אַךְ זֶה הַיּוֹם קִוִּֽיתִי | Akh Zeh haYom Kiviti — a Sefardic pizmon for Shabbat Zakhor and Purim

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26 February 2026 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

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18th century C.E., 56th century A.M., acrostic, Acrostic signature, Livorno, Nusaḥ Sefaradi, פיוטים piyyuṭim, פזמונים pizmonim, pre-Purim, Purim, שבת זכור Shabbat Zakhor, Western Sefaradim

A pizmon for Shabbat Zakhor and Purim, found in many Livorno siddurim (seen as the standard form for most Sephardic communities) as far back as the 18th century and possibly earlier. It is signed with the name Avraham, as well as the names Mosheh and Aharon, but the author is otherwise unknown. Seder Mishmeret haKodesh (1847) inserts it as an introduction to the Mi Khamokha piyyut of Yehuda haLevi, recited on Shabbat Zakhor. The bouncy, joyous tune used for this piyyut, of Italian origin, is also used for Purim songs in multiple languages, such as Fate Onore al Bel Purim, Con Gran Placer Señores, and Haman Mamzer el Malo.

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אַךְ זֶה הַיּוֹם קִוִּֽיתִי לָשִׁיר אֶת־נִקְמַת צָר בּוֹ מָצָֽאתִי רָאִֽיתִי יֶֽשַׁע מִן־הַמֵּצַר אָגִֽילָה אַגְדִּֽילָה אֶל־צוּר אֵלַי מִבְצָר מֵחֶֽרֶב הַיּוֹנָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	Yea, this very day I have hoped,^[1] Find Lamentations 2:16 to sing of avenging the foe! Upon it I have found, I have seen salvation from the straits. Let me acclaim, let me greaten the Rock who is my fortress; from the sword came the dove^[2] Israel. Taking a crux phrase in Jeremiah 46:16 and 50:16 and reframing it. in joy and in cheer!
בַּכֶּֽסֶף אָז קָנָֽנִי אִישׁ זֵד צוֹרֵר הָרָע צֹאן לַטֶּֽבַח שָׂמָֽנִי כִּי צַדִּיק לֹא כָרַע אַךְ שֶֽׁקֶר כׇּל־חֵֽקֶר הֶֽבֶל רֽוּחַ זָרַע חַי אֵל אוֹיֵב פִּנָּה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	He bought me with silver, the arrogant oppressing evil man.^[3] Haman He set me as sheep to the slaughter, for the righteous one^[4] Mordechai had not bowed. Yea, false was every inquiry, sighs sowing wind. Living is the Deity who cleared off the enemy, in joy and in cheer!
רָשָׁע נָחָשׁ בָּרִֽיחַ אָז בְּכֹֽחַ וָאֵל פִּתָּה מֶֽלֶךְ הִדִּֽיחַ לַשְׁמִיד אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל תַּם רֶֽשַׁע בָּא יֶֽשַׁע מִלֹּא הִשְׁבִּית גּוֹאֵל עַל־יַד אִישׁ חַרְבוֹנָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	The wicked elusive snake^[5] Find Isaiah 27:1, Job 26:13 then, in power and force, enticed and seduced the king to destroy Israel. The wicked one ended, salvation came, from the Redeemer not witheld,^[6] Find Ruth 4:14 by the hand of the man Ḥarvona, in joy and in cheer!
הָמָן וּבְנֵי הַבַּֽיִת כֻּלָּם עַל־עֵץ נִתְלוּ הוֹדִי עָלַי כַּזַּֽיִת אַךְ שָׂרִים נִבְהָֽלוּ זַמֵּֽרוּ דַּבֵּֽרוּ חַסְדֵּי־אֵל לֹא יִכְלוּ עַד־שֵׂיבָה עַד־זִקְנָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	Haman and his household all were hanged on wood. My splendor is upon me like an olive-tree; yea, princes are astonished! Sing, speak of the Deity’s mercies unending until hoary old age, in joy and in cheer!
מַהֵר שִׂמְחוּ גַּם גִּֽילוּ עִמִּי אַחַי רֵעָי יַֽיִן שֵׁכָר הוֹבִֽילוּ עַתָּה אֶל־תּוֹךְ מֵעָי הָכִֽינוּ הַרְנִֽינוּ שִֽׂישׂוּ אֶל־שַׁעֲשׁוּעָי כׇּל־פֶּֽלֶךְ וּמְדִינָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	Hurry, be happy and acclaim with me, my siblings and friends! Guide wine and cider now into my gut! Prepare, cheer out, rejoice to my delights, every province and territory in joy and in cheer!
חִזְקוּ בָאֵל לִבְטֹֽחַ כִּי יִוָּסֵד הֵיכָל קָמִים גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹֽחַ מָחָר חֶֽרֶב תֹּאכַל נָקֽוּמָה נָרֽוּמָה מַלְכֵּֽנוּ כֹּל יוּכַל חִישׁ תָּדוּץ אַלְמָנָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	Be strong in the Deity to trust that the Palace will be established. Strongmen rising against us tomorrow, the sword will consume. Let’s rise up, let’s exalt our omnipotent Sovereign! Speedily cheer up the widow in joy and in cheer!
מִֽמְּכוֹן־שִׁׄבְתּ֥וֹ הִׄשְׁגִּ֑יחַ אֲׄזַי הָׄאֵל רַׄחְמָן נָׄתַץ כָּרַת הִרְתִּֽיחַ זֵֽכֶר זֶֽרַע הָמָן הוֹבִֽישׁוּ הוֹבִֽישׁוּ גַּם הֵם כְּשֹׁ֧ד שַֽׁלְמַ֛ן וּפָרְחָה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	Then, from Their dwelling-place gazed down^[7] Psalms 33:14 the compassionate Deity. They smashed, cut down, boiled up the memory of Haman’s seed. They were ashamed, ashamed, as peaceniks plundered!^[8] Hosea 10:14 And the rose^[9] Israel, from the allegorical reading of Song of Songs. flowered in joy and in cheer!
מוֹצִ֣יא אֲ֭סִירִים פּוֹדֶה מֶ֭לֶךְ עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד כׇּל־צַר צוֹרֵר צוֹדֶה הַכְרֵת כִּי־בָ֥א מוֹעֵֽד׃ יַעְתִּֽירוּ יַקְטִֽירוּ פֶּֽתַח אֹֽהֶל מוֹעֵד מׇר־דְּרוֹר עִם־לְבֹנָה בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה׃	Freer of prisoners,^[10] Psalms 68:7 Ransomer, Sovereign eternal and aye;^[11] Psalms 10:16 every stressing foe lies in wait; cut them down, for the time has come!^[12] Psalms 102:14 They will pray, burn incense at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting; pure myrrh^[13] Also a reference to Mordechai, according to Megillah 10b. with frankincense in joy and in cheer!

