Shahar Avakeshkha
Shahar Avakeshkha is a beloved medieval Hebrew poem by the Spanish Jewish poet-philosopher Solomon ibn Gabirol, traditionally sung on Shabbat morning. Its words express the soul’s yearning to seek God at dawn, acknowledging both the humility of human speech before the Divine and the enduring power of prayer and song.
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Transliteration / Hebrew
Shahar avakeshkha tzuri u-misgabi
erokh l’fanekha shahri v’gam arbi.
Lifnei g’dulatekha emod v’ebahel
ki ein’kha tireh kol mahsh’vot libi.
Mah zeh asher yukhal ha-lev v’halashon
la-asot u-mah ko-ah ruhi b’tokh kirbi.
Hineih l’kha titav zimrat enosh al ken
od’kha b’od tihyeh nishmat elo-ah bi.
שַׁחַר אֲבַקֶּשְׁךָ צוּרִי וּמִשְׂגַּבִּי
אֶעְרֹךְ לְפָנֶיךָ שַׁחְרִי וְגַם עַרְבִּי
לִפְנֵי גְדֻלָּתְךָ אֶעְמֹד וְאֶבָּהֵל
כִּי עֵינְךָ תִּרְאֶה כָל מַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבִּי
מַה זֶּה אֲשֶׁר יוּכַל הַלֵּב וְהַלָּשׁוֹן
לַעְשׂוֹת וּמַה כֹּחַ רוּחִי בְּתוֹךְ קִרְבִּי
הִנֵּה לְךָ תִּיטַב זִמְרַת אֱנוֹשׁ עַל כֵּן
אוֹדְךָ בְּעוֹד תִּהְיֶה נִשְׁמַת אֱלֹהַּ בִּי
Translation (Lev Shalem)
At dawn I seek You, my refuge, my haven;
morning and evening, to You I pray,
though facing Your greatness, I am awed and confused,
for You know already what I would think and say.
What might in thought and speech can there be?
What power the spirit within me?
Yet, You treasure the sound of human song;
and so would I thank You, as long as Your soul is in me.