Landscape of beauty! Joy to the world!Headquarters of a sovereign multitude!For you my soul yearns, from the far, far West.
Great compassion is stirred in meBy remembrance of future past:Your distinction, which was revealed, Your dwelling-places, doomed by the sword.
Who will give me, with which to fly, eagle’s wings?Now with my grateful tears I can quench the dust of your dry earth.
You are always on my mind.And though your great kings are history;And though, where once flowed the fabled Balm of Gilead,now scuttle snakes and scorpions;
Still, I will bestow kisses on your stones,For the taste of the land on my lips is sweeter than honey.
Landscape of beauty! Joy to the world!Headquarters of a sovereign multitude!For you my soul yearns, from the far, far West.
Lyrics by Yehuda Halevi (b. 1075 - d. 1141 AD)Music composed & sung by Eti AnkriEnglish translation: eBenBrandeis
הֲמוֹן רַחֲמַי נִכְמָר כִּי אֶזְכְּרָה קֶדֶםכְּבוֹדֵךְ אֲשֶׁר גָּלָה וְנָוֵךְ אֲשֶׁר חָרָב
וּמִי יִתְּנֵנִי עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים, עַד אֲרַוֶּה בְדִמְעָתִי עֲפָרֵך וְיִתְעָרָב
דְּרַשְׁתִּיךְ, וְאִם מַלְכֵּךְ אֵין בָּךְ וְאִם בִּמְקוֹםצְרִי גִּלְעֲדֵך - נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְגַם עַקְרָב
הֲלֹא אֶת אֲבָנַיִךְ אֲחוֹנֵן וְאֶשָּׁקֵםוְטַעַם רְגָבַיִךְ לְפִי מִדְּבַשׁ יֶעְרָב יְפֵה נוֹף מְשׂוֹשׂ תֵּבֵל קִרְיָה לְמֶלֶךְ רָבלָךְ נִכְסְפָה נַפְשִׁי מִפַּאֲתֵי מַעְרָב
מילים: ר יהודה הלוילחן: אתי אנקרי