Naomi Shemer



As clear as wine, the wind is flying

Among the dreamy pines

As evening light is slowly dying

And a lonely bell still chimes.



So many songs, so many stories

The stony hills recall ...

Around her heart my city carries

A lonely ancient wall.



Yerushalaim all of gold

Yerushalaim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.



Alas, the dry wells and fountains,

Forgotten market-day

The sound of horn from Temple's mountain

No longer calls to pray.



The rocky caves at night are haunted

By sounds of long ago

When we were going to the Jordan

By way of Jericho.



Yerushalaim all of gold

Yerushalaim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.



But when I come to count your praises

And sing Hallel to you

With pretty rhymes I dare not crown you

As other poets do.



Upon my lips is always burning

Your name, so dear, so old:

If I forget Yerushalaim

Of bronze and light and gold...



Yerushalaim all of gold

Yerushalaim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.



Back to the wells and to the fountains

Within the ancient walls

The sound of horn from Temple's mountain

Again so loudly calls,



From rocky caves, this very morning

A thousand suns will glow

And we shall go down to the Jordan

By way of Jericho.



Yerushalaim all of gold

Yerushalaim, bronze and light

Within my heart I shall treasure

Your song and sight.



In Hebrew:



Avir harim zalul kayayin

Ve-rei'ah oranim

Nissa be-ru'ah ha'arbayim

Im kol pa'amonim



U-ve-tardemat ilan va-even

Shvuyah ba-halomah

Ha-ir asher badad yoshevet

U-ve-libbah homah



Yerushalayim shel zahav

Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or

Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh

Ani kinnor.



Eikhah yavshu borot ha-mayim

Kikkar ha-shuk reikah

Ve-ein poked et Har ha-Bayit

Ba-ir ha-attikah



U-va-me'arot asher ba-selah

Meyallelot ruhot

Ve-ein yored el Yam ha-Melah

Be-derekh Yeriho



Yerushalayim shel zahav

Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or

Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh

Ani kinnor.



Akh be-vo'i ha-yom la-shir lakh

Ve-lakh likshor ketarim

Katonti mi-ze'ir bana'ikh

U-me-aharon ha-meshorerim



Ki shemekh zorev et ha-sefatayim

Ke-neshikat saraf

Im eshkakhekh Yerushalayim

Asher kullah zahav



Yerushalayim shel zahav

Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or

Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh

Ani kinnor.



Hazarnu el borot ha-mayim

La-shuk ve-la-kikkar

Shofar kore be-Har ha-Bayit

Ba-ir ha-attikah



U-va-me'arot asher ba-selah

Alfey shemashot zorhot

Nashuv nered el Yam ha-Melah

Be-derekh Yeriho



Yerushalayim shel zahav

Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or

Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh

Ani kinnor.