Yavesh hakayitz be'ito
Behar haGilboa.
Nish'an Sha'ul al chanito
Behar haGilboa.
Rak na'ar ger imo,
Rak na'ar mibnei Amalek.
Yavesh vecham, yavesh vecham
Hakayitz ba'emek*.
Ha'adama - tziv'ah pecham
Bakayitz ba'emek -
Ulai haya sharav.
Ulai zo hay'ta she'at shki'a.
Ulai shki'at zahav -
Kmo hayom be'ota hasha'a.
Nifras ha'emek le'raglav
Behar haGilboa.
Haya hakayitz kmo achshav
Behar haGilboa.
Mineged haTavor
Vehar haChermon bamerchak.
Ke'ilu lo avru shanim
Behar haGilboa.
Otam sela'im - sela'im shchunim
Behar haGilboa.
Ulai haya sharav.
Ulai zo hay'ta she'at shki'a.
Ulai shki'at zahav -
Kmo hayom be'ota hasha'a.
ON MOUNT GILBOA
Summer was dry in its time
On Mount Gilboa.
King Saul leaned on his spear
On Mount Gilboa.
Only a foreign boy was with him,
Only a boy of the Amalek people.
Dry and hot, dry and hot,
Was the summer in the valley*.
The earth - its color is charcoal
In the summer in the valley -
Perhaps there was a hot, dry heatwave.
Perhaps it was at sunset.
Perhaps a golden sunset -
Like today at the same hour.
The valley spread out at his feet
On Mount Gilboa.
The summer was then as it is now
On Mount Gilboa.
Opposite is Mount Tavor
And Mount Chermon is in the distance.
As though no years have passed
On Mount Gilboa .
Those same cliffs - very dry and hot cliffs
On Mount Gilboa.
Perhaps there was a hot, dry heatwave.
Perhaps it was at sunset.
Perhaps a golden sunset -
Like today at the same hour.
Translator's note:
The song refers to the death of King Saul (Sha'ul), first king of ancient Israel, who battled the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa.
Conflicting accounts of what happened are given in the last chapter of Samuel I, and first chapter of Samuel II.
In the first, Saul, about to be overcome by the Philistines, falls on his sword in order to kill himself. It seems clear he died that way. But later, an Amalekite boy comes to David's camp with Saul's crown and bracelet, reporting he killed Saul.
According to him, Saul, leaning on his spear (perhaps paralyzed by stroke or injury, perhaps crouching as he leaned on the spear after an unsuccessful suicide attempt?) spots the boy and asks him to kill him.
The boy obeys, claiming Saul would have died in any case. Possibly the boy is lying. He may have come along afterwards and taken credit, thinking David would reward him.
The song supports the boy's story, picturing Saul and him alone together in Saul's moment of weakness.
[Any other insight, comment or correction is welcome!]
* The emek (valley) is Emek Yizrael, Israel's largest valley, often called just Ha'Emek (The Valley).
In English, the Jezreel Valley.
Behar haGilboa.
Nish'an Sha'ul al chanito
Behar haGilboa.
Rak na'ar ger imo,
Rak na'ar mibnei Amalek.
Yavesh vecham, yavesh vecham
Hakayitz ba'emek*.
Ha'adama - tziv'ah pecham
Bakayitz ba'emek -
Ulai haya sharav.
Ulai zo hay'ta she'at shki'a.
Ulai shki'at zahav -
Kmo hayom be'ota hasha'a.
Nifras ha'emek le'raglav
Behar haGilboa.
Haya hakayitz kmo achshav
Behar haGilboa.
Mineged haTavor
Vehar haChermon bamerchak.
Ke'ilu lo avru shanim
Behar haGilboa.
Otam sela'im - sela'im shchunim
Behar haGilboa.
Ulai haya sharav.
Ulai zo hay'ta she'at shki'a.
Ulai shki'at zahav -
Kmo hayom be'ota hasha'a.
ON MOUNT GILBOA
Summer was dry in its time
On Mount Gilboa.
King Saul leaned on his spear
On Mount Gilboa.
Only a foreign boy was with him,
Only a boy of the Amalek people.
Dry and hot, dry and hot,
Was the summer in the valley*.
The earth - its color is charcoal
In the summer in the valley -
Perhaps there was a hot, dry heatwave.
Perhaps it was at sunset.
Perhaps a golden sunset -
Like today at the same hour.
The valley spread out at his feet
On Mount Gilboa.
The summer was then as it is now
On Mount Gilboa.
Opposite is Mount Tavor
And Mount Chermon is in the distance.
As though no years have passed
On Mount Gilboa .
Those same cliffs - very dry and hot cliffs
On Mount Gilboa.
Perhaps there was a hot, dry heatwave.
Perhaps it was at sunset.
Perhaps a golden sunset -
Like today at the same hour.
Translator's note:
The song refers to the death of King Saul (Sha'ul), first king of ancient Israel, who battled the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa.
Conflicting accounts of what happened are given in the last chapter of Samuel I, and first chapter of Samuel II.
In the first, Saul, about to be overcome by the Philistines, falls on his sword in order to kill himself. It seems clear he died that way. But later, an Amalekite boy comes to David's camp with Saul's crown and bracelet, reporting he killed Saul.
According to him, Saul, leaning on his spear (perhaps paralyzed by stroke or injury, perhaps crouching as he leaned on the spear after an unsuccessful suicide attempt?) spots the boy and asks him to kill him.
The boy obeys, claiming Saul would have died in any case. Possibly the boy is lying. He may have come along afterwards and taken credit, thinking David would reward him.
The song supports the boy's story, picturing Saul and him alone together in Saul's moment of weakness.
[Any other insight, comment or correction is welcome!]
* The emek (valley) is Emek Yizrael, Israel's largest valley, often called just Ha'Emek (The Valley).
In English, the Jezreel Valley.