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Prayers for the Morning of Sigd: መናብረተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ዳዊት | Mänabərätä betä Dawitə (Thrones of David’s House), in Ge’ez/Agaw with vocalized Hebrew and English translation

Sigd is an Amharic word meaning “prostration” or “worship” and is the commonly used name for a holiday celebrated by the Ethiopian Jewish Beta Israel community on the 29th of the Hebrew month of Marḥeshvan. This date is exactly 50 days after Yom Kippur, usually falling out in late October or November, and according to Ethiopian Jewish tradition is also the date that God first revealed himself to Moses.[1] Jewish Virtual Library, “Ethiopian Jewry: Sigd Holiday“ 

Sigd is a unique holiday. Originally only celebrated by the Ethiopian Jewish Beta Esrael community, it has gotten more traction recently. One could describe the key concept of Sigd as being the acceptance of the Torah — not the giving, but the receiving of it. Sigd is a holiday of the continuation of the covenant. No matter the persecution that the Beta Esrael suffered (and hoo boy, did they suffer), Sigd announced that they would preserve their Judaism through it all.

In the morning of Sigd, the community goes out to a mountain with the sacred Orit (the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth) and recites prayers and readings. The six prayers included here, largely compiled by Shoshana ben-Dor (former director of the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry) and translated into English by Isaac Mayer, are the key pieces of morning liturgy for the holiday of Sigd. These are followed by readings from the Torah and the writings.

Menabērtē Bēytē Dawid (Thrones of David’s House) is the sixth prayer in this order of prayers for the morning of Sigd. It is an ancient text inspired by and quoting Psalm 122, partially in Geʿez and partially in Agaw.

  1. Wäṣoru Tabotomu (They Carried Out Their Ark)
  2. Wäy’ärgu Debre (And They Climbed the Mount)
  3. Yitbärēk Egzi’äbḥer (Blessed be YHVH)
  4. Hälē Hälē yebärkewo (Praise, Praise, Bless the One)
  5. Ne’u Nesēgēdē (Come, Let Us Bow)
  6. Mänabərätä betä Dawitə (Thrones of David’s House)

This is part one of a series of Sigd readings in English, Hebrew, and Ge’ez transliteration that the editor will be posting here.

