹחַ לְכַף־רַגְלֶ֑ךָ וְנָתַן֩ יְהוָ֨ה לְךָ֥ שָׁם֙ לֵ֣ב רַגָּ֔ז וְכִלְי֥וֹן עֵינַ֖יִם וְדַֽאֲב֥וֹן נָֽפֶשׁ׃

Among these nations you will not be calm. You will be in exile, scattered throughout the world, and unable to relax there. And there will be no rest for the sole of your foot. The Lord will also give you there a trembling heart, and yearning eyes, as you will long for an improvement in your situation, and desolation of the soul.

וְהָי֣וּ חַיֶּ֔יךָ תְּלֻאִ֥ים לְךָ֖ מִנֶּ֑גֶד וּפָֽחַדְתָּ֙ לַ֣יְלָה וְיוֹמָ֔ם וְלֹ֥א תַאֲמִ֖ין בְּחַיֶּֽיךָ׃

Your life will be dangling before you. You will feel completely insecure, as though your lives hang on a thread that might snap at any moment. And you will fear night and day, and you will not believe in your life.

בַּבֹּ֤קֶר תֹּאמַר֙ מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן עֶ֔רֶב וּבָעֶ֥רֶב תֹּאמַ֖ר מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן בֹּ֑קֶר מִפַּ֤חַד לְבָֽבְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּפְחָ֔ד וּמִמַּרְאֵ֥ה עֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּרְאֶֽה׃

In the morning you will say: Would that it were already

וֶֽהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֨ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ מִצְרַיִם֮ בָּאֳנִיּוֹת֒ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣רְתִּֽי לְךָ֔ לֹא־תֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם שָׁ֧ם לְאֹיְבֶ֛יךָ לַעֲבָדִ֥ים וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת וְאֵ֥ין קֹנֶֽה׃ (ס)

The Lord will return you to Egypt in ships, on the way with regard to which I said to you: You will not see it ever again (see 17:16). And you will even attempt to sell yourselves there to your enemies as slaves and as maidservants, merely in order to remain alive, and yet there is no buyer. No one will be willing to purchase you, as you will be considered worthless. This might be the most terrible curse of all.

אֵלֶּה֩ דִבְרֵ֨י הַבְּרִ֜ית אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֗ה לִכְרֹ֛ת אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב מִלְּבַ֣ד הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֥ת אִתָּ֖ם בְּחֹרֵֽב׃ (פ)

These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moav, besides the covenant that He made with them at Horev.