Jerusalem of Gold (Yerushalayim Shel Zahav) is an extremely popular Israeli song written by Naomi Shemer. It is also the unofficial national anthem of Israel. It has been sung by many singers, however it is mostly known with the voice of its original singer, Shuli Nathan, who sang it right after the Six-Day War broke out.

The lyrics of the full version:

JERUSALEM OF GOLD
by Naomi Shemer

Avir harim zalul kayayin
Ve-rei'ah oranim
Nissa be-ru'ah ha'arbayim
Im kol pa'amonim

The mountain air is clear as wine,
And the scent of pines is carried on the breeze of twilight,
With the sound of bells.

U-ve-tardemat ilan va-even
Shvuyah ba-halomah
Ha-ir asher badad yoshevet
U-ve-libbah homah

The trees and stones softly slumber,
A dream enfolds them all.
So solitary lies the city,
And at its heart there is a wall.

Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.

Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

Eikhah yavshu borot ha-mayi
Kikkar ha-shuk reikah
Ve-ein poked et Har ha-Bayit
Ba-ir ha-attikah

How the cisterns were dry
The market-place was empty
And no one frequented the Temple Mount
In the Old City.

U-va-me'arot asher ba-selah
Meyallelot ruhot
Ve-ein yored el Yam ha-Melah
Be-derekh Yeriho

And in the caves in the mountain,
Winds are howling,
And no one descends to the Dead Sea
By way of Jericho.

Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.

Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

Akh be-vo'i ha-yom la-shir lakh
Ve-lakh likshor ketarim
Katonti mi-ze'ir bana'ikh
U-me-aharon ha-meshorerim

As I come to sing to you today,
And to adorn crowns to you,
I am the least of all your children
And of all the poets born

Ki shemekh zorev et ha-sefatayim
Ke-neshikat saraf
Im eshkakhekh Yerushalayim
Asher kullah zahav

Your name will scorch my lips for ever,
Like a seraph's kiss, I'm told,
If I forget thee, golden city,
Jerusalem of gold.

Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.

Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

Hazarnu el borot ha-mayim
La-shuk ve-la-kikkar
Shofar kore be-Har ha-Bayit
Ba-ir ha-attikah

The cisterns are filled again with water,
We have returned to the market-place
And a Shofar calls out on the Temple Mount
In the Old City.

U-va-me'arot asher ba-selah
Alfey shemashot zorhot
Nashuv nered el Yam ha-Melah
Be-derekh Yeriho

In the caves in the mountain,
A thousand suns will glow,
We will once again descend to the Dead Sea
By way of Jericho!

Yerushalayim shel zahav
Ve-shel nehoshet ve-shel or
Ha-lo le-khol shirayikh
Ani kinnor.

Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.

---
November 2015, Simon Sanati

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