TABLE HELP

Translation (Hebrew)Translation (English)Source (Ge’ez & Agaw)Transliteration (Ge’ez & Agaw)
כִּ֝סְא֗וֹת לְבֵ֣ית דָּוִֽד שַׁ֭אֲלוּ שְׁל֣וֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם׃׃ (תהלים קכב:ה-ו)
יְרוּשָׁלַ֥͏ִם הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה כְּ֝עִ֗יר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־לָּ֥הּ יַחְדָּֽו׃ (תהלים קכב:ג)
Thrones of the house of David, seek Jerusalem’s peace.[2] Ethiopic Psalms 121:5-6; Masoretic Psalms 122:5-6 
Jerusalem, built up like a city knitted together.[3] Ethiopic Psalms 121:3; Masoretic Psalms 122:3 
መናብረተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ዳዊት ፤ ተዘያነዉ ፡ ደኅናሃ ፡ ለኢየሩሳሌም።
ኢየሩሳሌምሰ ፡ ሕንጽት ፡ ከመ ፡ ሀገር ፤ እለ ፡ ከማሃ ፡ ኅቡረ ፡ ምስሌሁ።
Mänabərätä betä Dawitə, täzäyanäwu däḫənaha läʾIyärusalemə.
ʾIyärusaleməsä ḥənəṣətə kämä hägärə, ʾəlä kämaha ḫəburä məsəlehu.[4] these lines in Ge’ez 
הַהַגָּדָה הַגָּדַת
יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
הַהַגָּדָה הַהַגָּדָה שְׁמָעוּ!
הַהַגָּדָה הַגָּדַת
בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ
הַהַגָּדָה הַהַגָּדָה שְׁמָעוּ!
The tale, the tale
of Jerusalem;
the tale, the tale, hear it!
The tale, the tale
of the Holy Temple;
the tale, the tale, hear it!
ጂጘ ፡ ጂጘ ፣
ኢየሩሳሌም ፣
ጂጘ ፡ ጂጘ ፡ ዋሲ።
ጂጘ ፡ ጂጘ ፣
ቤተ ፡ መቅደስ ፣
ጂጘ ፡ ጂጘ ፡ ዋሲ፨
Ǧiŋä ǧiŋä,
ʾIyärusalemə,
ǧiŋä ǧiŋä wasi.
Ǧiŋä ǧiŋä,
Betä Mäḳədäsə,
ǧiŋä ǧiŋä wasi.[5] Much gratitude to Dr. David Appleyard with his help with these lines in Agaw. 
לְמַֽעַן
בֵּ֣ית דָּוִֽד שַׁ֭אֲלוּ שְׁל֣וֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם׃ (תהלים קכב:ה-ו)
לְ֭מַעַן בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ אֲבַקְשָׁ֖ה ט֣וֹב לָֽךְ׃ (תהלים קכא:ז)
For the sake of
the house of David, seek Jerusalem’s peace.[6] Ethiopic Psalms 121:5-6; Masoretic Psalms 122:5-6. 
For the sake of the house of ʾƎgziʾäbḥer our God, I will request your good.[7] Ethiopic Psalms 121:7; Masoretic Psalms 122:7. 
ወበእንተ ፡
ቤተ ፡ ዳዊት ፤ ተዘያነዉ ፡ ደኅናሃ ፡ ለኢየሩሳሌም።
ወበእንተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላኪየ ፣ ኀሠሥኩ ፡ ሠናይተኪ።
Wäbäʾənətä
betä Dawitə, täzäyanäwu däḫənaha läʾIyärusalemə.
wäbäʾənətä betä ʾƎgəziʾäbəḥerə ʾäməlakiyä, ḫäśäśəku śänayətäki.[8] these lines in Ge’ez 
אֲבַקְשָׁה כֵּן אֲבַקְשָׁה׃
אֲבַקְשָׁה כֵּן אֲבַקְשָׁה׃
I wish for it, yes, I wish for it.
I wish for it, yes, I wish for it.
ጀበረኵ ፡ እምኔን ፡ ጀበረኵ።
ጀበረኵ ፡ እምኔን ፡ ጀበረኵ፨
Ǧäbäräkʷə ʾəmənenə ǧäbäräkʷə.
Ǧäbäräkʷə ʾəmənenə ǧäbäräkʷə.[9] Much gratitude to Dr. David Appleyard with his help with these lines in Agaw. 
אֵֽלֶּה שֶׁיְּשָׁרְתוּ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתִי יִירְשׁוּ אֶת־אוֹצְרוֹתַי׃
אֵֽלֶּה שֶׁיְּשַׁמְּרוּ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתִי יִירְשׁוּ אֶת־אוֹצְרוֹתַי׃
הָבִיאוּ עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן וְהוֹשִׁיבוּם תּוֹךְ־בָּתֵּיכֶם׃
הָבִיאוּ עָנִי וָגֵר וְהוֹשִׁיבוּם תּוֹךְ־בָּתֵּיכֶם׃
Those who serve in My house will inherit My treasures.
Those who guard My house will inherit My treasures.
Bring the poor and needy and let them dwell in your houses.
Bring the poor and immigrant and let them dwell in your houses.
እለ ፡ ይትቀነዩ ፡ በውስጥ ፡ ቤትየ ፣ ወይወርሱ ፡ መዛግብትየ።
እለ ፡ ይተግሁ ፡ በውስጥ ፡ ቤትየ ፣ ወይወርሱ ፡ መዛግብትየ።
አንበሩ ፡ ነዳይ ፡ ወምስኪን ፣ አኅደሩ ፡ ውስጥ ፡ ቤትክሙ።
አንበሩ ፡ ነዳይ ፡ ወግዩር ፣ አኅደሩ ፡ ውስጥ ፡ ቤትክሙ።
