This popular Israeli song written by Naomi Shemer and performed by Ofra Haza describes the Jewish people’s age-old yearning for and ultimate return to Jerusalem. Released just three weeks before the outbreak of the Six Day War in 1967, this song became a battle cry for the Israeli troops and public throughout the war. Shemer added the final verse upon hearing the paratroopers singing it at the Western Wall, when the Old City of Jerusalem came under Israeli control. The video has onscreen English lyrics, and the translated and transliterated lyrics can also be seen below.
Jerusalem of Gold
The mountain air is clear as water
The scent of pines around
Is carried on the breeze of twilight,
And tinkling bells resound.
The trees and stones there softly slumber,
A dream enfolds them all.
So solitary lies the city,
And at its heart — a wall.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold,
and of light and of bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs.
The wells are filled again with water,
The square with joyous crowd,
On the Temple Mount within the City,
The shofar rings out loud.
Within the caverns in the mountains
A thousand suns will glow,
We’ll take the Dead Sea road together,
That runs through Jericho.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold…
But as I sing to you, my city,
And you with crowns adorn,
I am the least of all your children,
Of all the poets born.
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.
Oh, Jerusalem of gold…
Yerushalayim Shel Zahav
Avir harim tsalul k’yayin
Vereiyach oranim
Nissah beru’ach ha’arbayim
Im kol pa’amonim.
U’vtardemat ilan va’even
Shvuyah bachalomah
Ha’ir asher badad yoshevet
Uvelibah – chomah.
Yerushalayim shel zahav
Veshel nechoshet veshel or
Halo lechol shirayich Ani kinor.
Chazarnu el borot hamayim
Lashuk velakikar
Shofar koreh behar habayit
ba’ir ha’atikah.
Uvme’arot asher baselah
Alfei shmashot zorchot
Nashuv nered el Yam Hemalach
B’derech Yericho
Yerushalayim shel zahav…
Ach bevo’i hayom lashir lach
Velach likshor k’tarim
Katonti mitse’ir bana’ich
Ume achron ham’shorerim.
Ki shmech tsorev et hasfatayim
Keneshikat saraf
Im eshkachech Yerushalayim
Yerushalayim shel zahav…