Monday, December 21, 2009

Ma'oz Tzur


A song for Hanukkah, late in coming, I know. From Rise Up Singing in the chapter Faith, p.45
Authorship: Rise Up Singing says the first English verse is traditional, and the second by Sam Hinton.
Wikipedia says that both, and a third I didn't sing but I'll copy below, are by Marcus Jastrow and Gustav Gottheil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma%27oz_Tzur
More information and a free streaming clip of the song:

http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/104615/jewish/Maoz-Tzur.htm


Chords (as in video):
D DG DA D / DG A DA D ://
D G D - / Bm G D A / D - A - / D G D A / D - A - / D G A D

or (as in R.U.S.):
D DG DA D / DG A DA D ://
D G D - / Bm G A - / D - A - / D G A - / D - A - / D G A D

Rock of Ages let our song / Praise thy saving power
Thou amidst the raging foes / Wast our sheltering tower
Furious they assailed us / But Thine arm availed us
And Thy word broke their sword / When our own strength failed us
And Thy word broke their sword / When our own strength failed us

Children of the martyr race / Whether free or fettered
Wake the echoes of the songs / Where ye may be scattered
Yours the message cheering / That the time is nearing
Which will see all men free / Tyrants disappearing
Which will see all men free / Tyrants disappearing

Kindling new the holy lamps / Priests approved in suffering
Purified the nation's shrine / Brought to God their offering
And His courts surrounding / Hear in joy abounding,
Happy throngs, singing songs / With a mighty sounding
Happy throngs, singing songs / With a mighty sounding

Hebrew 1st verse (transliteration from Wikipedia):
Ma'oz Tzur Yeshu'ati, lekha na'eh leshabe'ah
Tikon beit tefilati, vesham toda nezabe'ah
Le'et takhin matbe'ah mitzar hamnabe'ah
Az egmor beshir mizmor hanukat hamizbe'ah

Meaning (from Chabad.org):
O mighty stronghold of my salvation, to praise You is a delight
Restore my House of Prayer and there we will bring a thanksgiving offering
When You will have prepared the slaughter for the blaspheming foe
Then I shall complete with a song of hymn the dedication of the Altar


Verses 2-5:
Ra'ot sav'ah nafshi, byagon kohi kala
Hayai mareru bkoshi, beshi'abud malkhut egla
Uvyado hagdola hotzi et hasgula
Heil par'o vekhol zar'o yardu ke'even bimtzula

Dvir kodsho hevi'ani, vegam sham lo shakateti
Uva noges vehiglani, ki zarim avadti
Vyein ra'al masakhti, kim'at she'avarti
Ketz Bavel Zerubavel, leketz shiv'im nosha'ati

Krot komat brosh bikesh, Agagi ben Hamdatah
venihiyeta lo lefah ulemokesh, vega'avato nishbata
Rosh yemini niseta, ve'oyev shmo mahita
Rov banav vekinyanav al ha'etz talita

Yevanim nikbetzu alai, azai bimei Hashmanim
Ufartzu homot migdalai, vetim'u kol hashmanim
Uminotar kankanim na'asa nes lashoshanim
Bnei vina yemei shmona kav'u shir urenanim

Hasof zroa kodshekha, vekarev ketz hayeshu'a
Nkom nikmat dam avadeikha me'uma haresha'a
Ki arkha hasha'a, ve'ein ketz limei hara'a
Dkheh admon betzel tzalmon, hakem lanu ro'im shiv'a

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