Who by fire - the original

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seadove
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Who by fire - the original

Post by seadove »

ונתנה תוקף לא ידוע

וּנְתַנֶּה תֹּקֶף קְדֻשַּׁת הַיּוֹם כִּי הוּא נוֹרָא וְאָיֹם

וּבוֹ תִּנָּשֵׂא מַלְכוּתֶךָ וְיִכּוֹן בְּחֶסֶד כִּסְאֶךָ

וְתֵשֵׁב עָלָיו בְּאֱמֶת



אֱמֶת כִּי אַתָּה הוּא דַּיָּן וּמוֹכִיחַ וְיוֹדֵעַ וָעֵד

וְכוֹתֵב וְחוֹתֵם וְסוֹפֵר וּמוֹנֶה

וְתִזְכֹּר כָּל הַנִּשְׁכָּחוֹת וְתִפְתַּח אֶת סֵפֶר הַזִּכְרוֹנוֹת

וּמֵאֵלָיו יִקָּרֵא וְחוֹתָם יַד כָּל אָדָם בּוֹ



וּבְשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל יִתָּקַע וְקוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה יִשָׁמַע

וּמַלְאָכִים יֵחָפֵזוּן וְחִיל וּרְעָדָה יֹאחֵזוּן

וְיֹאמְרוּ הִנֵּה יוֹם הַדִּין לִפְקֹד עַל צְבָא מָרוֹם בַּדִּין

כִּי לֹא יִזְכּוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ בַּדִּין

וְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם יַעַבְרוּן לְפָנֶיךָ כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן

כְּבַקָּרַת רוֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ מַעֲבִיר צֹאנוֹ תַּחַת שִׁבְטוֹ

כֵּן תַּעֲבִיר וְתִסְפֹּר וְתִמְנֶה וְתִפְקֹד נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי

וְתַחְתֹּךְ קִצְבָה לְכָל בְּרִיָּה וְתִכְתֹּב אֶת גְּזַר דִּינָם



בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יִכָּתֵבוּן וּבְיוֹם צוֹם כִּפּוּר יֵחָתֵמוּן

כַּמָּה יַעַבְרוּן וְכַמָּה יִבָּרֵאוּן

מִי יִחְיֶה וּמִי יָמוּת

מִי בְקִצּוֹ וּמִי לֹא בְּקִצּוֹ

מִי בַמַּיִם וּמִי בָאֵשׁ

מִי בַחֶרֶב וּמִי בַחַיָּה

מִי בָרָעָב וּמִי בַצָּמָא

מִי בָרַעַשׁ וּמִי בַמַּגֵּפָה

מִי בַחֲנִיקָה וּמִי בַסְּקִילָה

מִי יָנוּחַ וּמִי יָנוּעַ

מִי יִשָּׁקֵט וּמִי יְטֹּרֵף

מִי יִשָּׁלֵו וּמִי יִתְיַסָּר

מִי יַעֲנִי וּמִי יַעֲשִׁיר

מִי יֻשְׁפַּל וּמִי יָרוּם



וּתְשׁוּבָה וּתְפִלָּה וּצְדָקָה

מַעֲבִירִין אֶת רֹעַ הַגְּזֵרָה



כִּי כְּשִׁמְךָ כֵּן תְּהִלָּתֶךָ קָשֶׁה לִכְעוֹס וְנוֹחַ לִרְצוֹת

כִּי לֹא תַחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת כִּי אִם בְּשׁוּבוֹ מִדַּרְכּוֹ וְחָיָה

וְעַד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ תְּחַכֶּה לוֹ אִם יָשׁוּב מִיַּד תְּקַבְּלוֹ



אֱמֶת כִּי אַתָּה הוּא יוֹצְרָם וְיוֹדֵעַ יִצְרָם

כִּי הֵם בָּשָׂר וָדָם

אָדָם יְסוֹדוֹ מֵעָפָר וְסוֹפוֹ לֶעָפָר

בְּנַפְשׁוֹ יָבִיא לַחְמוֹ מָשׁוּל כְּחֶרֶס הַנִּשְׁבָּר

כְּחָצִיר יָבֵשׁ וּכְצִיץ נוֹבֵל כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר וּכְעָנָן כָּלָה

