JERUSALEM OF GOLD
Jerusalem of Gold, written by Naomi Shmer in 1967, is considered second only to Israel's national anthem and was voted "song of the century." When Jerusalem's mayor, Teddy Kollek, asked Naomi Shemer to compose a song that was to be sung on Israeli Independence Day in 1967, he requested it be about Jerusalem. Shemer complied, but was hard pressed to find proper inspiration; she approached the mayor and reported that she would not be able to compose the song. He told her she could pick another topic; but that night, Naomi Shemer created "Jerusalem of Gold." At the May 15th Festival, a young solider and novice vocalist, Shuli Natan, sang "Jerusalem of Gold" to the people of Israel. The song was a raging success and Natan was asked to perform an encore. Less than one month later, the Six Day War began and "Jerusalem of Gold" quickly became an anthem to Israelis and was sung both often and with tremendous sentiment. After the War, Shemer added a fourth stanza commemorating the liberation of Jerusalem; it was received well by many but also faced criticism and stirred up a lot of controversy.
Naomi Shemer has often been referred to as "the First Lady of Israeli Song.” Not only has Shemer created music out of her own melodies and lyrics, but she has also turned well known literature into songs and translated internationally known songs into Hebrew for the Israeli people. In 1983, Naomi Shemer won the extremely honorable Israel Prize for her contribution to Israeli culture. Shemer’s songs had the reputation of being anthem-like. She passed away on June 26, 2004 and was buried at Kibbutz Kinneret, where she was also born.
Hebrew Lyrics
Avir harim zalul kayayin
Ve-rei'ah oranim
Nissa be-ru'ah ha'arbayim
Im kol pa'amonim
U-ve-tardemat ilan va-even
Shvuyah ba-halomah
Ha-ir asher badad yoshevet
U-ve-libbah homah
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.
Eikhah yavshu borot ha-mayim
Kikkar ha-shuk reikah
Ve-ein poked et Har ha-Bayit
Ba-ir ha-attikah
U-va-me'arot asher ba-selah
Meyallelot ruhot
Ve-ein yored el Yam ha-Melah
Be-derekh Yeriho
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.
Akh be-vo'i ha-yom la-shir lakh
Ve-lakh likshor ketarim
Katonti mi-ze'ir bana'ikh
U-me-aharon ha-meshorerim
Ki shemekh zorev et ha-sefatayim
Ke-neshikat saraf
Im eshkakhekh Yerushalayim
Asher kullah zahav
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.
Hazarnu el borot ha-mayim
La-shuk ve-la-kikkar
Shofar kore be-Har ha-Bayit
Ba-ir ha-attikah
U-va-me'arot asher ba-selah
Alfey shemashot zorhot
Nashuv nered el Yam ha-Melah
Be-derekh Yeriho
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.
English Lyrics
The mountain air is clear as water
The scent of pines around
Is carried on the breeze of twilight,
And tinkling bells resound.
The trees and stones there softly slumber,
A dream enfolds them all.
So solitary lies the city,
And at its heart -- a wall.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of light and of
bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs.
The wells ran dry of all their water,
Forlorn the market square,
The Temple Mount dark and deserted,
In the Old City there.
And in the caverns in the mountain,
The winds howl to and fro,
And no-one takes the Dead Sea highway,
That leads through Jericho.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of light and of
bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs.
But as I sing to you, my city,
And you with crowns adorn,
I am the least of all your children,
Of all the poets born.
Your name will scorch my lips for ever,
Like a seraph's kiss, I'm told,
If I forget thee, golden city,
Jerusalem of gold.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of light and of
bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs.
The wells are filled again with water,
The square with joyous crowd,
On the Temple Mount within the City,
The shofar rings out loud.
Within the caverns in the mountains
A thousand suns will glow,
We'll take the Dead Sea road together,
That runs through Jericho.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of light and of
bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs.
