אֵשׁ תּוּקַד בְּקִרְבִּי | Aish Tuqad b’Qirbi: A Fire Shall Burn Within Me, by Avraham ibn Ezra

Contributor(s):

Gabriel Kretzmer Seed (translation) and Avraham ibn Ezra

Shared on:

24 July 2015 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

Categories:

Tags:

12th century C.E., 50th century A.M., חורבן Ḥurban, Mourning this Broken World, קינות Ḳinōt, Siege of Jerusalem (597 BCE), Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE), יציאת מצרים Yetsiat Mitsrayim

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אֵשׁ תּוּקַד בְּקִרְבִּי בְּהַעֲלוֹתִי עַל לְבָבִי צֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וְקִינוֹת אָעִירָה לְמַעַן אַזְכִּירָה צֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	A flame shall burn within me, when I raise on my heart, my leaving Egypt And I will awaken lamentations, so that I shall remember, my leaving Jerusalem
אָז יָשִׁיר משֶׁה שִׁיר לֹא יִנָּשֶׁה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וִיקוֹנֵן יִרְמְיָה וְנָהָה נְהִי נִהְיָה בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Then Moses sang, a song that will not be forgotten, when I left Egypt And Jeremiah lamented, and cried a bitter weeping, when I left Jerusalem
בֵּיתִי הִתְכּוֹנַן וְשָׁכַן הֶעָנָן בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וַחֲמַת אֵל שָׁכְנָה עָלַי כַּעֲנָנָה בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	My house was established, and the cloud [of glory] dwelled, when I left Egypt And God’s wrath dwelled upon me like a cloud, when I left Jerusalem
גַּלֵּי יָם הָמוּ וְכַחוֹמָה קָמוּ בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם זְדוֹנִים שָׁטָפוּ וְעַל רֹאשִׁי צָפוּ בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	The waves of the sea were in an uproar, and like a wall they arose, when I left Egypt; the “seething waters” flowed, and upon my head they waited, when I left Jerusalem
דָּגָן מִשָּׁמַיִם וְצוּר יָזוּב מַיִם בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם לַעֲנָה וְתַמְרוּרִים וּמַיִם הַמָּרִים בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Grain from the sky, and the rock flowed water, when I left Egypt Wormwood and bitter [weeping], and the bitter waters, when I left Jerusalem
הַשְׁכֵם וְהַעֲרֵב סְבִיבוֹת הַר חוֹרֵב בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם קָרוּא אֱלֵי אֵבֶל עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Every morning and evening, surrounding Mount Horeb (Sinai), when I left Egypt Mourning invited itself, upon the rivers of Babylon, when I left Jerusalem
וּמַרְאֶה כְּבוֹד יְיָ כְּאֵשׁ אוֹכֶלֶת לְפָנַי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וְחֶרֶב לְטוּשָׁה לַטֶּבַח נְטוּשָׁה בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	And the Presence of God was like a consuming fire, when I left Egypt A drawn sword, rejected to the slaughter, when I left Jerusalem
זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה וְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם סְגֻלַּת אֵל לְקוּחָה כַּצּאֹן לַטִּבְחָה בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Sacrifice and meal offering, and anointing oil, when I left Egypt God’s treasure was taken, like sheep to the slaughter, when I left Jerusalem
חַגִּים וְשַׁבָּתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים וְאוֹתוֹת בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם תַּעֲנִית וָאֵבֶל וּרְדֹף הַהֶבֶל בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Festivals and Sabbaths, wonders and signs, when I left Egypt Fasting and mourning, and pursuing emptiness, when I left Jerusalem.
טוֹבוּ אֹהָלִים לְאַרְבַּע הַדְּגָלִים בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם אָהֳלֵי יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים וּמַחֲנוֹת עֲרֵלִים בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Goodly tents, for the four tribal standards, when I left Egypt Tents of Ishmaelites, and camps of the uncircumcised, when I left Jerusalem
