Jerusalem of Gold - "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Jerusalem of Gold (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב‎ - Yerushalayim Shel Zahav) is an Israeli song written by Naomi Shemer. The original song described the Jewish people's 2,000-year longing to return to Jerusalem. Shemer added a final verse after the Six-Day War to celebrate Jerusalem's re-unification.

Ofra Haza sings "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Ofra Haza sings "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"
(with English subtitles)

Shuli Natan sings "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Amir Benayoun sings "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Shiri Maimon sings "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Yonina sing "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Perchei Yerushalayim sing "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

Noey sings "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav"

André Rieu in Tel Aviv - Jerusalem of Gold (Instrumental)

Chutney Unplugged - Jerusalem of Gold (Violin and Piano)

The NY Cantors - Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

Sivan Rahav Meir seminar about the song (Hebrew, 46 minutes)

Chanan Ben Ari - Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

Tal Vaknin - Jerusalem of Gold

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra - Jerusalem of Gold

Listen Up! Jewish Vocal Band - Jerusalem of Gold

Hebrew Lyrics to Jerusalem of Gold

אֲוִיר-הָרִים צָלוּל כַּיַּיִן
וְרֵיחַ אֳרָנִים
נִשָּׂא בְּרוּחַ הָעַרְבַּיִם
עִם קוֹל פַּעֲמוֹנִים.

וּבְתַרְדֵּמַת אִילָן וָאֶבֶן
שְׁבוּיָה בַּחֲלוֹמָהּ
הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּדָד יוֹשֶׁבֶת
וּבְלִבָּה חוֹמָה.

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְשֶׁל אוֹר
הַלֹּא לְכָל שִׁירַיִךְ אֲנִי כִּנּוֹר.

אֵיכָה יָבְשׁוּ בּוֹרוֹת הַמַּיִם
כִּכַּר-הַשּׁוּק רֵיקָה
וְאֵין פּוֹקֵד אֶת הַר-הַבַּיִת
בָּעִיר הָעַתִּיקָה.

וּבַמְּעָרוֹת אֲשֶׁר בַּסֶּלַע
מְיַלְּלוֹת רוּחוֹת
וְאֵין יוֹרֵד אֶל יַם-הַמֶּלַח
בְּדֶרֶךְ יְרִיחו.

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְשֶׁל אוֹר
הַלֹּא לְכָל שִׁירַיִךְ אֲנִי כִּנּוֹר.

אַךְ בְּבוֹאִי הַיּוֹם לָשִׁיר לָךְ
וְלָךְ לִקְשֹׁר כְּתָרִים
קָטֹנְתִּי מִצְּעִיר בָּנַיִךְ
וּמֵאַחֲרוֹן הַמְּשׁוֹרְרִים.

כִּי שְׁמֵךְ צוֹרֵב אֶת הַשְּׂפָתַיִם
כִּנְשִׁיקַת-שָׂרַף
אִם אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם
אֲשֶׁר כֻּלָּהּ זָהָב...

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְשֶׁל אוֹר
הַלֹּא לְכָל שִׁירַיִךְ אֲנִי כִּנּוֹר.

חָזַרְנוּ אֶל בּוֹרוֹת-הַמַּיִם
לַשּׁוּק וְלַכִּכָּר
שׁוֹפָר קוֹרֵא בְּהַר-הַבַּיִת
בָּעִיר הָעַתִּיקָה.

וּבַמְּעָרוֹת אֲשֶׁר בַּסֶּלַע
אַלְפֵי שְׁמָשׁוֹת זוֹרְחוֹת -
נָשׁוּב נֵרֵד אֶל יַם-הַמֶּלַח
בְּדֶרֶךְ יְרִיחו!

יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל זָהָב וְשֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְשֶׁל אוֹר
הַלֹּא לְכָל שִׁירַיִךְ אֲנִי כִּנּוֹר.

English Transliteration of Jerusalem of Gold

(transliteration prepared by Yael Levine)

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.

English Translation of Jerusalem of Gold

(translation by Yael Levine)

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

And in the slumber of tree and stone
Captured in her dream
The city that sits solitary
And in its midst is a wall.

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

How the cisterns have dried
The market-place is empty
And no one frequents the Temple Mount
In the Old City.

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

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

But as I come to sing to you today,
And to adorn crowns to you (i.e. to tell your praise)
I am the smallest of the youngest of your children (i.e. the least worthy of doing so)
And of the last poet (i.e. of all the poets born).

For your name scorches the lips
Like the kiss of a seraph
If I forget thee, Jerusalem,
Which is all gold...

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

We have returned to the cisterns
To the market and to the market-place
A ram's horn (shofar) calls out (i.e. is being heard) on the Temple Mount
In the Old City.

And in the caves in the mountain
Thousands of suns shine -
We will once again descend to the Dead Sea
By way of Jericho!

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