שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה | The Shabbat Queen, by Ḥayyim Naḥman Bialik (1903)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=15093

Date: 2017-02-03

Last Updated: 2022-06-28

Categories: Ḳabbalat Shabbat

Tags: 20th century C.E., 57th century A.M., English Translation, modern hebrew poetry, Queens, rhyming translation, זמירות zemirot

Excerpt: This translation of Ḥayyim Naḥman Bialik’s "Shabbat ha-Malkah" by Israel Meir Lask can be found on pages 280-281 in the Sabbath Prayer Book (Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1945) where it appears as “Greeting to Queen Sabbath.” The poem is based on the shabbat song, "Shalom Alekhem" and first published in the poetry collection, Hazamir, in 1903. I have made a faithful transcription of the Hebrew and its English translation as it appears in the Sabbath Prayer Book. The first stanza of Lask's translation was adapted from an earlier translation made by Angie Irma Cohon and published in 1920 in Song and Praise for Sabbath Eve (1920), p. 87. (Cohon's translation of Bialik's second stanza of "Shabbat ha-Malkah" does not appear to have been adapted by Lask.) . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation by I.M. Lask (English)	Translation by A.I. Cohon (English)
הַחַמָּה מֵרֹאשׁ הָאִילָנוֹת נִסְתַּלְּקָה. בֹּֽאוּ וְנֵצֵא לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה. הִנֵּה הִיא יוֹרֶֽדֶת הַקְדוֹשָׁה הַבְּרוּכָה. וְעִמָּהּ מַלְאָכִים צְבָא שָׁלוֹם וּמְנוּחָה: בֹּֽאִי בֹּֽאִי הַמַּלְכָּה. בֹּֽאִי בֹּֽאִי הַכַּלָּה. שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם:	The sun o’er the treetops no longer is seen; Come, let us go forth and greet Sabbath the Queen. Behold her descending, the holy and blest, And with her the angels of peace and of rest. Welcome, welcome, queen and bride, Welcome, welcome, queen and bride. Peace be unto you, angels of peace.	The sun on the tree-tops no longer is seen, Come, gather to welcome the Sabbath, our Queen. Behold her descending, the holy, the blest, With angels—a cohort of peace and of rest. Draw nigh, O Queen, and here abide; Draw nigh, draw nigh, O Sabbath bride. Peace also to you, Ye angels of peace!
קִבַּֽלְנוּ פְנֵי שַׁבָּת בִרְנָנָה וּתְפִלָּה. הַבַּֽיְתָה נָשׁוּבָה בְּלֵב מָלֵא גִילָה. שָׁם עָרוּךְ הַשֻּׁלְחָן הַנֵרוֹת יָאִֽירוּ. כָּל־פִּנוֹת הַבַּֽיִת יִזְרָֽחוּ יַזְהִירוּ. שַׁבַּת שָׁלוֹם וּבְרָכָה. שַׁבַּת שָׁלוֹם וּמְנוּחָה. בֹּאֲכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם:	The Sabbath is greeted with song and with praise, We go slowly homewards, our hearts full of grace. The table is spread there, the candles give light, Every nook in the house is shining and bright. Sabbath is peace and rest. Sabbath is peaceful and blest. Enter in peace, ye angels of peace.	We’ve welcomed the Sabbath with song and with prayer; And home we return, our heart’s gladness to share. The table is set and the candles are lit, The tiniest corner for Sabbath made fit. O day of blessing, day of rest! Sweet day of peace be ever blest! Bring ye also peace, Ye angels of peace!
שְׁבִי זַכָּה עִמָּֽנוּ וּבְזִיוֵךְ נָא אֽוֹרִי לַיְלָה וָיוֹם אַחַר תַּעֲבֹֽרִי. וַאֲנַחְנוּ נְכַבְּדֵךְ בְּבִגְדֵי חֲמוּדוֹת. בִּזְמִירוֹת וּתְפִלּוֹת וּבְשָׁלֹשׁ סְעֻדוֹת: וּבִמְנוּחָה שְׁלֵמָה. וּבִמְנוּחָה נָעֵֽמָה. בָּרְכֽוּנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם:	O pure one, be with us and light with thy ray The night and the day; then pass on thy way. And we do thee honor with garments most fine, With songs and with prayer and with three feasts with wine, And sweetness of peace, And perfect peace. Bless us with peace, ye angels of peace.
הַחַמָּה מֵרֹאשׁ הָאִילָנוֹת נִסְתַּלְּקָה. בֹּֽאוּ וּנְלַוֶּה אֶת־שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה. צֵאתֵךְ לְשָׁלוֹם הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הַזַּכָּה. דְעִי שֵֽׁשֶׁת יָמִים אֶל־שׁוּבֵךְ נְחַכֶּה: כֵּן לַשַּׁבָּת הַבָּאָה. כֵּן לַשַּׁבָּת הַבָּאָה. צֵאתְכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָׁלוֹם:	The sun in the treetops no longer is seen, Come forth and let us speed Sabbath the Queen. Go forth in peace, holy and pure, Know that for six days we await you, secure Until the coming Sabbath, Until the coming Sabbath, Go forth in peace, ye angels of peace.