יוֹבֵל וּשְׁמִטָּה וְאֶרֶץ שׁוֹקֵטָה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם מָכוּר לִצְמִיתוּת וְכָתוּב לִכְרִיתוּת בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Jubilee and Sabbatical, and the land rested, when I left Egypt Sold permanently, and written for divorce, when I left Jerusalem
כַּפֹּרֶת וְאָרוֹן וְאַבְנֵי זִכָּרוֹן בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וְאַבְנֵי הַקֶּלַע וּכְלֵי הַבֶּלַע בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	The cover and the Ark, and stones of memorial, when I left Egypt Slingstones and tools of destruction, when I left Jerusalem
לְוִיִּים וְאַהֲרֹנִים וְשִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם נוֹגְשִׂים וּמוֹנִים מוֹכְרִים וְקוֹנִים בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Levites and Aaronites, and seventy elders, when I left Egypt Taskmasters and oppressors, sellers and buyers, when I left Jerusalem
מֹשֶׁה יִרְעֵנִי וְאַהֲרֹן יַנְחֵנִי בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָרַע וְטִיטוּס הָרָשָׁע בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Moses shepherded me, and Aaron guided me, when I left Egypt And Nebuchadnezzar the evil, and the wicked Titus, when I left Jerusalem
נַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה וַייָ שָׁמָּה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם רָחַק מִמֶּנּוּ וְהִנֵּה אֵינֶנּוּ בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Prepared for war, and God was there, when I left Egypt Withdrawn from us, and behold, He is not found, when I left Jerusalem
סִתְרֵי פָרֹכֶת וְסִדְרֵי מַעֲרָכֶת בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם חֵמָה נִתֶּכֶת עָלַי סוֹבֶכֶת בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	The secrets of (behind) the curtain, and the order of the set [showbread], when I left Egypt Fury was poured out, it fell upon me, when I left Jerusalem
עוֹלוֹת וּזְבָחִים וְאִשֵּׁי נִיחוֹחִים בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם בַּחֶרֶב מְדֻקָּרִים בְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Offerings and Sacrifices, and pleasing scents, when I left Egypt Speared by the sword, the precious sons of Zion, when I left Egypt.
פַּאֲרֵי מִגְבָּעוֹת לְכָבוֹד נִקְבָּעוֹת בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם שְׁרִיקוֹת וּתְרוּעוֹת לְקָלוֹן וּזְוָעוֹת בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	The fine turbans, set for glory, when I left Egypt Whistles and blasts, for curses and atrocities, when I left Jerusalem
צִיצַת הַזָּהָב וְהַמְשַׁל וָרַהַב בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם אָפֵס הָעֵזֶר וְהֻשְׁלַךְ הַנֵּזֶר בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	The golden headpiece, and kingship and pride, when I left Egypt [God’s] help was gone, and set aside, [Israel] was cast away, when I left Jerusalem
קְדֻשָּׁה וּנְבוּאָה וּשְׁכִינָה נוֹרָאָה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם נִגְאָלָה וּמוֹרְאָה וְדָוָה וּטְמֵאָה בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Holiness and prophecy, and the awesome divine presence, when I left Egypt Dirtied and polluted, in misery and defilement, when I left Jerusalem
רִנָּה וִישׁוּעָה וַחֲצוֹצְרוֹת תְּרוּעָה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וְזַעֲקַת עוֹלָל עִם נַאֲקַת חָלָל בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Joy and salvation, and blasting of horns, when I left Egypt. The cry of the remnant (of the harvest), with the plea of the defiled, when I left Jerusalem
שֻׁלְחָן וּמְנוֹרָה וְכָלִיל וּקְטוֹרָה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרָיִם וֶאֱלִיל וְתוֹעֵבָה וּפֶסֶל וּמַצֵּבָה בְּצֵאתִי מִירוּשָׁלָיִם	Table [for showbread] and [seven-branched] lamp, smoke [from the altar] and incense, when I left Egypt. False god(s) and abomination, (and) idol and monument, when I left Jerusalem
תּוֹרָה וּתְעוּדָה וּכְלֵי הַחֶמְדָה בְּצֵאתִי מִמִּצְרַיִם קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה וְנָס יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה בְּשׁוּבִי לִירוּשָׁלַיִם	Teaching and instruction, and precious vessels, when I left Egypt The voice of joy and gladness, and mourning and sorrow shall end, when I return to Jerusalem.