ʾƎlä yətəḳänäyu bäwəsəṭə betəyä, wäyəwärəsu mäzagəbətəyä.
ʾƎlä yətägəhu bäwəsəṭə betəyä, wäyəwärəsu mäzagəbətəyä.
ʾÄnəbäru nädayə wäməsəkinə, ʾäḫədäru wəsəṭə betəkəmu.
ʾÄnəbäru nädayə wägəyurə, ʾäḫədäru wəsəṭə betəkəmu.[10] these lines in Ge’ez 
(Agaw translation needed)
(Agaw translation needed)
Ängeni kinedēy geni
Kindësi kiligeliu geni[11] these lines in Agaw. Dr. Appleyard notes the transcription we have here differs from the recording. The meaning of either the recording or the transcription available to us is not available at this time. If anyone can offer more clarity here, please contact us or leave a comment. 
גַּם־צִפּ֨וֹר מָ֪צְאָה בַ֡יִת׃ (תהלים פג:ד חלק א׳)
יַקְדִּישׁוּ אֶת־שְׁמִי בֵּית יַעֲקֹב
יַקְדִּישׁוּ אֶת־שְׁמִי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
רָאשֵׁי֙ בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב
וּקְצִינֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל׃ (מיכה ג:ט)
וְעַתָּה בֵּית יַעֲקֹב
שִׁמְעוּ־נָא לִי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
שְׂא֤וּ שְׁעָרִ֨ים ׀ רָֽאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וְֽ֭הִנָּשְׂאוּ פִּתְחֵ֣י עוֹלָ֑ם (תהלים כג:ט חלק א׳)
Even the bird found a home…[12] Ethiopic Psalms 83:3a; Masoretic Psalms 84:4a 
They will sanctify My name, the house of Jacob.
They will sanctify My name, the house of Israel.
The heads of the house of Jacob;
The leaders of the house of Israel.[13] Not Psalms, but Micah 3:9 
And now, house of Jacob,
listen to me, house of Israel!
Lift up your heads, gates, and be opened, gates since eternity![14] Ethiopic Psalms 23:9a; Masoretic Psalms 24:6a 
ዖፍኒ ፡ ረከበት ፡ ላቲ ፡ ቤተ።
ይቄድሱ ፡ ስምየ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ያዕቆብ።
ይቄድሱ ፡ ስምየ ፡ ቤተ ፡ እስራኤል።
መኳንንተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ያዕቆብ።
መኳንንተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ እስራኤል።
ወይእዜኒ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ያዕቆብ።
ስምዑኒ ፡ ቤተ ፡ እስራኤል።
አርኅው ፡ ኆኃተ ፡ መኳንንት ፤ ወይትረኀዋ ፡ እለ ፡ እምፍጥረት።
ʽOfəni räkäbätə lati betä.
Yəḳedəsu səməyä betä Yaʽəḳobə.
Yəḳedəsu səməyä betä ʾƎsəraʾelə.
Mäkwanənətä betä Yaʽəḳobə.
Mäkwanənətä betä ʾƎsəraʾelə.
Wäyəʾəzeni, betä Yaʽəḳobə,
Səməʽuni, betä ʾƎsəraʾelə!
ʾÄrəḫəwə ḫoḫatä mäkwanənətə, wäyətəräḫäwa ʾəlä ʾəməfəṭərätə.[15] these lines in Ge’ez 

 

Notes

Notes
1Jewish Virtual Library, “Ethiopian Jewry: Sigd Holiday
2Ethiopic Psalms 121:5-6; Masoretic Psalms 122:5-6
3Ethiopic Psalms 121:3; Masoretic Psalms 122:3
4these lines in Ge’ez
5Much gratitude to Dr. David Appleyard with his help with these lines in Agaw.
6Ethiopic Psalms 121:5-6; Masoretic Psalms 122:5-6.
7Ethiopic Psalms 121:7; Masoretic Psalms 122:7.
8these lines in Ge’ez
9Much gratitude to Dr. David Appleyard with his help with these lines in Agaw.
10these lines in Ge’ez
11these lines in Agaw. Dr. Appleyard notes the transcription we have here differs from the recording. The meaning of either the recording or the transcription available to us is not available at this time. If anyone can offer more clarity here, please contact us or leave a comment.
12Ethiopic Psalms 83:3a; Masoretic Psalms 84:4a
13Not Psalms, but Micah 3:9
14Ethiopic Psalms 23:9a; Masoretic Psalms 24:6a
15these lines in Ge’ez

 

 

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