Mah Yedidut

 
מַה יְּדִידוּת


Mah yedidut m'nuchatech, at Shabbat hamalkah. B'chen narutz likratech. Boi, kallah n'suchah. L'vush bigdei hamudot, lehadlik ner bivracha, vateichel kol ha'avodot lo ta'asu m'lacha.

L'hit'aneg b'ta'anugim, barburim u'slav v'dagim.

Me'erev mazminim kol minei mat'amim, mib'od yom muchanim tarnegolim mefutamim. V'learoch kamah minim, shetot yeynot mevushamim, ve'tafnukei ma'adanim b'chol shalosh pa'amim.
L'hit'aneg...

Nachalat Ya'akov yirash b'li m'tzarim nachala, vichab'duhu ashir varash v'tizku lig'ula. Yom Shabbat im tishmoru, vih'yitem li s'gulah, sheshet yamim ta'avodu uvash'vi'i nagila.
L'hit'aneg...

Chafatzecha asurim v'gam lachashov cheshbonot, hirhurim mutarim ulishadech habanot. V'tinok l'lam'do sefer, lam'natzeach binginot, v'lahagot b'imrei shefer b'chol pinot umachanot.
L'hit'aneg...

Hiluchach t'hi b'nachat, oneg kara laShabbat, v'hasheina m'shubachat k'dat nefesh m'shivat. B'chen nafshi l'cha orgah, v'lanuach b'chibat, kashoshanim sugah, bo yanuchu ben uvat.
L'hit'aneg...

Me'ein olam habah yom Shabbat m'nucha, kol hamit'an'gim bah yizku l'rov simcha. M'chev'lei mashiach yutzalu lirvacha, p'duteinu tatzmiach v'nas yagon v'anacha.
L'hit'aneg...
מַה יְּדִידוּת מְנוּחָתֵךְ, אַתְּ שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה, בְּכֵן נָרוּץ לִקְרָאתֵךְ, בּֽוֹאִי כַלָּה נְסוּכָה, לְבוּשׁ בִּגְדֵי חֲמוּדוֹת, לְהַדְלִיק נֵר בִּבְרָכָה, וַתֵּֽכֶל כָּל הָעֲבוֹדוֹת, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מְלָאכָה.

לְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים.

מֵעֶֽרֶב מַזְמִינִים, כָּל מִינֵי מַטְעַמִּים,
מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם מוּכָנִים, תַּרְנְגוֹלִים מְפֻטָּמִים, וְלַעֲרֹךְ כַּמָּה מִינִים, שְׁתוֹת יֵינוֹת מְבֻשָּׂמִים, וְתַפְנוּקֵי מַעֲדַנִּים, בְּכָל שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים.

לְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים.

נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב יִירָשׁ, בְּלִי מְצָרִים נַחֲלָה, וִיכַבְּדֽוּהוּ עָשִׁיר וָרָשׁ, וְתִזְכּוּ לִגְאֻלָּה, יוֹם שַׁבָּת אִם תִּשְׁמֹֽרוּ, וִהְיִֽיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה, שֵֽׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹֽדוּ, וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי נָגִֽילָה.

לְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים.

חֲפָצֶֽיךָ בּוֹ אֲסוּרִים, וְגַם לַחֲשֹׁב חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹת, הִרְהוּרִים מֻתָּרִים, וּלְשַׁדֵּךְ הַבָּנוֹת, וְתִינוֹק לְלַמְּדוֹ סֵֽפֶר, לַמְנַצֵּֽחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת, וְלַהֲגוֹת בְּאִמְרֵי שֶֽׁפֶר, בְּכָל פִּנּוֹת וּמַחֲנוֹת.

לְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים.

הִלּוּכָךְ תְּהֵא בְנַֽחַת, עֹֽנֶג קְרָא לַשַּׁבָּת, וְהַשֵּׁנָה מְשֻׁבַּֽחַת, כְּדָת נֶֽפֶשׁ מְשִׁיבַת, בְּכֵן נַפְשִׁי לְךָ עָרְגָה, וְלָנֽוּחַ בְּחִבַּת, כַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים סוּגָה, בּוֹ יָנֽוּחוּ בֵּן וּבַת.

לְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים.

מֵעֵין עוֹלָם הַבָּא, יוֹם שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה,
כָּל הַמִּתְעַנְּגִים בָּהּ, יִזְכּוּ לְרֹב שִׂמְחָה, מֵחֶבְלֵי מָשִֽׁיחַ, יֻצָּֽלוּ לִרְוָחָה,
פְּדוּתֵֽנוּ תַצְמִֽיחַ, וְנָס יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה.

לְהִתְעַנֵּג בְּתַעֲנוּגִים בַּרְבּוּרִים וּשְׂלָו וְדָגִים.

Translation:

How sweet thy precious gift of rest
Queen Sabbath, cherished far and wide!
Let us speed in thy quest,
Haste, we'll greet our pure bride
Decked in splendid robes to meet her.
To our homes the lamp shall be her sure guide.
Labour o'er, we will greet her.
Cease your toil, at home in peace abide.

Let's rejoice to-day with viands fairest
Set in choice array, with morsels rarest,
Fat capons, quails and fish,
Each upon a lordly dish.

Each Friday busy housewives all
Bake dainties for the Sabbath fare.
Ere the evening shades fall;
Plumpest fowls, deft, they prepare ;
Crispest pie and sweetest pasty,
Spiced hippocras to drink and wines rare,
Morsels rich, comfits tasty,
Thrice the poor our Sabbath feasts shall share.
Let's rejoice...

Gain Jacob's heritage divine,
From sorrow set thy spirit free
And redemption be thine;
Rich or poor though thou be
Keep thy Sabbath God ordained.
Mid his chosen folk He sure will bless thee.
Six days' toil not disdained,
Take thy Sabbath rest in joyous glee,
Let's rejoice...

From week-day needs thou shalt refrain,
O Merchant, pondering o'er thy schemes ;
Soft thoughts be thy gain,
Daughter's bridal thy dreams;
Teach thy son our ancient glory;
(Israel's minstrel-king shall chaunt him sweet themes)
Israel's wanderings thy story,
Till thy boy with emulation gleams.
Let's rejoice...

Tread softly, woo the Sabbath's calm,
Queen Sabbath, happiness her name;
Yield to slumber's rare balm
So His Law heals thy frame
For her rest my soul is pining,
Sweet repose I seek, engirt with love's flame,
Mid white lilies reclining;
Lads and lasses, Sabbath peace acclaim!
Let's rejoice...

True vision of Paradise to be,
Thrice welcome, restful Sabbath day,
All whose hearts beat for thee,
Time unending shall play,
Earth's sore travail never heeding,
Save us ere we perish in the dense fray,
Our redemption soon speeding,
Then will tears and sighings fade away.
Let's rejoice...

Translation by Herbert Loewe, Mediaeval Hebrew Minstrelsy, Songs for the Bride Queen's Feast, published 1926.

Information:

Traditional Shabbat Zemer normally sung on Friday night.

The surviving son and the two granddaughters of Herbert Loewe have been glad to give their permission to reproduce his English version of this song. See this page for more information on the copyright status of Mediaeval Hebrew Minstrelsy.

Click here to read about Herbert Loewe. The linked page is written by Herbert Loewe's son Michael Loewe.

Printed from the Zemirot Database