וּכְרוּחַ נוֹשָׁבֶת וּכְאָבָק פּוֹרֵחַ וְכַחֲלוֹם יָעוּף



וְאַתָּה הוּא מֶלֶךְ אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם



אֵין קִצְבָּה לִשְׁנוֹתֶיךָ וְאֵין קֵץ לְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ

וְאֵין לְשַׁעֵר מַרְכְּבוֹת כְּבוֹדֶךָ וְאֵין לְפָרֵשׁ עֵילוֹם שְׁמֶךָ

שִׁמְךָ נָאֶה לְךָ וְאַתָּה נָאֶה לִשְׁמֶךָ

וּשְׁמֵנוּ קָרָאתָ בִּשְׁמֶךָ



עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ וְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת שִׁמְךָ עַל מַקְדִּישֵׁי שְמֶךָ

בַּעֲבוּר כְּבוֹד שִׁמְךָ הַנַּעֲרָץ וְהַנִּקְדָּשׁ

כְּסוֹד שִׂיחַ שַׂרְפֵי קֹדֶשׁ הַמַּקְדִּישִׁים שִׁמְךָ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ

דָּרֵי מַעְלָה עִם דָּרֵי מַטָּה קוֹרְאִים וּמְשַׁלְּשִׁים בְּשִׁלּוּשׁ קְדֻשָּׁה
blind
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:45 am

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by blind »

translation plz!
seadove
Posts: 2084
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:06 am
Location: Israel
Contact:

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by seadove »

blind wrote:translation plz!
Who by fire

Who by water

who in the sunshine

who in the moonlight

and so on. Not the same word by word translation but Cohen's song is based on "Ve Natna Tokef" which the jews are chanting these days before the day of atonement.
Lilifyre
Posts: 234
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 7:29 am
Location: Birmingham, AL, USA

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by Lilifyre »

Thank you, Seadove.

Btw, how was the show?????

Lili
Lili
"Well, that's my story
I admit it's broken and it's bleak
But all the twisted pieces fit
A 1000 kisses deep."
seadove
Posts: 2084
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:06 am
Location: Israel
Contact:

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by seadove »

Lilifyre wrote:Thank you, Seadove.

Btw, how was the show?????

Lili
It was smashing! I am still in uforia about it. I think it was a dream and I don't want to wake up from it. :D
Fil
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:44 pm
Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by Fil »

seadove wrote:
blind wrote:translation plz!
Who by fire

Who by water

who in the sunshine

who in the moonlight

and so on. Not the same word by word translation but Cohen's song is based on "Ve Natna Tokef" which the jews are chanting these days before the day of atonement.

Thank you very much Seadove for that major information, that does help me to get a deeper undestanding of the song. I'm working on translating L.C. songs in french, and I think it would be interesting for me to read the exact words of this jewish litugical song, but i can't find any translation on the net, neither in french, nor in english !

Can someone give me a hand, or could you, Seadove, translate the entire song for me, in english ?

Philippe
2008 : Lyon July 9 / 2009 : Vienne August 18 ; Las Vegas November 12 ; San José November 13 / 2010 : Grenoble September 17 / 2012 : Paris September 29
http://sites.google.com/site/traduireleonardcohen/
Lilifyre
Posts: 234
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 7:29 am
Location: Birmingham, AL, USA

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by Lilifyre »

Philippe, as a Jew and one who dearly loves this particular song by Leonard, I want to thank you for your interest. I've done a bit of research into this prayer and found quite a few interesting resources. Yes, I repeat this prayer every year during the High Holy Days, but like most, I haven't really thought that seriously about it. The general answer you'll get from most Jews when asked about it is pretty much, "on Rosh Hashanan the names (of those who will live or die during the next year) are written in the Book of Life, and on Yom Kippur the Book is sealed." They may or may not add that this decision can be effected by REPENTANCE, PRAYER and CHARITY. It goes much farther than that basic explanation. Here are some references you may want to check out for a fuller explanation.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/high_holy_days/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unetanneh_Tokef

http://www.examiner.com/x-7069-Philadel ... stine-poet

http://www.glossary.com/encyclopedia.ph ... aneh_Tokef

The 1st one has a very interesting video clip (sorry, it's quite long) that you may want to check out. It presents several views and is definitely worth the time to at least listen.

