The following is said phrase-by-phrase by the congregation and the chazzan. Many communities sing it. For transliteration, see page 949.
Let us welcome Shabbat
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי<sup>1</sup> לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi<sup>1</sup> likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved<sup>1</sup>—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
God commanded us to keep Shabbat
Hebrew
שָׁמוֹר וְזָכוֹר בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד<sup>2</sup>,
הִשְׁמִיעָנוּ אֵל הַמְיֻחָד,
יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד, לְשֵׁם
וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת וְלִתְהִלָּה:
Sephardi
Shamor vezachor bedibbur echad<sup>2</sup>,
hishmi'anu El hameyuchad,
Adonai echad u-shemo echad, leshem
u-letiferet ve-litehillah:
English
At Mount Sinai, the one and only God caused us to hear the instructions to “guard” and “remember” Shabbat as one word,<sup>2</sup> by miraculously saying them together. The Lord is the one and only God, and His name—every description of Him, every action He does, and every creation He makes—is one with Him. The fact that God chose us to receive His Torah, brings us fame, glory, and praise throughout the world.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
Shabbat is the purpose of creation
Hebrew
לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה, כִּי
הִיא מְקוֹר הַבְּרָכָה, מֵרֹאשׁ
מִקֶּדֶם<sup>3</sup> נְסוּכָה, סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה
בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה:
Sephardi
Likrat Shabbat lechu venelechah, ki
hi mekor haberachah, merosh
mikedem<sup>3</sup> nesuchah, sof ma'aseh
bemachshavah techillah:
English
Come, let us go and welcome Shabbat, because it is the source of blessing for the coming week. From the beginning, since the universe was created long ago,<sup>3</sup> the day of Shabbat has been chosen as a special day. Shabbat was created last, yet it was first in God’s thoughts and plans.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
Jerusalem, arise!
Hebrew
מִקְדַּשׁ מֶלֶךְ עִיר מְלוּכָה,
קוּמִי צְאִי מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה,
רַב לָךְ שֶׁבֶת בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא,
וְהוּא יַחֲמוֹל עָלַיִךְ חֶמְלָה:
Sephardi
Mikdash melech ir meluchah,
kumi tze'i mitoch hahafechah,
rav lach shevet be'emek habacha,
vehu yachamol alayich chemlah:
English
Palace of the King, royal city of Jerusalem—get up and go out from the ruins of exile, which you are in. You have stayed in the valley of tears, exile, for too long. God will show you much mercy and comfort you by redeeming you from exile.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
Jerusalem, dress with pride!
Hebrew
הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי<sup>4</sup>, לִבְשִׁי
בִּגְדֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ עַמִּי, עַל
יַד בֶּן יִשַׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי,
קָרְבָה אֶל נַפְשִׁי גְאָלָהּ:
Sephardi
Hitna'ari me'afar kumi<sup>4</sup>, livshi
bigdei tifartech ami, al
yad ben Yishai Beit halachmi,
karvah el nafshi ge'alah:
English
Jerusalem, shake yourself off from dust.<sup>4</sup> Get up from the ground where you have been sitting and mourning. Put on your magnificent clothes, which is the return of My nation, the Jewish Nation, to live within you. The Jewish Nation will soon be redeemed through Mashiach, who is a descendant of King David, the son of Jesse, who was from the city of Bethlehem. God, come close to my soul and redeem it from exile.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
Jerusalem, sing about your redemption!
Hebrew
הִתְעוֹרְרִי הִתְעוֹרְרִי, כִּי בָא
אוֹרֵךְ קוּמִי אוֹרִי<sup>5</sup>, עוּרִי
עוּרִי שִׁיר דַּבֵּרִי, כְּבוֹד יְיָ
עָלַיִךְ נִגְלָה:
Sephardi
Hit'oreri hit'oreri, ki va
orech kumi ori<sup>5</sup>, uri
uri shir dabberi, kevod Adonai
alayich niglah:
English
Wake up, Jerusalem! Wake up from exile! Rise and shine when the Redemption arrives, because your light and your happiness will have finally come.<sup>5</sup> Awaken! Awaken and sing a song of happiness, because the glory of the Lord’s Divine Presence will have once again been revealed on you.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.
Jerusalem, you will be rebuilt!
Hebrew
לֹא תֵבוֹשִׁי וְלֹא תִכָּלְמִי, מַה
תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי וּמַה תֶּהֱמִי, בָּךְ
יֶחֱסוּ עֲנִיֵּי עַמִּי, וְנִבְנְתָה
הָעִיר עַל תִּלָּהּ:
Sephardi
Lo tevoshi v'lo tikalmi, mah
tishtochachi umah tehemi, bach
yechesu aniyei ami, venivnetah
ha'ir al tillah:
English
Jerusalem, once the Redemption arrives, you will not be ashamed or confused ever again. Why are you sad and why are you upset now? The Redemption will arrive, and even the poor people of my nation will find shelter in you. At that time, the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt on its hilltop as glorious as it was before its destruction.
Hebrew
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה:
Sephardi
Lechah dodi likrat kallah,
penei Shabbat nekabbelah:
English
God says to each Jew, My beloved—come to meet the bride; let us welcome the face of Shabbat.