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| Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|
למיטל הדרה, נ״י ”חכמה כ״ח המ״ה המורה על הרחמים“ (פרדס רמונים ח:ח) |
For Meital Hadara, may her light shine! “Ḥokhmah means the potential of what is, which teaches about mercy” (Pardes Rimonim 8:8) |
הָאָחוֹת נְתָאֵר כִּקְטַנָּה לִפְנֵי שֶׁנָּבִין אֶת־עִקַּר מָהוּתָהּ חֲלוֹמוֹתֶיהָ וּתְפִלּוֹתֶיהָ עֲטֶרֶת שְׁאִיפוֹתֶיהָ אָךְ אֵיךְ נָבִין אֶת־קִלְלוֹתֶֽיהָ |
The sister was described as little, Before the main thrust of her essence was understood, Her dreams, and her prayers, crown of her aspirations, and how shall we understand her curses |
רוֹאָה אֲנִי אֶת־מַאֲבָקֶֽיהָ אֵיךְ תִּתְמוֹדֵד עִם חֹֽסֶר הִגָּיוֹן וְשׂוֹנְאֶיהָ אוֹהֲבֶֽיהָ נְטָשֽׁוּהָ וְהִיא גַלְמוּדָה בְּהִשָּׁבֵר לִבָּהּ כַּמָּה שָׁנִים הִיא כְּבָר נִשְׁכָּֽחָה |
Her pains I see how will she cope with the misogyny and those who despise her her lovers have abandoned her, and she is forlorn with the breaking of her heart how many years is she already forgotten |
בְּלֵב נִשְׁבָּר הִיא מִתְנַפֶּלֶת בִּתְפִלּוֹתֶֽיהָ מָרוֹת וְרַבּוֹת הַבָּעוֹתֶֽיהָ אָךְ תִּקְוָה תַצְמִֽיחַ וְתִפְרַח כְּנַחֲלוֹתֶֽיהָ וְהִיא תְשׁוּשָׁה מִכְּמִיהָה |
With shattered heart, she sets upon her prayers, Bitter and many are her expressions. Ah, may hope cause a budding and flowering as her legacy, But she is weary from her yearning. |
רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָֽשוּ חַֽיִל כָּךְ אָמַר הַגֶּֽבֶר שֶׁשָּׁכַח אוֹתָךְ לְרֶֽגַע נִפְרַד מִמֵּךְ לְפֶֽתַע וְאַת מְלֵאַת רֵֽתַע אַיֵּה הַזְּמָן הַנֶּעְלַם |
“Many women have done well!” So says the man, Who forgot you in an instant, departed from you suddenly. and you are filled with recoiling Where is that hidden time? |
חֶמְלָה יֵשׁ לִי לָאָחוֹת הַקְּטַנָּה מַכְאוֹבָהּ וְסִפּוּרֶֽיהָ הֲרֵינִי מַאֲמִינָה קֹֽשִׁי מַצָּבָהּ מֻכָּרִים לִי הֵיטֵב וְאֶת־מְקוֹרוֹת חַיֶּֽיהָ מַכִּירָה אֲנִי אֶת־קִלְלוֹתֶיהָ |
I have compassion for the little sister, her sorrows and stories I hereby believe the weight of her situation is well-known to me as are the origins of her life I know her curses |
לָֽמָּה תִסְבְּלִי, אָחוֹתִי הַקְּטַנָּה לָֽמָה גוֹרָלֵךְ מְעֻנֶּה עָתִידֵךְ לְבֶהָלָה מְלֹא סַכָּנָה הַלְוַאי נִשְׁכַּח אֶת־כׇּל־הַקְּלָלָה |
Why should you suffer, my little sister why should your lot be one of torment? your future one of alarm full of danger If only we could forget all of the curse |
חַכִּי, אָמְרוּ לָךְ, עַד שֶׁתְּגַדְּלִי אָז תִּהְיֶה לָךְ בְּחִירָה חׇפְשִׁית וּשְׁמַעְתִּים בֶּאֱמוּנָה וּבִתְמִיהָה כִּי כְּבָר הִכַּרְתְּ אֶת־אׇפְיָם הַפׇּגְעָנִי מַחֲווֹת קִלְלוֹתֶֽיהָ |
“Wait,” they tell you, “until you grow up! Then you will have what your heart desires!” and you heeded them with incredulous belief because already versed were you in their abusive ways which comprised your curses |
נִתְמוֹדֵד עִם הַקֹּֽשִׁי הֲרֵי אַתְּ וַאֲנִי בְּהִתְנַגְּדוּת אַמִּיצָה קוֹלָנִית נַפְסִיק מִלְּבַקֵּשׁ מְחִילָה סוֹף סוֹף נִדְרֹשׁ כׇּל־בְּרָכָה תִכְלֶה שָׁנָה וְקִלְלוֹתֶֽיהָ |
We will contend with the hardship behold You and me with opposition fierce and vocal we will stop seeking forgiveness and demand every blessing May the year and its curses end |
הִנָּךְ עַזָּה רַעְיָתִי אֲחוֹתִי הַקְּטַנָּה זֹאת הַקְּטַנָּה לִגְדוֹלָה תִהְיֶה תָחֵל שָׁנָה וּבִרְכוֹתֶֽיהָ |
Behold you are strong my beloved my little sister This little one is fated for greatness May the year and its blessings begin |
Inspired by the original “Aḥot Ḳetannah” by R. Abraham Hazan Girundi, Spain, 13th century (see below for a source). With great thanks to Rabbi Jonah Rank for assistance with the formatting and niqqud. The author’s name, haRav Raḥel Ḥanah, can be found in the acrostic. English translation, a collaboration of Raysh Weiss and Seth Fishman.
Source
“אחות קטנה במאה ה -21 | A 21st century “Aḥot Ḳetanah” (Little Sister), by Rabbi Dr. Raysh Weiss” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.
Raysh Weiss
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