Would that my head were water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, / and I would cry all my days and nights / for the corpses of my babes and infants, and the aged of my community. / I ask you to respond, "Oh! Woe! Alas!" / And weep a weeping, much weeping.
My eyes flow with tears, and I will betake myself to the fields to weep, / and ask others stunned and embittered to join in my wailing / for the beautiful maidens and delicate lads, / wrapped in their schoolbooks and led to slaughter. / Their bodies, rosier than rubies, sapphire, or turquoise, / were slung and trampled like mud in the streets. / "Stay away! They are unclean," shouted the enemy about them.
Let my eyes flow with tears, I will wail and shake my head. / I will eulogize [the Torah] with weeping and with sackcloth. / She is more dear than fine gold, more precious than gold, / her glory inward, the glory of all precious vessels. / I have seen her torn, bereaved, and desolate. / Torah, Scripture, Mishna, and Aggada: / raise your voice, lament, and tell this tale. / Where are Torah, Talmud, and students? / The place is in ruin, no one there!
My eyelids flow with water, dripping tears. / I weep bitterly for the murdered of Speyer. / It happened on the eighth day of the second month [Iyar] on the day of rest. / "Rest" was transposed to "tempest" destructive. / Handsome youths and dignified elders were killed. / They assembled, all agreeing to be martyred, / testifying to the unity of God's name, courageously. / Mighty men, who do His bidding speedily. / My priests and my young men, all ten expired. In my bitter agony and grief, I will compose a dirge. / Holy congregations! Their massacre I remember today. / The community of Worms, special and unique. / Giants of the earth, innocent and pure! / Twice, they sanctified the One Name in awe, / cleansed once on the twenty-third of the month Ziv [Iyar], / And on [the first day of) the third month [Sivan], as they chanted Hallel, / they made a pact to be martyred for the love [of God]. / I will moan for them with a torrent of tears of woe, / all deserving to be endowed with majestic crowns! And upon the great of the wonderful community of Mainz, / swifter than eagles and stronger than lions, / they too consented in unison to sanctify the awesome One Name. / For them, I will scream a piercing scream with bitter soul, / as if for the destruction of both Temples, razed today, / and for the destruction of minor temples [synagogues] and study halls of Torah! On the third day of the third month [Sivan], these were added to my sorrow and curse. / That month was transformed into one of agony and trouble / on the day the Law was given, when I hoped to be spared in her merit. / On the very day she was given, she departed. / Gone back on high to her original home, / with her "containers" and her "pouches," those who searched her and studied her. / Her disciples and her students in darkness as in light! Take this to heart, and compose a bitter eulogy. / Their murder is worthy of mourning and placing ash, / equal to the burning of the House of our God, the porch and the Palace, / because it is improper to add a day of breach and conflagration, / and wrong to advance the date; rather, to postpone it. / Therefore, today [Tisha B'Av], I will arouse my grief / and lament, and wail, and cry with bitter soul, / with sighs weighing heavily from dawn to dusk,
For these, I cry and moan moans, / and summon the lamenters and wise women. / "Alas," and "Alack," they all murmur. / Does any wound compare to my wound? / Outside, the sword murders, and indoors, there is terror! / My corpses, killed by the sword, lie strewn, nude and naked. / Bodies lying like refuse for wild beasts and animals. / Nursing child and aged man, lads and lasses / were teased by my oppressors and endured great shame. / "Where is their God? The Rock they trusted in" until death? / Let Him come and rescue and resurrect their souls! / Mighty God, who like You forgives bundles of sins? / You are silent and restrained; why do You not gird Yourself with fury? / When my mockers say to me, "If He is a God, let Him do battle
My eyes, my eyes, flow with tears. Our singing has turned into mourning. / My flute accompanies mourners, without respite and never abating. / Who will approach me consolingly, and who will encourage me to awaken? / Wrath issues forth, and a tempest arrives. / The attacking foe devours me and panics me, / breaks my bones, strews them and scatters them. / He has hacked down my great ones, the navel and nucleus. / My wound is fatal, none to heal or cure. / That is why I say, "Let me be, I will weep bitterly." / Shedding tears until my cheeks shrivel,
מחבר: רבי קלונימוס בן יהודה.
Author: Rabbi Kalonymos ben Yehuda [of Speyer]
מִי יִתֵּן רֹאשִׁי מַיִם וְעֵינִי מְקוֹר נוֹזְלַי, וְאֶבְכֶּה כָּל יְמוֹתַי וְלֵילַי, עַל חַלְלַי טַפַּי וְעוֹלָלַי, וִישִׁישֵׁי קְהָלַי, וְאַתֶּם עֲנוּ אֲבוֹי וְאוֹי וְאַלְלַי, וּבְכֵן בָּכֹה בֶכֶה רַב וְהֶרֶב.