Aish Tuqad is a ḳinah for Tishah b’Av, usually recited towards the conclusion of the set of dirges for the morning service (in Goldshmidt’s numbering, it is number 32 of our 46 Kinot). According to Goldshmidt’s introduction, the structure of this Piyyut is based on a Midrash in Eicha Zuta 19, where Moses’ praises for God and Israel are seen as parallel to Jeremiah’s laments, thus creating the concept of a comparison between the joy of the Exodus and the pain of the Temple’s destruction.

Source(s)

. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike . 4.0 . International .

“אֵשׁ תּוּקַד בְּקִרְבִּי | Aish Tuqad b’Qirbi: A Fire Shall Burn Within Me, by Avraham ibn Ezra” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Gabriel Kretzmer Seed (translation)

Rabbi Gabe Kretzmer Seed has served as a Jewish chaplain in the New York City Department of Correction since 2018 where he provides religious services, classes and spiritual support primarily for Jewish incarcerated individuals along with providing general spiritual care for the incarcerated and staff of all faiths and none. He was recently named one of the New York Jewish Week 36 Under 36, a list of individuals making a difference in the New York Jewish Community for his work in the jails during the pandemic. Gabe received semikhah from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in 2017, and is a graduate of Columbia University where he majored in United States History. He also received BA and MA degrees from the Jewish Theological Seminary – JTS where he focused on Talmud and Midrash, and Jewish education. He is the co-founder of the Zemirot Database, an editable online database for zemirot, liturgy, and other Jewish songs. Gabe is an avid Baal tefillah and Baal qriyah, and leads davening regularly in both his home community of Riverdale, NY, and has served as the High Holiday Ḥazzan Sheni at Congregation Tiferet Israel in Austin, TX since 2014. He also loves studying Jewish liturgy, especially comparing siddurim of different nusḥaot and minhagim.

Avraham ibn Ezra

Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם בֶּן מֵאִיר אִבְּן עֶזְרָא‎ ʾAvraham ben Mēʾīr ʾībən ʾĒzrāʾ, often abbreviated as ראב"ע; Arabic: إبراهيم‎ المجيد ابن عزرا‎‎ Ibrāhim al-Mājid ibn Ezra; also known simply as Ibn Ezra, 1089 / 1092 – 27 January 1164 / 23 January 1167) was one of the most distinguished Jewish biblical commentators and philosophers of the Middle Ages. He was born in Tudela in northern Spain.

Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=11853

Associated Image:

“Midsummer festival bonfire closeup (Mäntsälä, Finland)” (credit: Janne Karaste, license: CC BY-SA)

(This image is set to automatically show as the "featured image" in shared links on social media.)

Source Data: XML | JSON

Re-formatted: HTML | ODT

Terms of Use: Be a mentsch (a conscientious, considerate person) and adhere to the following guidelines:

Properly attribute the work to Gabriel Kretzmer Seed (translation) and Avraham ibn Ezra.
Clearly indicate the date you accessed the work and in what ways, if any, you modified it. (If you have adapted the work, let us know so that the contributor might consider endorsing your revision.)
Provide the stable link to this resource: <https://opensiddur.org/?p=11853>.
Indicate that the original work was shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license. (To redistribute or remix this work in any format, modified or unmodified, you must refer to the terms of the license under which the work is shared.)

Additional Notes:

The views expressed in this work represent the views of their creator(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Open Siddur Project's developers, its diverse community of volunteer contributors, or its institutional partners.
We strongly advise against printing sacred texts and art containing divine names as these copies must be regarded with reverence, complicating their casual treatment and disposal.
If you must dispose of a printed sacred text (one containing Divine Names), please locate the closest genizah (often established by a synagogue) and contact its custodians for further instructions. We also recommend using Morah Yehudis Fishman's Prayer for Adding a Work to the Genizah.

Support this work: The Open Siddur Project is a volunteer-driven, non-profit, non-commercial, non-denominational, non-prescriptive, gratis & libre Open Access archive of contemplative praxes, liturgical readings, and Jewish prayer literature (historic and contemporary, familiar and obscure) composed in every era, region, and language Jews have ever prayed. Our goal is to provide a platform for sharing open-source resources, tools, and content for individuals and communities crafting their own prayerbook (siddur). Through this we hope to empower personal autonomy, preserve customs, and foster creativity in religious culture.

ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "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

Pocket Reddit Facebook Bluesky Telegram WhatsApp SMS Email

Read a comment / Leave a comment (moderated)

4 comments to אֵשׁ תּוּקַד בְּקִרְבִּי | Aish Tuqad b’Qirbi: A Fire Shall Burn Within Me, by Avraham ibn Ezra

Andrew Meit
2015-07-24 at 3:07 pm · Reply.
Thank you, thank you for the wonderful translation. As a disabled jewish artist, I would like to adapt your translation (with some editing for polish) into art; to be sold to raise funds for my special needs trust to improve the quality of my life. I have enjoyed your zemirotdatabse off and on for a while, thank you! Let me know your thoughts and permission. Bless your creativity!
gabrielseed
2016-08-07 at 1:27 pm · Reply.
Dear Andrew, thank you for your kind words and I’m sorry that I didn’t see your comment until now, a year later. You of course have permission to use my translation with attribution; it would be my honor and pleasure!
1956shoshanamz
2024-08-12 at 1:35 am · Reply.
According to the National Library of Israel/Piyyut site, Aish Tuqad was written by Abraham Ibn Ezra. https://www.nli.org.il/he/piyut/Piyut1song_010028600000005171/NLI
Esh Tukad: A Lament for Tisha b'Av - Rabbi Jay Asher LeVine
2017-08-01 at 12:00 pm · Reply.
[…] is a long kina (you can read one full translation here). I’ll share just the first four stanzas, as translated by Tzvi Hirsch Weintraub in the Koren […]