Maoz Tzur

Ma'oz Tzur

מעוז צור

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Hebrew

רָעוֹת שָׂבְעָה נַפְשִׁי בְּיָגוֹן כֹּחִי כָּלָה
חַיַּי מָרְרוּ בְּקֹשִׁי בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת עֶגְלָה
וּבְיָדוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה הוֹצִיא אֶת הַסְּגֻלָּה
חֵיל פַּרְעֹה וְכָל זַרְעוֹ יָרְדוּ כְּאֶבֶן מְצוּלָה.

Sephardi

Ra'ot sav'ah nafshi beyagon kochi kalah
Chayai mareru bekoshi beshibud malchut eglah
Uveyado hagedolah hotzi et hasegullah
Cheil Par'oh vechol zar'o yordu ke'even metzulah.

English

Troubles sated my soul; my strength was spent with sorrow. They embittered my life with hardship, when I was enslaved under Egyptian rule. But God with His great power brought out His treasured people, while Pharaoh’s host and followers sank like a stone into the deep.

Hebrew

דְּבִיר קָדְשׁוֹ הֱבִיאַנִי וְגַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי
וּבָא נוֹגֵשׂ וְהִגְלַנִי כִּי זָרִים עָבַדְתִּי
וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי
קֵץ בָּבֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל לְקֵץ שִׁבְעִים נוֹשָׁעְתִּי.

Sephardi

Devir kodsho hevi'ani vegam sham lo shakatti
Uva noges vehiglani ki zarim avadti
Veyein ra'al masachti kim'at she'avarti
Ketz Bavel Zerubavel leketz shiv'im nosha'ti.

English

He brought me to His holy abode, but even there I found no rest. The oppressor came and exiled me, because I had served strange gods. I had drunk poisoned wine. I almost perished. Then Babylon fell, Zerubbabel came: within seventy years I was saved.

Hebrew

כְּרוֹת קוֹמַת בְּרוֹשׁ בִּקֵּשׁ אֲגָגִי בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא
וְנִהְיָתָה לוֹ לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ וְגַאֲוָתוֹ נִשְׁבָּתָה
רֹאשׁ יְמִינִי נִשֵּׂאתָ וְאוֹיֵב שְׁמוֹ מָחִיתָ
רֹב בָּנָיו וְקִנְיָנָיו עַל הָעֵץ תָּלִיתָ.

Sephardi

Kerot komat berosh bikesh Agagi ben Hamedata
Venihyatah lo lefach ulemokesh vega'avato nishbatah
Rosh yemini niseita ve'oyev shemo machita
Rov banav vekinyanav al ha'etz talita.

English

The Agagite, son of Hammedatha, sought to cut down the tall fir tree, but it became a trap to him, and his arrogance was brought to an end. You raised the head of the Benjaminite, and the enemy’s name You blotted out. His many sons and his household You hanged on the gallows.

Hebrew

יְוָנִים נִקְבְּצוּ עָלַי אֲזַי בִּימֵי חַשְׁמַנִּים
וּפָרְצוּ חוֹמוֹת מִגְדָּלַי וְטִמְּאוּ כָּל הַשְּׁמָנִים
וּמִנּוֹתַר קַנְקַנִּים נַעֲשָׂה נֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים
בְּנֵי בִינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים.

Sephardi

Yevanim nikbetzu alai azai bimei Chashmanim
Ufar'tzu chomot migdalai vetim'u kol hashemanim
Uminnotar kankanim na'asah nes lashoshanim
Benei vinah yemei shemonah kav'u shir urenanim.

English

Then the Greeks gathered against me, in the days of the Hasmoneans. They broke down the walls of my towers, and defiled all the oils. But from the last remaining flask a miracle was wrought for Your beloved. Therefore the Sages ordained these eight days for song and praise.

Hebrew

חֲשׂוֹף זְרוֹעַ קָדְשֶׁךָ וְקָרֵב קֵץ הַיְשׁוּעָה
נְקֹם נִקְמַת עֲבָדֶיךָ מֵאֻמָּה הָרְשָׁעָה
כִּי אָרְכָה לָנוּ הַשָּׁעָה וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי הָרָעָה
דְּחֵה אַדְמוֹן בְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן הָקֵם לָנוּ רוֹעִים שִׁבְעָה.

Sephardi

Chasof zero'a kodshecha vekarev ketz hayeshu'ah
Nekom nikmat avadecha me'ummah harsha'ah
Ki archah lanu hasha'ah ve'ein ketz limei hara'ah
Deche Admon betzel Tzalmon hakem lanu ro'im shiv'ah.

English

Bare Your holy arm, and hasten the time of salvation. Take retribution against the evil nation on behalf of Your servants, for the hour [of deliverance] has been too long delayed; there seems no end to the evil days. Thrust the enemy into the darkness of death, and establish for us the seven Shepherds.