אֱלֹהִים יִסְעָדֵנוּ | Elohim Yisadenu, a piyyut by Avraham ibn Ezra (trans. Rabbi David Aaron de Sola, 1857)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=41992

open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Date: 2022-01-24

Last Updated: 2022-01-25

Categories: Se'udah haShlishit, Motsei Shabbat

Tags: 12th century C.E., 50th century A.M., acrostic, Acrostic signature, זמירות zemirot, פיוטים piyyutim

Excerpt: This translation by Rabbi David Aaron de Sola of "Elohim Yisadenu" by a paytan named Avraham (possibly Avraham ibn Ezra) was first published in his Ancient Melodies of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews (1857). . . .


Content:
Source (Hebrew) Translation (English)
אֱלֹהִים יִסְעָדֵנוּ
בְּרָכָה בִּמְאַדֵּנוּ,
וְזֶבֶד טוֹב יִזְבְּדֵנוּ
בְּכׇל מִשְׁלַח יָדֵינוּ
May God support us,
bless our substance,
And endow with His bounty
the work of our hands.
בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן לִמְלָאכָה
יְצַו אִתָּנוּ בְּרָכָה
וְיוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי כָּכָה
יַמְתִּיק אֶת סוֹדֵנוּ
On the first working day
may we experience His blessing,
and also on the second day
may He cause our counsel to prosper.
רַבֵּה צְבָאֵי יִשְׁעִי
בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבָרְבִיעִי
בַּחֲמִישִׁי אַךְ לֹא בְּעִי
יִשְׁלַח אֶת פּוֹדֵנוּ
May His aid continue and increase
on the third and fourth days,
and on the fifth — but without terror —
may He send our Redeemer!
הָכֵן טְבוֹחַ טֶבַח
בְּיוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי זֶבַח
קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּל וָשֶׁבַח
עַל כׇּל מַחְמַדֵּנוּ
On the sixth day
the cattle was slaughtered and prepared.
It is celebrated with sanctification, praise and thanksgivings,
for the choice blessings vouchsafed unto us.
מַעֲדַנִּים לְנַפְשֵׁנוּ
נִתֵּן בְּיוֹם קָדְשֵׁנוּ
וְרַעֲנָנָה עַרְשֵּׂנוּ
וְלַיְלָה אוֹר בַּעֲדֵנוּ
May we, on our holy Sabbath,
experience delight for our souls.
“May our couch be ever verdant,”[1] Cf. Song of Songs 1:16. 
and night’s gloom be made lucid unto us.

This translation by Rabbi David Aaron de Sola of “Elohim Yisadenu” by a paytan named Avraham (possibly Avraham ibn Ezra) was first published in his Ancient Melodies of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews (1857).

Source(s)

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Notes

Notes
1 Cf. Song of Songs 1:16.

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Co-authors:

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Cornucopia_Bread
Title: Cornucopia_Bread
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