Shachar Abakeshekha

 
שחר אבקשך


shaḥar ’avaḳḳeshkha tsuri umiśgabbi ’e‘rokh lefanekha shaḥri ṿegam ‘arbi lifne gedullatekha ’e‘mod ṿe’ebbahel ki ‘enekha tir’eh khal maḥshevot libbi mah zzeh ’asher yukhal hallev ṿehallashon la‘śot umah koaḥ ruḥi betokh ḳirbi hinneh lekha tiṭav zimrat ’enosh ‘al ken ’odekha be‘od tihyeh nishmat ’eloah bi
שַׁחַר אֲבַקֶּשְׁךָ צוּרִי וּמִשְׂגַּבִּי
אֶעְרֹךְ לְפָנֶיךָ שַׁחְרִי וְגַם עַרְבִּי

לִפְנֵי גְדֻלָּתְךָ אֶעְמֹד וְאֶבָּהֵל
כִּי עֵינְךָ תִּרְאֶה כָל מַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבִּי

מַה זֶּה אֲשֶׁר יוּכַל הַלֵּב וְהַלָּשׁוֹן
לַעְשׂוֹת וּמַה כֹּחַ רוּחִי בְּתוֹךְ קִרְבִּי

הִנֵּה לְךָ תִּיטַב זִמְרַת אֱנוֹשׁ עַל כֵּן
אוֹדְךָ בְּעוֹד תִּהְיֶה נִשְׁמַת אֱלֹהַּ בִּי

Translation:

At dawn I seek you, my rock and refuge
I will prepare before you my morning and evening prayers

I stand and tremble before Your greatness
For Your eyes can see all of the thoughts of my heart

What can the can the heart and tongue
Do and what is the power of the spirit within me?

Therefore, may the song of humankind be pleasant to you, thus
I will praise you as long as my Godly soul is within me.

Translation by Gabe Seed

Information:

By Solomon Ibn Gabirol, 11th century Spain.

Printed from the Zemirot Database