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This translation of Ḥayyim Naḥman Bialik’s “Shabbat ha-Malkah” by Israel Meir Lask can be found on pages 280-281 in the Sabbath Prayer Book (Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, 1945) where it appears as “Greeting to Queen Sabbath.” The poem is based on the shabbat song, “Shalom Alekhem,” and first published in the poetry collection, Hazamir, in 1903. I have made a faithful transcription of the Hebrew and its English translation as it appears in the Sabbath Prayer Book.

The first stanza of Lask’s translation was adapted from an earlier translation made by Angie Irma Cohon and published in 1920 in Song and Praise for Sabbath Eve (1920), p. 87. Cohon’s translation of Bialik’s second stanza of “Shabbat ha-Malkah” does not appear to have been adapted by Lask. (Thank you to Dr. Noam Sienna for informing us of Angie Irma Cohon’s translation.) –Aharon N. Varady

Source

 

 

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)
  Bio: Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
  Website: https://aharon.varady.net
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady
• 
  Name: Israel Meir Lask (translation)
  Bio: Israel Meir Lask (1904-1974), born in London, was a journalist and English translator of modern Hebrew stories and poetry.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/israel-meir-lask
• 
  Name: Angie Irma Cohon
  Bio: Angie Irma Cohon (née Reinhart, 1890-1991) was a Jewish author, poet, translator, and educator. Born to parents J.F. and Amelia (Marks) Reinhart in 1890, Cohon lived in Portland, Oregon until moving to Ohio at 19 to attend Hebrew Union College. She transferred to the University of Cincinnati, earning a bachelors degree in 1912. On June 12 of the same year she graduated, Cohon married Rabbi Samuel S. Cohon. In Chicago, they ran Temple Mizpah, with A. Irma Cohon organizing the sisterhood (Women of Mizpah) and the synagogue's religious school. A prayer pamphlet she prepared, A Brief Jewish Ritual, was published by Women of Mizpah in 1921. Cohon is best known for her contributions to the field of Jewish music in the English language. The National Council on Jewish Women published Introduction to Jewish Music in Eight Illustrated Lectures, with a second edition coming out in 1923. This work became a basis for the Council's study of music for nearly 30 years. She collaborated with Abraham Zevi Idelsohn on Harvest Festivals, A Children’s Succoth Celebration (1925).
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angie_Irma_Cohon
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/angie-irma-cohon
• 
  Name: Ḥayyim Naḥman Bialik
  Bio: Hayim Nahman Bialik (Hebrew: חיים נחמן ביאליק‎‎; January 9, 1873 – July 4, 1934), was a Jewish poet who wrote primarily in Hebrew but also in Yiddish. Bialik was one of the pioneers of modern Hebrew poetry. (via wikipedia)
  Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayim_Nahman_Bialik
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/hayyim-nahman-bialik

Featured Image:

Title: The Sabbath Queen
Caption: The Sabbath Queen. Illustration by Lilien (1874-1925) of the book: Juda, ballads of Börries von Münchhausen (Berlin 1901)