Would that my head were water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, / and I would cry all my days and nights / for the corpses of my babes and infants, and the aged of my community. / I ask you to respond, "Oh! Woe! Alas!" / And weep a weeping, much weeping.
עַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עַם יְיָ כִּי נָפְלוּ בֶּחָרֶב:
For the house of Israel and the people of the LORD who have fallen by sword.
וְדָמוֹעַ תִּדְמַע עֵינִי וְאֵלְכָה לִי שְׂדֵה בוֹכִים, וַאֲבַכֶּה עִמִּי מָרֵי לֵבָב הַנְּבוֹכִים, עַל בְּתוּלוֹת הַיָּפוֹת וִילָדִים הָרַכִּים בְּסִפְרֵיהֶם נִכְרָכִים, וְלַטֶּבַח נִמְשָׁכִים, אָדְמוּ עֶצֶם מִפְּנִינִים סַפִּירִים וְנוֹפְכִים, כְּמוֹ טִיט חוּצוֹת נִדָּשִׁים וְנִשְׁלָכִים, סוּרוּ טָמֵא קָרְאוּ לָמוֹ מִלְּקָרֵב.
My eyes flow with tears, and I will betake myself to the fields to weep, / and ask others stunned and embittered to join in my wailing / for the beautiful maidens and delicate lads, / wrapped in their schoolbooks and led to slaughter. / Their bodies, rosier than rubies, sapphire, or turquoise, / were slung and trampled like mud in the streets. / "Stay away! They are unclean," shouted the enemy about them.
עַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עַם יְיָ כִּי נָפְלוּ בֶּחָרֶב:
For the house of Israel and the people of the LORD who have fallen by sword.
וְתֵרַד עֵינִי דִּמְעָה וְאֵילִילָה וְאָנוּדָה, וְלִבְכִי וְלַחֲגֹר שַׂק אֶקְרָא לְהַסְפִּידָה, מִפָּז יְקָרָה וְזָהָב חֲמוּדָה, פְּנִימָה כְּבוּדָהּ כְּבוֹד כָּל כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה, רָאוּהָ קְרוּעָה שְׁכוּלָה וְגַלְמוּדָה, הַתּוֹרָה הַמִּקְרָא הַמִּשְׁנָה וְהָאַגָּדָה, עֲנוּ וְקוֹנְנוּ זֹאת לְהַגִּידָה, אֵי תוֹרָה תַּלְמִיד וְהַלוֹמְדָהּ, הֲלֹא מָקוֹם מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב חָרֵב.
Let my eyes flow with tears, I will wail and shake my head. / I will eulogize [the Torah] with weeping and with sackcloth. / She is more dear than fine gold, more precious than gold, / her glory inward, the glory of all precious vessels. / I have seen her torn, bereaved, and desolate. / Torah, Scripture, Mishna, and Aggada: / raise your voice, lament, and tell this tale. / Where are Torah, Talmud, and students? / The place is in ruin, no one there!
עַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עַם יְיָ כִּי נָפְלוּ בֶּחָרֶב:
For the house of Israel and the people of the LORD who have fallen by sword.
וְעַפְעַפַּי יִזְּלוּ מַיִם דֶּמַע לְהַגִירָה, וַאֲקוֹנֵן מַר עֲלֵי הֲרוּגֵי אַשְׁפִּירָה, בַּשֵּׁנִי בִּשְׁמוֹנָה בוֹ בְּיוֹם מַרְגּוֹעַ הוּקְרָה, מַרְגּוֹעַ לִרְגּוֹעַ נֶחְלְפוּ לְהַבְעִירָה, נֶהֶרְגוּ בַּחוּרֵי חֶמֶד וִישִׁישֵׁי הַדָּרָה, נֶאֶסְפוּ יַחַד נַפְשָׁם הִשְׁלִימוּ בְּמוֹרָא, עַל יִחוּד שֵׁם מְיֻחָד יִחֲדוּ שֵׁם בִּגְבוּרָה, גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹּחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְּבָרוֹ לְמַהֲרָה, וְכֹהֲנֵי וַעֲלָמַי נִגְוְעוּ כֻּלְּהֶם עֲשָׂרָה, וּבְמַר יְגוֹנִי וְעָצְבִי יֶלֶל אַחְבִּירָה, קְהִלּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ הֲרִיגָתָם הַיּוֹם בְּזָכְרָה, קְהַל וָרְמַיְזָא בְּחוּנָה וּבְחוּרָה, גְּאוֹנֵי אֶרֶץ וּנְקִיֵּי טָהֳרָה, פַּעֲמַיִם קִדְּשׁוּ שֵׁם הַמְּיֻחָד בְּמוֹרָא, וּבְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה בְּחֹדֶשׁ זִיו לְטָהֳרָה, וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּקְרִיאַת הַלֵּל לְשׁוֹרְרָה, הִשְׁלִימוּ נַפְשָׁם בְּאַהֲבָה קְשׁוּרָה, אָהִימָה עֲלֵיהֶם בִּבְכִי יֶלֶל לְחַשְּׁרָה, כְּלוּלֵי כֶתֶר עַל רֹאשָׁם לַעֲטָרָה, וְעַל אַדִּירֵי קְהַל מַגֶּנְצָא