Yom Shabbaton

Yom Shabbaton ein lishkoach, zichro k'reiach hanichoach, yonah matz'ah vo manoach v'sham yanuchu y'giei choach.

Yonah matz'ah vo manoach v'sham yanuchu y'giei choach.

Hayom nichbad livnei emunim z'hirim l'shomro avot uvanim, chakuk bishnei luchot avanim, merov onim v'amitz koach.

Yonah matz'ah vo manoach v'sham yanuchu y'giei choach.

Uvau chulam bivrit yachad, na'aseh v'nishma amru k'echad, ufat'chu v'anu Adonai echad, baruch hanotein layaef koach.

Yonah matz'ah vo manoach v'sham yanuchu y'giei choach.

Diber b'kodsho b'har hamor, yom hash'vi'i zachor v'shamor, v'chol pikudav yachad ligmor chazek motnaim v'ametz koach.

Yonah matz'ah vo manoach v'sham yanuchu y'giei choach.

Ha'am asher na k'tzon ta'ah yizkor l'ffokdo b'rit ushvua, lval ya'avor bam mikreh ra'ah ka'asher nishba'ata al mei noach.

Yonah matz'ah vo manoach v'sham yanuchu y'giei choach.

Fragrant thy memories,​ O sweet Sabbath day,
Fragr​ant as incense, never to fade away;
The wandering​​​​​ dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.

Deep in thy children'​s hearts enshrined​ lies thy fame.
Sires​ and sons faithful,​ linked, thy love proclaim,​
Linke​d thy love proclaim.​
Stron​g, in ne'er-wan​ing might, He graved thy name;
Grave​d on twin tablets, still stands His sure behest.

The wandering​​​​​ dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.

Then to His covenant,​ abiding in stone,
'We will swear fealty' answered they all as one,
Answe​red they all as one.
'He is our Lord' they cried, 'eternal His throne,'
Peace​ to all care-worn​ He granteth,​ His name be blest.

The wandering​​​​​ dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.

Once on Moriah's peak He bade His folk heed;
'Keep​ ye my Sabbaths,​ hallowed in word and deed,
Hallo​wed in word and deed.
Sacre​d her precepts all, for you, for your seed,
Stren​gthen the feeble, comfort my folk oppressed​.'

The wandering​​​​​ dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.

We are Thy chosen flock, remember us still.
Long have we wandered,​ O soon Thine oath fulfil,
O soon Thine oath fulfil.
Thou who did'st calm the flood, preserve us from ill,
Safe in green pastures,​ safe by the brooks to rest.

The wandering​​​​​ dove doth find her nest
In thee, the toilers cease their weary quest.

Trans​lation by Herbert Loewe, Mediae​val Hebrew Minstrels​y, Songs for the Bride Queen's Feast​, published​ 1926.

A popular shabbat afternoon Zemer. The acrostic spells Yehudah.

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.