Y'rushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold)    words/music:Naomi Shemer

Am                 Dm               A
Avi harim tzalul kayain v'reach oranim

A7                Dm             Am E7 Am
Nisa b'ruach ha'arbayim im kol pa'amonim

     Am              Dm                  A
U-v'tardemat ilan va'even sh'vuya bachaloma

   A7               Dm         Am  E7 Am
Ha'ir asher bada yoshevet u-vliba chomah

          A7    Dm     G      C
Chorus:  Y'rushalayim shel zahav

                   F      G7     C
         V'shel n'choshet v'shel or

           C7     F     Em
         Halo l'chol shirayich

          Am E7 Am
         Ani kinor

Eycha yavshu borot hamayim kikar hashuk reika
V'ein poket et har habayit ba'ir ha'atika
U-vam'arot asher basela m'yalelot ruchot
V'ein yored el yam haelach b'derech Yericho (chorus)

Ach bevo'i hayom lashir lach v'lach likshor ktarim
Katonti mitse'ir bana'ich um'achraon hamshorerim
Ki shmech tzorev et has'fata-yim ki n'shikat saraf
Im eshkachech Yerushalayim aher kula zahav (chorus)

Chazarnu el borot hamayim lashuk v'lakikar
Shofar koray b'har haba-yit ba'ir ha'atika
Uvam'arot asher basela alfei shmashot zorchot
Nashuv nered el yam hamelach b'derech Yericho (chorus)


Mountain air as clear as wine and the scent of pine,
borne on the evening wind with the sound of bells.
And in the slumber of trees and stone, imprisoned in her dream
is the city which dwells alone, a wall within her heart.

(Chorus)   Jerusalem of gold
           Of coper and of light,
           Behold I am a harp (violin)
           for all your songs.

How have the cisterns dried out,
the market square is empty and none go up to the Temple Mount in the Old City.
Through the caves in the rock the winds howl,
and none go down to the Dead Sea by the way of Jericho.

But when I come today to sing unto you and to bind garland for you,
I become smaller than the  youngest of your sons, or the least of the poets.
For your name burns the likps like the kiss of a seraph,
let me not forget thee Oh Jeusalem that is all of gold.

We have returned to the cisterns, to the market and the square,
the shofar calls on the Temple Mound in the Old City.
And from the caves in the rocks a thousand suns glow again
we will go down to the Dead Sea by the way of Jericho.