הַהֲדוּרָה. מִנְּשָׁרִים קַלּוּ מֵאֲרָיוֹת לְהִתְגַּבְּרָה, הִשְׁלִימוּ נַפְשָׁם עַל יִחוּד שֵׁם הַנּוֹרָא, וַעֲלֵיהֶם זַעֲקַת שֶׁבֶר אֶשְׂעָרָה, עַל שְׁנֵי מִקְדָּשַׁי יְסוֹדָם כְּהַיּוֹם עֻרְעֲרָה, וְעַל חָרְבוֹת מְעַט מִקְדָּשַׁי וּמִדְרְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרָה, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי נוֹסַף לְדַאֲבוֹן וּמְאִירָה, הַחֹדֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר נֶהְפַּךְ לְיָגוֹן וְצָרָה, בְּיוֹם מַתַּן דָּת סָבַרְתִּי לְהִתְאַשְּׁרָה, וּבְיוֹם נְתִינָתָהּ כְּמוֹ כֵּן אָז חָזְרָה, עָלְתָה לָהּ לַמָּרוֹם לִמְקוֹם מְדוֹרָהּ, עִם תִּיקָהּ וְנַרְתִּיקָהּ וְהַדוֹרְשָׁהּ וְחוֹקְרָהּ, לוֹמְדֶיהָ וְשׁוֹנֶיהָ בְּאִישׁוֹן כְּמוֹ בָאוֹרָה, שִׂימוּ נָא עַל לְבַבְכֶם מִסְפֵּד מַר לְקָשְׁרָה, כִּי שְׁקוּלָה הֲרִיגָתָם לְהִתְאַבֵּל וּלְהִתְעַפְרָה, כִּשְׂרֵפַת בֵּית אֱלֹהֵינוּ האולם וְהַבִּירָה, וְכִי אֵין לְהוֹסִיף מוֹעֵד שֶׁבֶר וְתַבְעֵרָה, וְאֵין לְהַקְדִּים זוּלָתִי לְאַחֲרָהּ, תַּחַת כֵּן הַיּוֹם לִוְיָתִי אֲעוֹרְרָה, וְאֶסְפְּדָה וְאֵילִילָה וְאֶבְכֶּה בְּנֶפֶשׁ מָרָה, וְאַנְחָתִי כָּבְדָה מִבֹּקֶר עַד עָרֶב.
My eyelids flow with water, dripping tears. / I weep bitterly for the murdered of Speyer. / It happened on the eighth day of the second month [Iyar] on the day of rest. / "Rest" was transposed to "tempest" destructive. / Handsome youths and dignified elders were killed. / They assembled, all agreeing to be martyred, / testifying to the unity of God's name, courageously. / Mighty men, who do His bidding speedily. / My priests and my young men, all ten expired. In my bitter agony and grief, I will compose a dirge. / Holy congregations! Their massacre I remember today. / The community of Worms, special and unique. / Giants of the earth, innocent and pure! / Twice, they sanctified the One Name in awe, / cleansed once on the twenty-third of the month Ziv [Iyar], / And on [the first day of) the third month [Sivan], as they chanted Hallel, / they made a pact to be martyred for the love [of God]. / I will moan for them with a torrent of tears of woe, / all deserving to be endowed with majestic crowns! And upon the great of the wonderful community of Mainz, / swifter than eagles and stronger than lions, / they too consented in unison to sanctify the awesome One Name. / For them, I will scream a piercing scream with bitter soul, / as if for the destruction of both Temples, razed today, / and for the destruction of minor temples [synagogues] and study halls of Torah! On the third day of the third month [Sivan], these were added to my sorrow and curse. / That month was transformed into one of agony and trouble / on the day the Law was given, when I hoped to be spared in her merit. / On the very day she was given, she departed. / Gone back on high to her original home, / with her "containers" and her "pouches," those who searched her and studied her. / Her disciples and her students in darkness as in light! Take this to heart, and compose a bitter eulogy. / Their murder is worthy of mourning and placing ash, / equal to the burning of the House of our God, the porch and the Palace, / because it is improper to add a day of breach and conflagration, / and wrong to advance the date; rather, to postpone it. / Therefore, today [Tisha B'Av], I will arouse my grief / and lament, and wail, and cry with bitter soul, / with sighs weighing heavily from dawn to dusk,
עַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עַם יְיָ כִּי נָפְלוּ בֶּחָרֶב:
For the house of Israel and the people of the LORD who have fallen by sword.