For further info, you may want to google: U'netaneh Tokef prayer

Here is one translation of the prayer:
"On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed: how many shall pass on, and how many shall be born; who shall live, and who shall die; who in his time, and who before his time; who by fire and who by water; who by sword and who by beast; who by hunger and who by thirst; who by storm and who by plague; who by choking and who by stoning... Who shall rest, and who shall wander; who shall be tranquil and who shall be harassed; who shall be at peace and who shall suffer; who shall become poor, and who shall become rich; who shall fall and who shall rise... But repentance, prayer and charity revoke the evil decree!"
I hope that helps.

Lili
Lili
"Well, that's my story
I admit it's broken and it's bleak
But all the twisted pieces fit
A 1000 kisses deep."
Fil
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:44 pm
Location: Grenoble, France

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by Fil »

Thank you Lili for all these precious indications. I'm going to read the all of it.

I'm also grateful to you for what you posted about "Dance me to the end of love", I had already translated the song, as a mere love song, when reading about the tragic background it can be conected with. I think I understand this lyric in a much better and deeper way now.

There are many questions coming to my mind by reading closely Cohen's words. I'm going to add a new thread on this forum to call upon the help of all the great connoisseurs around here !

Best regards

Philippe
2008 : Lyon July 9 / 2009 : Vienne August 18 ; Las Vegas November 12 ; San José November 13 / 2010 : Grenoble September 17 / 2012 : Paris September 29
http://sites.google.com/site/traduireleonardcohen/
seadove
Posts: 2084
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:06 am
Location: Israel
Contact:

Re: Who by fire - the original

Post by seadove »

Fil wrote:
seadove wrote:
blind wrote:translation plz!
Who by fire

Who by water

who in the sunshine

who in the moonlight

and so on. Not the same word by word translation but Cohen's song is based on "Ve Natna Tokef" which the jews are chanting these days before the day of atonement.

Thank you very much Seadove for that major information, that does help me to get a deeper undestanding of the song. I'm working on translating L.C. songs in french, and I think it would be interesting for me to read the exact words of this jewish litugical song, but i can't find any translation on the net, neither in french, nor in english !

Can someone give me a hand, or could you, Seadove, translate the entire song for me, in english ?

Philippe

Here is the closest translation as I can possibly understand it:


כַּמָּה יַעַבְרוּן וְכַמָּה יִבָּרֵאוּן How many will survive and how will get healthier

מִי יִחְיֶה וּמִי יָמוּת How will live and who will die

מִי בְקִצּוֹ וּמִי לֹא בְּקִצּוֹ Who in his dying day and who is not

מִי בַמַּיִם וּמִי בָאֵשׁ Who by water and who by fire

מִי בַחֶרֶב וּמִי בַחַיָּה Who by sword and who by beast

מִי בָרָעָב וּמִי בַצָּמָא Who by hunger and who by thurst

מִי בָרַעַשׁ וּמִי בַמַּגֵּפָה Who by avalanche (perhaps also earthquake) and who by disease

מִי בַחֲנִיקָה וּמִי בַסְּקִילָה Who by strangling and who by stoning

מִי יָנוּחַ וּמִי יָנוּעַ Who will rest and who will move

מִי יִשָּׁקֵט וּמִי יְטֹּרֵף Who will be silenced and who will go mad

מִי יִשָּׁלֵו וּמִי יִתְיַסָּר Who will be peaceful and who will suffer (with agony)
מִי יַעֲנִי וּמִי יַעֲשִׁיר Who will be poor and who will be rich

מִי יֻשְׁפַּל וּמִי יָרוּם who will be insulted and who will be praised

This is more or less a rough translation.
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