Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=48034
open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license date_src_start: 1700-00-00 date_src_end: 1800-00-00 languages_meta: [{"name":"English","code":"eng","standard":"ISO 639-3"},{"name":"Hebrew","code":"heb","standard":"ISO 639-3"}] scripts_meta: [{"name":"Latin","code":"Latn","standard":"ISO 15924"},{"name":"Hebrew (Ktav Ashuri)","code":"Hebr","standard":"ISO 15924"}]Date: 2022-12-21
Last Updated: 2025-04-25
Categories: Ḥanukkah
Tags: Acrostic signature, Minhag Iraq, rhyming translation, פיוטים piyyuṭim, Needing citation references
Excerpt: Yah Hatsel Yonah is a traditional piyyut for Ḥanukkah, of unknown origin (although it spells out the name Yehuda as an acrostic). Beloved in Iraqi Jewish circles, it discusses the hope that Israel, likened to a dove, will be able to celebrate Ḥanukkah during a time of true redemption. Included is a relatively literal (but de-gendered) translation, as well as a poetic singable one. . . .
Source (Hebrew) | Poetic Translation (English) | Literal Translation (English) |
---|---|---|
יָהּ הַצֵּל יוֹנָה מְחַכָּה
וְדִמְעָתָהּ לָךְ מְפַכָּה וְתִשְׂמַח בָּךְ אַתָּה מַלְכָּהּ בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
Shelter, God, the dove as she lays
And waits, with tears to You in her gaze, To You, her sovereign, she will give praise Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
Yah, shelter the patient dove
Whose tears flow for You. And she will rejoice in You, her Sovereign On the eight days of Ḥanukkah. |
וְתִשְׂמַח בָּךְ אַתָּה מַלְכָּהּ
בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
To You, her sovereign, she will praise
Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
And she will rejoice in You, her Sovereign,
On the eight days of Ḥanukkah. |
הוֹדוּ לְגֵאֶה עַל־גֵּאִים
וְנוֹרָא עַל־כׇּל־נוֹרָאִים הִצִּיל אֶת־נִין חַשְׁמוֹנָאִים מִיָּד צָר כִּי־בָהֶם הִכָּה׃ |
Give thanks to God, the proudest of proud,
Most awesome of the awesome crowd, Saved Hasmoneans from the death-shroud And from the foe who struck in a blaze. |
Thank the Mightiest of the mighty ones
And most Awesome of the awesome ones Who saved the heir of the Hasmoneans From the foe’s hand for he had struck them. |
וְתִשְׂמַח בָּךְ אַתָּה מַלְכָּהּ
בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
To You, her sovereign, she will praise
Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
And she will rejoice in You, her Sovereign,
On the eight days of Ḥanukkah. |
וְיָשִֽׁירוּ עַמָּךְ שִׁירוֹת
וּזְמִירוֹת מִפָּז יְקָרוֹת בְּהַדְלִיקָם אֶת־הַנֵּרוֹת בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
And with You many songs they will sing
And hymns, worth more than gold, will ring As they light the lights they will bring Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
And they will sing songs with You,
And hyns more valuable than aurum, When they light the lights On the eight days of Ḥanukkah, |
וְתִשְׂמַח בָּךְ אַתָּה מַלְכָּהּ
בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
To You, her sovereign, she will praise
Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
And she will rejoice in You, her Sovereign,
On the eight days of Ḥanukkah. |
דִּרְשׁוּ לָאֵל כׇּל־לְבָבוֹת
כִּי־גָמַל עָלֵֽינוּ טוֹבוֹת שִׂמְחוּ בָנִים עִם־הָאָבוֹת בְּדָת מִנִּי־יָם אֲרֻכָּה׃ |
Let every heart seek out our God
Who pays back good at home and abroad, Let childrenwith their parents laud The custom, oceanwide in its ways! |
Seek out God, all hearts,
Who repaid good upon us. Rejoice, children, with the parents, In the custom which is wider than the sea. |
וְתִשְׂמַח בָּךְ אַתָּה מַלְכָּהּ
בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
To You, her sovereign, she will praise
Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
And she will rejoice in You, her Sovereign,
On the eight days of Ḥanukkah. |
הָאֵל יָמֵֽינוּ יְחַדֵּשׁ
וְצָר לַהֲרִיגָה יְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃ |
God will make our days again new
And slaughter those who murder a Jew. The Holy One will send help to You, From Zion aid will come in your days! |
God will renew our days
And prepare the foe for the slaughter. Your help will come from the Holy, And from Zion your aid. |
וְתִשְׂמַח בָּךְ אַתָּה מַלְכָּהּ
בִּשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה׃ |
To You, her sovereign, she will praise
Upon these eightfold Ḥanukkah days. |
And she will rejoice in You, her Sovereign,
On the eight days of Ḥanukkah. |
Contributor: Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut)
Co-authors:
Featured Image:
Title: White dove at the chapel of the condemnation
Caption: A Jerusalem White Dove resting beside a wall at the Chapel of the Condemnation (credit: brianv, license: CC BY-SA)