Print pages
pp. 360-361
Erev Shabbat

Song of Songs

שיר השירים

Visible layers
Hebrew
אֶלְבָּשֶׁנָּה רָחַצְתִּי אֶת־רַגְלַי אֵיכָכָה אֲטַנְּפֵם׃ דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן־
הַחֹר וּמֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו׃ קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתֹּחַ לְדוֹדִי וְיָדַי נָטְפוּ־מוֹר
וְאֶצְבְּעֹתַי מוֹר עֹבֵר עַל כַּפּוֹת הַמַּנְעוּל׃ פָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי
חָמַק עָבָר נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ קְרָאתִיו
וְלֹא עָנָנִי׃ מְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי נָשְׂאוּ
אֶת־רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת׃ הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ‍ִם
אִם־תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת־דּוֹדִי מַה־תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי׃ מַה־דּוֹדֵךְ
מִדּוֹד הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים מַה־דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד שֶׁכָּכָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּנוּ׃ דּוֹדִי צַח
וְאָדוֹם דָּגוּל מֵרְבָבָה׃ רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת
כָּעוֹרֵב׃ עֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים עַל־אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם רֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב יֹשְׁבוֹת עַל־
מִלֵּאת׃ לְחָיָו כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם מִגְדְּלוֹת מֶרְקָחִים שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים
נֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עֹבֵר׃ יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת
שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים׃ שׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ מְיֻסָּדִים עַל־אַדְנֵי־פָז
מַרְאֵהוּ כַּלְּבָנוֹן בָּחוּר כָּאֲרָזִים׃ חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲמַדִּים
זֶה דּוֹדִי וְזֶה רֵעִי בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ‍ִם׃ אָנָה הָלַךְ דּוֹדֵךְ הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים
אָנָה פָּנָה דוֹדֵךְ וּנְבַקְשֶׁנּוּ עִמָּךְ׃ דּוֹדִי יָרַד לְגַנּוֹ לַעֲרוּגוֹת הַבֹּשֶׂם
לִרְעוֹת בַּגַּנִּים וְלִלְקֹט שׁוֹשַׁנִּים׃ אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי הָרֹעֶה
בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים׃
יָפָה אַתְּ רַעְיָתִי כְּתִרְצָה נָאוָה כִּירוּשָׁלָ‍ִם אֲיֻמָּה כַּנִּדְגָּלוֹת׃ הָסֵבִּי
עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי שֶׁהֵם הִרְהִיבֻנִי שַׂעְרֵךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָעִזִּים שֶׁגָּלְשׁוּ מִן־
הַגִּלְעָד׃ שִׁנַּיִךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָרְחֵלִים שֶׁעָלוּ מִן־הָרַחְצָה שֶׁכֻּלָּם מַתְאִימוֹת
וְשַׁכֻּלָה אֵין בָּהֶם׃ כְּפֶלַח הָרִמּוֹן רַקָּתֵךְ מִבַּעַד לְצַמָּתֵךְ׃ שִׁשִּׁים
הֵמָּה מְלָכוֹת וּשְׁמֹנִים פִּילַגְשִׁים וַעֲלָמוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר׃ אַחַת
הִיא יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי אַחַת הִיא לְאִמָּהּ בָּרָה הִיא לְיוֹלַדְתָּהּ רָאוּהָ
בָנוֹת וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ מְלָכוֹת וּפִילַגְשִׁים וַיְהַלְלוּהָ׃ מִי־זֹאת
Sephardi
Elbashenah rachatzti et-raglai eikhakhah atan'fem: dodi shalach yado min-
hachor ume'ai hamu alav: kamti ani liftoach ledodi veyadai natfu-mor
ve'etzbe'otai mor oveir al kapot hamane'ul: patachti ani ledodi vedodi
chamak avar nafshi yatz'ah vedabro bikashtihu velo metzatiahu kerativ
velo anani: metza'uni hashomrim hasovevim ba'ir hikuni petza'uni nas'u
et-redidi me'alai shomrei hachomot: hishba'ti etchem benot yerushalayim
im-timtze'u et-dodi mah-tagidu lo shecholat ahavah ani: mah-dodech
midod hayafah banashim mah-dodech midod shekachah hishba'tanu: dodi tzach
ve'adom dogul merovavah: rosho ketem paz kevutzotav taltalim shechorot