Source(s)

Akh Zeh HaYom Kiviti (Mishmeret haqodesh livorno 1847), p. 115v

Akh Zeh HaYom Kiviti (Mishmeret haqodesh livorno 1847), p. 116r

Akh Zeh HaYom Kiviti (Mishmeret haqodesh livorno 1847), p. 116v

Notes

Notes
1	Find Lamentations 2:16
2	Israel. Taking a crux phrase in Jeremiah 46:16 and 50:16 and reframing it.
3	Haman
4	Mordechai
5	Find Isaiah 27:1, Job 26:13
6	Find Ruth 4:14
7	Psalms 33:14
8	Hosea 10:14
9	Israel, from the allegorical reading of Song of Songs.
10	Psalms 68:7
11	Psalms 10:16
12	Psalms 102:14
13	Also a reference to Mordechai, according to Megillah 10b.

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)

From a family of musicians, Isaac Gantwerk Mayer believes that creative art is one of the most powerful ways to get in touch with the divine. He composes music and poetry in Hebrew and English. (He also translates and authors his own original works.) Isaac runs a Jewish music transcription service, which will transcribe and set any Jewish music in any language, recorded or written. Contact his service on Facebook or via his music blog.

Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation)

From a family of musicians, Isaac Gantwerk Mayer believes that creative art is one of the most powerful ways to get in touch with the divine. He composes music and poetry in Hebrew and English. (He also authors his own original works and transcribes Hebrew and Aramaic text, adding niqqud and t'amim as needed.) Isaac runs a Jewish music transcription service, which will transcribe and set any Jewish music in any language, recorded or written. Contact his service on Facebook or via his music blog.

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Haman Begging the Mercy of Esther by Rembrandt van Rijn, Begun possibly by Rembrandt around 1635 and almost entirely repainted in the 1660s, presumably in Rembrandt’s workshop

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו׃ (תהלים צ:יז) · "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." (Psalms 90:17)