וְעַל אֵלֶּה אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה וְלִבִּי נֹהֵם נְהִימוֹת, וְאֶקְרָא לַמְקוֹנְנוֹת וְאֶל הַחֲכָמוֹת, אֱלִי וְאֶלְיָה כֻּלָּם הוֹמוֹת, הֲיֵשׁ מַכְאוֹב לְמַכְאוֹבִי לְדַמּוֹת, מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל חֶרֶב וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימוֹת, חֲלָלַי חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב מֻטָּלִים עֲרֻמִּים וְעֲרֻמּוֹת, נִבְלָתָם כְּסוּחָה לְחַיַּת אֶרֶץ וּבְהֵמוֹת, יוֹנֵק עִם אִישׁ שֵׂיבָה עֲלָמִים וַעֲלָמוֹת, מְתַעְתְּעִים בָּמוֹ מוֹנַי וּמַרְבִּים כְּלִמּוֹת, אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵימוֹ אָמְרוּ צוּר חָסָיוּ בוֹ עַד מוֹת, יָבֹא וְיוֹשִׁיעַ וְיַחֲזִיר נְשָׁמוֹת, חֲסִין יָהּ מִי כָמוֹךָ נוֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמּוֹת, תֶּחֱשֶׁה וְתִתְאַפַּק וְלֹא תַּחְגֹּר חֵמוֹת, בֶּאֱמוֹר אֵלַי מַלְעִיגַי וְאִם אֱלֹהִים הוּא יָרֶב.
For these, I cry and moan moans, / and summon the lamenters and wise women. / "Alas," and "Alack," they all murmur. / Does any wound compare to my wound? / Outside, the sword murders, and indoors, there is terror! / My corpses, killed by the sword, lie strewn, nude and naked. / Bodies lying like refuse for wild beasts and animals. / Nursing child and aged man, lads and lasses / were teased by my oppressors and endured great shame. / "Where is their God? The Rock they trusted in" until death? / Let Him come and rescue and resurrect their souls! / Mighty God, who like You forgives bundles of sins? / You are silent and restrained; why do You not gird Yourself with fury? / When my mockers say to me, "If He is a God, let Him do battle
עַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עַם יְיָ כִּי נָפְלוּ בֶּחָרֶב:
For the house of Israel and the people of the LORD who have fallen by sword.
וְעֵינִי עֵינִי יוֹרְדָה מַיִם כִּי נֶהְפַּךְ לְאֵבֶל מְשׁוֹרֵר, וְעֻגָבִי לְקֹל בּוֹכִים לַהֲפֹךְ וּלְקָרֵר מִי יָנוּד לִי וּמִי מַחֲזִיק לְהִתְעוֹרֵר, חֵמָה בִי יָצְאָה וְסַעַר מִתְגּוֹרֵר, אֲכָלַנִי הֲמָמַנִי הַצַּר הַצּוֹרֵר, שִׁבַּר עַצְמוֹתַי זוֹרֵר וּמְפֹרֵר, סִלָּה כָּל אַבִּירַי הַטַּבּוּר וְהַשָׁרֵר, רְטִיָּה וּמָזוֹן אֵין לְבָרֵר, מַכָּתִי אֲנוּשָׁה בְּאֵין מַתְעִיל וּמְזוֹרֵר, עַל כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי שְׁעוּ מֶנִּי אֲמָרֵר, בִּבְכִי דִמְעָתִי עַל לֶחֱיִי לְצָרֵב.
My eyes, my eyes, flow with tears. Our singing has turned into mourning. / My flute accompanies mourners, without respite and never abating. / Who will approach me consolingly, and who will encourage me to awaken? / Wrath issues forth, and a tempest arrives. / The attacking foe devours me and panics me, / breaks my bones, strews them and scatters them. / He has hacked down my great ones, the navel and nucleus. / My wound is fatal, none to heal or cure. / That is why I say, "Let me be, I will weep bitterly." / Shedding tears until my cheeks shrivel,
עַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל עַם יְיָ כִּי נָפְלוּ בֶּחָרֶב:
For the house of Israel and the people of the LORD who have fallen by sword.