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O' Mighty Stronghold - Ma'otsur

After lighting the menorah, read or sing this song out loud.

 

I. Prayer for the Re-establishment of the Temple
O' mighty stronghold who is my salvation,
it is a delight to praise You.

Restore the house of my prayer,
and there we will bring an offering of gratitude.

In the time that you will prepare the slaughter
of the blaspheming oppressor;

Then I will complete a melodious song
for the dedication of the altar.


II. The Bondage of Egypt
My soul was filled with hardships,
my strength was sapped in grief.

They embittered my life with abuse,
in the bondage of the kingdom that
venerated the calf.

But through His great hand
He brought out the precious ones,

The army of Pharaoh and his offspring
sunk like a stone in the deep.


III. The Babylonian Exile
He brought me to the holy Temple (in Jerusalem),
Yet even there I had no tranquility.

For an oppressor came and exiled me,
all because I served alien gods;

And indulged in wine.

Shortly after my departure,

Babylon came to an end and Zerubavel (my leader) came.

At the end of seventy years I was saved.


IV. Persia and the Purim Miracle
To cut the towering cypress (Mordechai),
this was the desire of the Aggagite (Haman) the son
of Hamedasa.

But his plot trapped and ensnared him,
and his arrogance was halted.

The leader of Benjamin You lifted,
as for the enemy; his name was obliterated.

His many children and his property:
You hung them on the gallows.


V. The Miraculous Hanukah Victory
The Greeks gathered against me,
then, in the days of the Hasmoneans.

They breached the walls of my tower,
and defiled all of the oil.

And from the one remaining flask
a miracle occurred for the Jews.

The great sages of insight: Eight days,
they established for song and celebration.


VI. Plea for the Final Redemption
Display Your Divine power,
and hasten the culmination; the salvation.

Avenge the blood of Your servants from the evil nation.

For salvation has been long delayed,
and the evil days are seem endless,

Repel the red one - our oppressor - into the shadows;
renew and re-establish our leaders.

 

Ma'otsur y'shu-ati le-cha na-eyh l'shabeach
Tikon bays t'filati v'sham todah n'zabeach
L'ait ta-chiyn mat'bayach mi-tsar hamna-bayach
Az eg-more b'shir miz'mor chanukat ha-mizbayach

Rah'os savah nafshi b'yagon kochi kilah
Cha'yay mai'r'rue b'koshi b'shiybud malchut eglah
U'vyado ha-gedolah notsi et ha-segulah
Chayl paroh v'chol za'ro yar'du k'evayn biym'tsulah

D'vir kad shah he-vi'yani v'gam sham lo sha-ka't'ti
U'va nogaysh v'higlani ki zariym ah-vah'd'dti
V'yayn ra-al ma-sachti ki-mat she-avarti
Kaitz ba-vel zeru-ba-vel l'kaytz shivim no-sha'ti

K'ros ko'mas b'rosh bi'kaysh ah-gahgi bayn ha-midasah
V'nisah lo l'fach u'l'mokesh v'ga-vato nishbata
Rosh y'mini ni'sayta v'oyaiv sh'mo ma-chiyta
Rov banav v'kinyanav al ha-eitz ta-liyta

Y'vanim nik-b'itzu ah-lai ah-zai bi'may chash'manim
U'fartzu chomot mig'dalai v'timu kol ha-shmanim
U'mi-notar kan-kanim naseh nes l'sho-shanim
Bi'may bina y'may shmona kavu shir u'r'nanim

Cha-sof zroa kad'shecha v'karaiv kaitz ha-yeshua
Nikom nik'mat dam av'decha may'uma ha-risha-ah
Ki archa lanu ha-yeshua v'aiyn kaitz l'may ha-ra-ah
D'chay ad'mon b'tsail tsalmon ha-kaym lanu roiym shivah

 

 

 

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