Shabbat HaYom L'Hashem

 
שבת היום לה׳


שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לה'
מְאֹד צָהֲלוּ בְּרִנּוּנַי,
וְגַם הַרְבּוּ מַעֲדָנַיּ,
אוֹתוֹ לִשְׁמוֹר כְּמִצְות ה':

שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לה'

מֵעַבוֹר דֶּרֶךְ וּגְבוּלִים,
מֵעַשּׂוֹת הַיּוֹם פְּעָלִים
לֶאֱכוֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת בְּהִלּוּלִים
זֶה הַיּוֹם עָשָׂה ה':

שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לה'

וְאִם תִּשְׁמְרֶנּוּ, י-ה יִנְצָרְךָּ כְּבָבַת,
אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וְגַם הַבַּת,
וְקָרָאתָ עוֹנֶג לְשַׁבָּת,
אָז תִּתְעַנֵּג עַל ה':

שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לה'

אֱכֹול מַשְּׁמַנִים וּמַעֲדַנִּים,
וּמַטְעַמִּים הַרְבֵּה מִינִים,
אֱגוֹזֵי פֶּרֶךְ וְרִמּוֹנִים,
וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה':

שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לה'

לַעֲרוֹךְ בְּשֻׁלְחָן לֶחֶם חֲמוּדוֹת,
לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיּוֹם שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדוֹת,
אֶת הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד לְבָרֵךְ וּלְהוֹדוֹת,
שָׁקְדוּ וְשִׁמְּרוּ וְעָשׂוּ בָנַי:

שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לה'

Translation:

Keep ye holy Sabbath rest before your God to-day,
Come, cry out with joyful shout, exulting in your play:
Pleasures mine, treasures fine, take with laughter gay.
Yet be ye mindful, God's command obey:

Day of rest, God hath blest Israel's Sabbath day.

Cease thy weary journey, stay and rest beside the road.
Toil is past, thy burden cast, for I will bear thy load:
Sweetmeats I bring thee, eat thy fill and say:

Day of rest, God hath blest Israel's Sabbath day.

Keep me safe and God will ever guard thee in His sight.
Thou, with all thy tender ones, shalt find in me delight.
Joyful, in chorus, raise the festive lay,

Day of rest, God hath blest Israel's Sabbath day.

Bring me finest dainties, bring me sweets and spices rare:
Crispest nuts and ripest fruit shall be our Sabbath fare.
Raisins and comfits, see their choice array,

Day of rest, God hath blest Israel's Sabbath day

Set twin loaves beside thy cup, so He will bless thy bread.
Feast our guest and with thy best thrice let thy board be spread.
Praise Him Who fed thee, turn to Him and pray,

Day of rest, God hath blest Israel's Sabbath day.

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

Information:

Zemer for Shabbos day. Some sing by Shalosh Seudos after Dror Yikra

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