by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com
The Kinos were meant to be said in a slow dirge in rhyme. That is how they were written. When it is read in English – this is lost. There is something unique that takes hold of you when you combine a slow dirge with rhyme. Those that are not so fluent in the Hebrew lose the impact. To some, this poetic translation may help bring across that feeling. The Kinnah is numbered as #44 and is an expansion of The Pasuk in Yoel 1:5
אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
עֲלֵי אַרְמוֹן אֲשֶׁר נֻטַּשׁ, בְּאַשְׁמַת צֹאן עֲדָרֶיהָ,
- עַל בִּיאַת מְחָרְפֵי אֵל, בְּתוֹךְ מִקְדַּשׁ חֲדָרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
- Cry, O Zion, and cities around her!
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her.
And like a mournful, newly-wed bride,
Crying over her groom who died.
Cry for the palace abandoned and forlorn,
Because of the sins of the flock she had borne.
And for the arrival of the blasphemers that looms,
Into the sanctuary of the Temple’s rooms.
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her!
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her.
And like a mournful newly-wed bride,
Crying over her groom who died.
עֲלֵי גָלוּת מְשָׁרְתֵי אֵל, נְעִימֵי שִׁיר זְמָרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל דָּמָם אֲשֶׁר שֻׁפַּךְ כְּמוֹ מֵימֵי יְאוֹרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the exile of the servants of G-d,
Who sang songs, praised and applaud,
And for their blood, spilled in barrels..
Bursting forth like waters of her channels.
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her!
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her.
And like a mournful, newly-wed bride,
Crying over her groom who died.
עֲלֵי הֶגְיוֹן מְחוֹלֶיהָ, אֲשֶׁר דָּמַם בְּעָרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל וַעַד אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַם וּבִטּוּל סַנְהֶדְרֶיהָ..
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the lyrics of her dances so grand
Now absent and silent throughout the land
And for the great hall, in which it did stand
The glorious Sanhedrin, now unmanned.
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי זִבְחֵי תְמִידֶיהָ וּפִדְיוֹנֵי בְּכוֹרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל חִלּוּל כְּלֵי הֵיכָל וּמִזְבַּח קְטוֹרֶיהָ
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the daily offering lost to the nation
And for the Pidyon Bechor’s negation..
And for her vessel’s desecration
And for the incense altar’s salvation..
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי טַפֵּי מְלָכֶיהָ בְּנֵי דָוִד גְּבִירֶיהָ,
- וְעַל יָפְיָם אֲשֶׁר חָשַׁךְ בְּעֵת סָרוּ כְּתָרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
For the children of her kings, let’s cry
The descendents of David, flying so high
And for their beauty, now entirely lost
When her royal crowns were tossed
6] Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי כָבוֹד אֲשֶׁר גָּלָה בְּעֵת חָרְבַּן דְּבִירֶיהָ,
- וְעַל לוֹחֵץ אֲשֶׁר לָחַץ וְשָׂם שַׂקִּים חֲגוֹרֶיהָ:
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the Divine honor now in exile
At the destruction of temples erstwhile
And for the persecutor who did scorn
As she dons her garments torn
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי מַחַץ וְרֹב מַכּוֹת אֲשֶׁר הֻכּוּ נְזִירֶיהָ,
- וְעַל נִפּוּץ אֱלֵי סֶלַע עֲוִילֶיהָ נְעָרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the pounding and numerous blows
Her noblemen received from their foes
And for the smashing upon the stone
The skulls of infants and children not yet grown
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי שִׂמְחַת מְשַׂנְאֶיהָ בְּשָׂחְקָם עַל שְׁבָרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל עִנּוּי בְּנֵי חוֹרִין נְדִיבֶיהָ טְהוֹרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the joyous shouts of the enemy
Laughing at her misfortunate and calamity
And upon the affliction of free men set apart
Noble in spirit and pure of heart.
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי פֶשַׁע אֲשֶׁר עָוְתָה סְלוֹל דֶּרֶךְ אֲשׁוּרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל צִבְאוֹת קְהָלֶיהָ שְׁזוּפֶיהָ שְׁחוֹרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the sin that she had wrought
Diverting her from the straight path she had sought
And for the legions of congregations slackened
With faces now wrinkled and blackened
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי קוֹלוֹת מְחָרְפֶיהָ בְּעֵת רַבּוּ פְגָרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל רִגְשַׁת מְגַדְפֶיהָ בְּתוֹךְ מִשְׁכַּן חֲצֵרֶיהָ.
- אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry over the curses of those who abused her
Multiplying corpses as they pursued her
And for the sounds of those who blasphemed long and hard
Inside the tabernacle of her courtyard
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
עֲלֵי שִׁמְךָ אֲשֶׁר חֻלַּל בְּפִי קָמֵי מְצֵרֶיהָ,
- וְעַל תַּחַן יְצַוְּחוּ לָךְ קְשׁוֹב וּשְׁמַע אֲמָרֶיהָ.
אֱלִי צִיּוֹן וְעָרֶיהָ, כְּמוֹ אִשָּׁה בְּצִירֶיהָ, וְכִבְתוּלָה חֲגוּרַת שַׂק, עַל בַּעַל נְעוּרֶיהָ
Cry for the Name that was profaned
In the mouth of the tormentor so disdained
And for the prayer we cry out to You
Hear our cries, through and through!
Cry, O Zion, and cities around her..
As a woman in labor whose birth pangs confound her..
And like a mournful newly-wed bride..
Crying over her groom who died..
The translator can be contacted at [email protected]
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One Response
The Kinos were meant to be said in a slow dirge in rhyme. ב”ה there are still some Shuls around, where each קינה is still chanted out loud in its entirety, many of them with unique tunes, and they aren’t simply recited quietly.