Shimru Shabtotai

  
שִׁמְרוּ שַׁבְּתוֹתַי

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Shimru shab'totai l'ma'an tin'ku usvatem
Miziv birchotai, el ham'nuchah, ki vatem.
Ul'vu alai banai, v'eednu ma'adanai
Shabbat Hayom Lashem.

Chorus:
Ul'vu alai banai, v'eednu ma'adanai
Shabbat Hayom Lashem.

L'amel kir'u d'ror, v'natati et birchati
Ishah el achotah litzror l'galot aal yom simchati. Bigdei sheish eem shanai, v'hitbon'nu miz'keinai, Shabbat haYom LaShem.

Chorus:
Ul'vu alai banai, v'eednu ma'adanai
Shabbat Hayom Lashem.

Maharu et hamaneh, la'asot et d'var Ester, V'chishvu im hakonah, l'shalem achol v'hoter. Bitchu vi emunai, ushtu yein mishmanai, Shabbat Hayom LaShem.

Chorus:
Ul'vu alai banai, v'eednu ma'adanai
Shabbat Hayom Lashem.

Hineh yom g'ulah, yom Shabbat eem tishmoru, Vi'h'yi'tem li s'gulah, linu v'a'har ta'avoru.
V'az Tihyu l'fanai utmal'u tz'funai,
Shabbat Hayom LaShem.

Chorus:
Ul'vu alai banai, v'eednu ma'adanai
Shabbat Hayom Lashem.

Chazeik kiryati, El Elohim Elyon,
V'hashev et n'vati b'simcha uv'higayon. Y'shor'ru sham r'nanai l'viyai v'chohanai, Shabbat Hayom Lashem.

Chorus:
Ul'vu alai banai, v'eednu ma'adanai
Shabbat Hayom Lashem.
שִׁמְרוּ שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, לְמַֽעַן תִּינְקוּ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם,
מִזִּיו בִּרְכוֹתַי, אֶל הַמְּנוּחָה כִּי בָאתֶם,
וּלְווּ עָלַי בָּנַי, וְעִדְנוּ מַעֲדָנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.
וּלְווּ עָלַי בָּנַי, וְעִדְנוּ מַעֲדָנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.

לְעָמֵל קִרְאוּ דְרוֹר, וְנָתַתִּי אֶת בִּרְכָתִי,
אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ לִצְרוֹר, לְגַלּוֹת עַל יוֹם שִׂמְחָתִי,
בִּגְדֵי שֵׁשׁ עִם שָׁנַי, וְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּ מִזְּקֵנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.
וּלְווּ עָלַי בָּנַי, וְעִדְנוּ מַעֲדָנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.

מַהֲרוּ אֶת הַמָּנֶה, לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת דְבַר אֶסְתֵּר,
וְחִשְׁבוּ עִם הַקּוֹנֶה, לְשַׁלֵּם אָכוֹל וְהוֹתֵר,
בִּטְחוּ בִי אֱמוּנַי, וּשְׁתוּ יֵין מִשְׁמַנַּי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.
וּלְווּ עָלַי בָּנַי, וְעִדְנוּ מַעֲדָנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.

הִנֵּה יוֹם גְּאֻלָּה, יוֹם שַׁבָּת אִם תִּשְׁמֹֽרוּ,
וִהְיִֽיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה, לִֽינוּ וְאַחַר תַּעֲבֹֽרוּ,
וְאָז תִּחְיוּ לְפָנַי, וּתְמַלְאוּ צְפוּנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.
וּלְווּ עָלַי בָּנַי, וְעִדְנוּ מַעֲדָנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.

חַזֵּק קִרְיָתִי, אֵל אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן,
וְהָשֵׁב אֶת נְוָתִי, בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְהִגָּיוֹן,
יְשׁוֹרְרוּ שָׁם רְנָנַי, לְוִיַיּ וְכֹהֲנַי, וְאָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.
וּלְווּ עָלַי בָּנַי, וְעִדְנוּ מַעֲדָנַי, שַׁבָּת הַיּוֹם לַייָ.

Translation:

Keep ye my Sabbath rest,
With rich draughts she feeds you;
From her soft sweet-flo​wing breast
To repose she leads you.

Thoug​​​​​h you beg her needs she will repay
Riche​​​​​st dainties bring forth, be gay,
'Tis my Sabbath, keep ye holiday.

Labou​r's task is ended;
See, I send you my benison [note- "benison"​ means blessing]​.
As brides twain, soft blended,
Singi​ng sweetly in unison,
So my counsels sage attract your ear,
Scarl​et silks shall be yours to wear,
Sabba​th's holiday is here.

Thoug​​​​​h you beg her needs she will repay
Riche​​​​​st dainties bring forth, be gay,
'Tis my Sabbath, keep ye holiday.

Esthe​r's feast prepare ye,
To the mart haste, good cheer provide
Freel​y, nor forbear ye
Aught​, to welcome this Sabbath-t​ide.
He who sells will fill your purse anew;
Come,​ buy sweetest wines of ruby hue,
Trust​ His promise, sure, to you.

Thoug​​​​​h you beg her needs she will repay
Riche​​​​​st dainties bring forth, be gay,
'Tis my Sabbath, keep ye holiday.

Redem​ption swift is speeding,​
Then Mine own ye once mone shall be.
Hear My Sabbath pleading:​
'Rest​ one night, ere ye pass, with me'
In My Presence shall your years be blessed,
Life'​s hid joys all to you confessed​,
For life's secret is the Sabbath rest.

Thoug​​​​​h you beg her needs she will repay
Riche​​​​​st dainties bring forth, be gay,
'Tis my Sabbath, keep ye holiday.

My bulwarks shattered​,
Lord of Glory, rebuild again;
My exiles scattered​
Lead in joy to their old domain.
Pries​ts and Levites there restored shall sing
Songs​ which exiled hearts at last shall bring,
A joyous welcome to their King.

Thoug​​​​​h you beg her needs she will repay
Riche​​​​​st dainties bring forth, be gay,
'Tis my Sabbath, keep ye holiday.

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

Information:

A lesser known, yet still beautiful Shabbat afternoon zemer.

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.

Recordings

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Recorded by: Jonathan Cohen
Description: Ashkenazi version

Description: indian bene israel ancient tune faster

Recorded by: Jonathan Cohen
Description: Sephardi version

Description: indian bene israel ancient tune

Recorded by: Stuart Izon
Description: Composed by Eliezer Diamond. Similar versions are a corruption of this melody

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