The Tenth of Tevet

Selichot la'Asarah beTevet

סליחות לעשרה בטבת

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Hebrew

בַּעֲשִׂירִי לַחֹדֶשׁ סָמַךְ מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל
וַיָּצַר עַל עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְנִקְרַב רַב הַחוֹבֵל
נָתַתִּי לְדוּשׁ וְעֻנֵּיתִי בְּכֶבֶל
וְהָיָה מִדֵּי חֹדֶשׁ לְאֵבֶל כִּנּוֹרִי.

Sephardi

Ba'asiri lachodesh samach melech Bavel
Vayatzar al ir hakodesh, venikrav rav hachovel
Natati ledush ve'uneti bechevel
Vehayah midei chodesh le'evel kinori.

English

On the tenth, the king of Babylon laid siege on the city, and beleaguered it. The chief of the army arrived, and I was yielded to be trampled, was tormented in fetters, and from month to month my harp turned to grief.

Hebrew

רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרָה לְרֵאשִׁית הַחֵרֶם
שֵׁם אֲחֵרִים הִפְרָה, וְהֶעָוֹן גּוֹרֵם
פְּנֵי אֵל לֹא הִכִּירָה, וְשֻׁטְּפָה בַזֶּרֶם
צָרָה כְּמַבְכִּירָה כָּעֵת בְּמָרוֹם תַּמְרִיא.

Sephardi

Reshit bikurah lereishit hacherem
Sheim acherim hifrah, vehe'avon gorem
Penei Eil lo hikirah, veshutefah bazerem
Tzarah kemavkirah ka'et bemarom tamri.

English

Once like the first figs of a new tree, they were the very first to be destroyed. They spoke the names of others, and sin closed their destiny. They did not recognize God’s face and were swept off by the flood – agony like that of a first childbirth, soars up as high as Heaven.

Hebrew

הָאֱלֹהִים הֵבִיא יוֹם רָעָה וּמָצוֹר
צִוָּה צָרַי סְבִיבַי עוֹלְלַי לִבְצֹר
יוֹם הֻרַךְ לִבִּי וְאֵין כֹּחַ לַעְצֹר
וְדִבֵּר אֶל נָבִיא, מָשָׁל אֶל בֵּית הַמֶּרִי.

Sephardi

Ha'Elohim hevi yom ra'ah umatzor
Tzivah tzarai sevivai olelai livtzor
Yom hurach libi ve'ein koach la'atzor
Vediber el navi, mashal el beit hameri.

English

God brought us a day of evil and siege, ordered enemies about me to harvest my last fruits. The day my heart was quelled, no strength to resist, and He said to the prophet, “Preach this to the rebellious house.”

Hebrew

מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי שַׁעַר הֶעֱבִיר אַדֶּרֶת
חֲמָתוֹ כָאֵשׁ בָּעַר, וְהֵרִים עֲטֶרֶת
וּמִלְּבָנוֹן יַעַר הִשְׁלִיךְ תִּפְאֶרֶת
וְרוּחַ סוֹעָה וְסַעַר תְּסַמֵּר שַׂעֲרַת בְּשָׂרִי.

Sephardi

Miyoshvei sha'ar he'evir aderet
Chamato cha'esh ba'ar, veherim ateret
Umilevanon ya'ar hishlich tiferet
Veruach so'ah vesa'ar tesamer sa'arat besari.

English

He took the cloak of authority from the judges at the gate. His rage burned like fire and He raised the crown away, and He cast down the splendor of the Temple, Forest of Lebanon, and rushing wind and storm make my flesh bristle and shiver.

Hebrew

יְפֵיפִית נִמְשַׁלְתְּ, וְעַתָּה קְדוֹרַנִּית
בְּעָוֹן כִּי כָשַׁלְתְּ, וְלִבֵּךְ אָחוֹרַנִּית
זֻנַּבְתְּ וְנֶחֱשַׁלְתְּ רִאשׁוֹנָה וּשְׁנִית
וְהָחְתֵּל לֹא חֻתַּלְתְּ מְעַט צֳרִי.

Sephardi

Yefefit nimshalt, ve'atah kedoranit
Be'avon ki kashalt, velibech achoranit
Zunavt venecheshalt rishonah ush'nit
Vehachtel lo chutalt me'at tzori.

English

Once you were called most beautiful; now you are darkened, for you have stumbled over iniquity and your heart has turned back. You have been attacked from behind, have been weakened, once, then twice, and even the slightest dressing or balm not offered you.

Hebrew

צַדִּיק הַצּוּר תָּם, נְשֹׂא עָוֹן וְנִלְאָה
מִכְּרוּב לְמִפְתָּן, לְפִנַּת גַּג דָּאָה
מֵעָוֹן הַנִּכְתָּם, וְצַעֲקָתָם בָּאָה
רַבָּה רָעָתָם כְּעֵץ עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי.

Sephardi

Tzadik hatzur tam, neso avon venil'ah
Mikeruv lemiftan, lefinat gag da'ah
Me'avon hanichtam, vetza'akatam ba'ah
Rabah ra'atam ke'etz oseh peri.

English

The Righteous One, perfect Rock, who forgives iniquity almost too great to bear, flew from the cherubs to the threshold, and from there to a corner of the roof, because of the iniquity marked out; the scream of it rose up, their evil as abundant as a fruit-tree’s crop.