ka'orev: einav keyonim al-afikei mayim rochatzot bechalav yoshvot al-
mileit: lechayav ka'arugat habosem migdalot merkachim siftotav shoshanim
notfot mor over: yadav gelilei zahav memula'im batarshish me'av eshet
shen me'ulefet sapirim: shokav amudei shesh meyusadim al-adnei-paz
mar'eihu kallevanon bachur ka'arazim: chiko mamtakim vechulo machamadim
zeh dodi vezeh re'i benot yerushalayim: anah halah dodech hayafah banashim
anah panah dodech unvakshenu imach: dodi yarad legano la'arugot habosem
lir'ot baganim velilkot shoshanim: ani ledodi vedodi li haro'eh
bashoshanim:
yafah at ra'yati ketirtzah na'vah kiyerushalayim ayumah kannidgalot: hasebi
einayich minegdi shehem hirhivuni sa'arech ke'eder ha'izim shegalshu min-
hagil'ad: shinayich ke'eder harachelim she'alu min-harachtzah shekulam mat'imot
veshakulah ein bahem: kefelach harimon rakatech miba'ad letzamatech: shishim
hemah melachot ushmonim pilagshim va'alamot ein mispar: achat
hi yonati tamati achat hi le'imah barah hi leyoladetah ra'uhah
banot vaye'asheruhah melachot ufilagshim vayehaleluhah: mi-zot
English
how can I put it on again? I have already washed my feet, how can I dirty them?" My beloved stretches his hand through the door - and my being longs for him. I rise to open the door for my beloved; my hands are dripping with myrrh, my fingers are streaming with myrrh oil, all over the handles of the latch. I open for my beloved - he has slipped away; gone. I had fainted for him as he spoke - I search for him, I cannot find him; I call out, but he does not answer. The guards find me, those who go around the town; they beat me, they wound me, they pull my scarf from me, those guardians of the walls. Swear to me, daughters of Jerusalem; if you find my beloved, swear that you will tell him - tell him I am sick with love. [Friends] What makes your lover so much more than other lovers, you most beautiful of women? What makes your lover so much more than other men, that this is what you have us swear? [She] He is bright, my beloved, he is blooming; you would know him among ten thousand. His face glows like gold, fine gold, his hair in locks like palm-flowers, raven black. Yet his eyes are like doves, drinking at springs, washed in milk, at rest by the well. His cheeks are like beds of balsam, where perfume herbs are grown. His lips smell like lilies, flowing with myrrh oil. His arms are like golden bars, set with beryl stones. His stomach is hewn like solid ivory, inlaid with lapis lazuli. His legs stand firm as marble pillars, fixed on gold foundations. Seeing him is like looking at Lebanon, and he is as choice as its cedars. His mouth is filled with sweetness, for all of him, my longing. This is my beloved, this is my love, daughters of Jerusalem. [Friends] Where has your beloved gone, most beautiful of women? Where has your beloved turned? We shall search for him with you. [She] My beloved has gone to his garden, down to the beds of balsam; to pasture in the gardens, to gather in lilies. I am my beloved's - my beloved is my own, who pastures among the lilies. [He] My love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, terrifying as the flagged armies. Turn your eyes from me, for they have overwhelmed me. Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down from Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of ewes rising up from cleaning; each bears twins, two and two, not one among them lost. Your forehead, like a pomegranate, glows through your tresses. Queens there are sixty; eighty concubines, and maids there are without number. But my dove, my perfection, is one; one, unique to her mother - the shining one she bore. Look at her, you girls, acknowledge she is blessed; look, queens and concubines - and praise her."