Say Psalm 1 in Coptic.

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

Here is the complete Psalm 1 in the Bohairic Coptic dialect, which is the standard liturgical version used in the Coptic Orthodox Church. This is the version you will hear in the Agpeya (First Hour) and as taught by our cantors like Moalem Ibrahim Ayad and Moalem George Mikhail.

ⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⲁ̅ (Psalm 1)

(1) Ⲱⲟⲩⲛⲓⲁⲧϥ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲉⲙ̀ⲡⲉϥϣⲉ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲥⲟϭⲛⲓ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉϥⲟϩⲓ ⲉ̀ⲣⲁⲧϥ ϩⲓ ⲡⲙⲱⲓⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲣⲉϥⲉⲣⲛⲟⲃⲓ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉϥϩⲉⲙⲥⲓ ϩⲓ ⲡⲕⲁⲑⲉⲇⲣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲗⲟⲓⲙⲟⲥ.

(Ouniatf empic-rōmi: phē-ete-empef-she khen epsocni enni-asebees: ouoh empef-ohi eratf hi ep-mōit ente ni-ref-er-novi: ouoh empef-hemsi hi ep-kathedra ente ni-loimos.)

Blessed is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, and did not stand in the way of sinners, and did not sit in the seat of the scornful.

(2) Ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲭⲏ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙ̀Ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉϥⲉⲉⲣⲙⲉⲗⲉⲧⲁⲛ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲉϥⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲉϫⲱⲣϩ.

(Alla ere pef-ouōsh khē khen ep-nomos em-Pchois: ouoh ef-e-er-meletan khen pef-nomos em-pie-ho-ou nem pi-ejōrh.)

But his will is in the law of the Lord; and in His law he shall meditate day and night.

(3) Ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲉϥⲉϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲙ̀ⲫⲣⲏϯ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩϣϣⲏⲛ: ⲉⲧⲣⲏⲧ ϩⲓ ⲙⲁⲩⲙⲟⲛ ⲙ̀ⲙⲱⲟⲩ: ⲫⲏⲉⲑⲛⲁϯ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉϥⲟⲩⲧⲁϩ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲉϥⲥⲏⲟⲩ.

(Ouoh ef-e-shōpi em-phreeti en-oush-shēn: etreet hi mau-mon em-mō-ou: phē-ethna-ti em-pef-outah khen pef-sē-ou.)

And he shall be like a tree planted by the outlets of waters, which shall yield its fruit in its season.

(4) Ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϥϫⲱⲃ ⲛ̀ⲛⲉϥϣⲱⲣⲉⲙ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ ⲉⲧⲉϥⲛⲁⲁⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲉⲥⲱⲟⲩⲧⲉⲛ ⲛⲁϥ.

(Ouoh pef-jōb ennef-shōrem: ouoh hōv niven etefna-aitou eue-sō-outen naf.)

And its leaf shall not fall, and all things whatsoever he does shall prosper.

(5) Ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲣⲏϯ ⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ: ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙ̀ⲫⲣⲏϯ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲭⲟⲛⲓ: ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲑⲏⲟⲩ ϥⲱϥⲓ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟϥ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ ⲡϩⲟ ⲙ̀ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ.

(Entereeti an enni-asebees: alla em-phreeti en-ou-khoni: phē-ete pi-thē-ou fōfi em-mof evol hi ep-ho em-ep-kahi.)

Not so are the ungodly; but they are like the dust which the wind scatters from the face of the earth.

(6) Ⲉⲑⲃⲉ ⲫⲁⲓ ⲛ̀ⲛⲉ ⲛⲓⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ϧⲉⲛ ϯⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ: ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲛⲓⲣⲉϥⲉⲣⲛⲟⲃⲓ ϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲥⲟϭⲛⲓ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲑⲙⲏⲓ.

(Ethve phai enne ni-asebees tō-ounou khen ti-krisis: oude ni-ref-er-novi khen ep-socni ente ni-thmēi.)

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the counsel of the righteous.

(7) Ϫⲉ Ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ ⲥⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲙ̀ⲡⲙⲱⲓⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲑⲙⲏⲓ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲙⲱⲓⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ ⲉϥⲉⲧⲁⲕⲟ: Ⲁⲗⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩⲓⲁ.

(Je Pchois sō-oun em-ep-mōit ente ni-thmēi: ouoh ep-mōit ente ni-asebees efe-tako: Alleluia.)

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Alleluia.

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Understanding the Key Vocabulary:

• ⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ (Asebees): Greek loanword for "ungodly."
• ⲣⲉϥⲉⲣⲛⲟⲃⲓ (Ref-er-novi): Native Coptic for "sinner."
• ⲑⲙⲏⲓ (Thmēi): Native Coptic for "righteous."
• Ⲡϭⲟⲓⲥ (Pchois): Native Coptic for "The Lord."
• ⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ (Krisis): Greek loanword for "judgment."

When you pray this, remember that it sets the tone for the entire Agpeya—reminding us to separate ourselves from worldly distractions and focus purely on the Law of ⲫⲛⲟⲩϯ (God).