Menucha Vesimcha

 
מנוּחָה ושִמחָה


M’nuha v’simha, or lay’hudim,
Yom shabbaton yom mahamadim.
Shom’rav v’zokh’rav heima m’idim
Ki l’shisha kol b’ru’im v’om’dim.

Sh’mei shamayim, erets v’yamim,
Kol ts’va marom g’vohim v’ramim,
Tanin v’adam v’hayat r’eimim,
Ki v’yah adonai tsur olamim.

Hu asher diber l’am s’gulato,
Shamor l’kad’sho mibo’o v’ad tseito.
Shabbat kodesh, yom hemdato,
Ki vo shavat mikol m’lakhto.

B’mitsvat shabbat eil yahalitsakh.
Kum k’ra eilav yahish l’am’tsakh
Nishmat kol hai v’gam na’aritsakh,
Ekhol b’simha ki kh’var ratsakh.

B’mishneh lehem v’kiddush raba,
B’rov mat’amim v’ruah n’diva,
Yizku l’rav tuv hamit’an’gim bah
B’viat go’eil l’hayei ha’olam haba.
מְנוּחָה וְשִׂמְחָה אוֹר לַיְּהוּדִים,
יוֹם שַׁבָּתוֹן יוֹם מַחֲמַדִּים,
שׁוֹמְרָיו וְזוֹכְרָיו הֵֽמָּה מְעִידִים,
כִּי לְשִׁשָּׁה כֹּל בְּרוּאִים וְעוֹמְדִים.

שְׁמֵי שָׁמַֽיִם אֶֽרֶץ וְיַמִּים,
כָּל צְבָא מָרוֹם גְּבוֹהִים וְרָמִים,
תַּנִּין וְאָדָם וְחַיַּת רְאֵמִים,
כִּי בְּיָהּ יְיָ צוּר עוֹלָמִים.

הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לְעַם סְגֻלָּתוֹ,
שָׁמוֹר לְקַדְּשׁוֹ מִבּוֹאוֹ וְעַד צֵאתוֹ,
שַׁבַּת קֹֽדֶשׁ יוֹם חֶמְדָּתוֹ,
כִּי בוֹ שָֽׁבַת אֵל מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ.

בְּמִצְוַת שַׁבָּת אֵל יַחֲלִיצָךְ,
קוּם קְרָא אֵלָיו יָחִישׁ לְאַמְּצָךְ,
נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי וְגַם נַעֲרִיצָךְ,
אֱכוֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה כִּי כְבָר רָצָךְ.

בְּמִשְׁנֶה לֶֽחֶם וְקִדּוּשׁ רַבָּה,
בְּרֹב מַטְעַמִּים וְרֽוּחַ נְדִיבָה,
יִזְכּוּ לְרַב טוּב הַמִּתְעַנְּגִים בָּהּ,
בְּבִיאַת גּוֹאֵל לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Translation:

O light of gladness, O light of gladness,
Peace unto Israel,
Sabbath day of bliss, weave thy magic spell,
Weave thy magic spell.
All they who guard thee, all they who guard thee,
With raised cup do tell,
Tell of six days toil, earth from chaos raised
Builded firm and well.

Blue skies and green fields, blue skies and green fields,
Ocean's unceasing tide.
Glorious hosts of heaven, beaming far and wide,
Beaming far and wide.
Mighty whales and dragons fierce, mighty whales and dragons fierce,
Then man, to tame their pride:
God's hand formed them all, sure His works abide,
Sure His works abide.

He spake to Israel, He spake to Israel,
Chosen for this behest,
'Till night's stars shine bright guard My Sabbath blest,
Guard My Sabbath blest.'
O day delightful, O day delightful,
Day which our God loved best,
God Himself on thee from His toil did rest,
From His toil did rest.

Ye faint and wearied, ye faint and wearied,
Sabbath soon make you strong!
Call on God, to Him strength and might belong,
Strength and might belong.
Sing loud His praises, sing loud His praises,
Sing mid the Angel throng,
Then go, eat in peace, He hath heard your song,
He hath heard your song.

Twin loaves and good cheer, twin loaves and good cheer,
Goblets of ruby wine,
Bid thy guests sing loud, praise His gifts divine
Praise His gifts divine.
His grace will bless thee, His grace will bless thee,
True Sabbath bliss be thine
Soon to greet our King, sprung from David's iiu
Sprung from David's line.

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

Information:

This zemer is usually sung on on Friday night. The first letters of the first three stanzas indicate that the author was named Moses.
Source: Loewe

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