Hebrew: Eloqêynû / Eloykayni

What is this double title, you'll be asking. Well, the title of today's song is אֱלֹקֵינוּ, which according to the niqqud AFAICT should be pronounced 'Eloqêynû, the spelling being alef_khataf_segol-lamed_holam-qaf_gerets-yod-nun-vav_dagesh, but the singer in the video for some reason pronounces it Eloykayni. Essentially, the pronunciation of this singer features some weird accent where, in particular, all possessives -nû are prononunced -ni. [The video was removed from YT within posting date of this. The transcription below matches that one, this is another video of the same song, if it doesn't match, not my problem :).] At any rate, I found this song by chance on Lyricstranslate, where it originally was posted in a phonetic approximation of the video (despite said video being captioned in Hebrew with niqqud), and with not-so-accurate Italian and Portuguese translations. In this case, I was actually unable to do most of the analysis, so I resorted to Quora, and the analysis below comes from there. Below, I report the text with niqqud and the corresponding romanization. I will add the phonetic approximation to the single words as I do the analysis, along with the romanization. The romanization scheme, as described on the LT page in the comment to my transliteration, «Accurately represents the Hebrew spelling as per the conventions of this Quora comment, adding the distinction of v for vav and ṿ for ṿet. Note that ד׳, which would be Ď, is an abbreviation for הַשַׁם ha-Šêm, which is basically bleeped out because it refers to God, basically like writing G-d».


אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ
אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ
אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ
אוֹי רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ (וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ)

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה, מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
'Ẹloqêynû, 'Ɔṿiynû,
Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû,
Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû Vë-harëviyaḥnû
'Ẹloqêynû, ye, 'Ɔṿiynû,
Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû,
Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû Vë-harëviyaḥnû

'Ôy vë-ha-rëvaḥ lɔnû,
Ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Nay, mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû!
'Ôy ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû
'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû!

'Ôy vë-ha-rëvaḥ lɔnû,
Ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû!
'Ôy ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû
'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû!

'Ẹloqêynû, 'Ɔṿiynû,
Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû,
Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû Vë-harëviyaḥnû
Hay, 'Ẹloqêynû, 'Ɔṿiynû,
Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû,
Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû Vë-harëviyaḥnû

'Ôy vë-ha-rëvaḥ lɔnû,
Ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû!
'Ôy ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû
'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû!

'Ôy vë-ha-rëvaḥ lɔnû,
Ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Nay, mëhêrɔh, mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû!
'Ôy ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû
'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû!

Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû
'Ôy Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû,
Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû (Vë-khalëkëlênû)

'Ôy vë-ha-rëvaḥ lɔnû,
'Ôy ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh, mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû!
'Ôy ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû
'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû!



Let me now list all the distinct lines (counting lines that differ only because one has e.g. a "Nay| and the other doesn't as the same) in this song, which is full of repetitions:
  1. אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ | 'Ẹloqêynû, 'Ɔṿiynû
  2. רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ | Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû
  3. פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ | Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû Vë-harëviyaḥnû
  4. אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ | 'Ôy vë-ha-rëvakh lɔnû,
  5. ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ | Ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû,
  6. מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ | Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû!
  7. אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ | 'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû!
OK, let's get on with this.
  1. L. 1 «אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ | 'Ẹloqêynû, 'Ɔṿiynû»:
    • אֱלֹקֵינוּ | 'Ẹloqêynû | Eloykayni: "Our G-d", from אלוקי | Eloqei-, construct state of אלוקים | Eloqim, a minced form of אלוהים | Elohim "God" (so basically "G-d") + -נוּ -nû, 1pl. possessive suffix;
    • אֱלֹקֵינוּ | 'Ɔṿiynû | Ovini: "Our Father", from the same possessive -nû as above and אבי 'ɔvi-, construct of אב 'ɔv "Father";
    So «Our G-d, our father»;
  2. L. 2 «רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ | Rë`ênû, Zûnêynû»:
    • רְעֵנוּ | Rë`ênû | Reayni: "Shepherd us", from רְעֵ rë`ê, imperative sg. masc. of לִרְעֹות lirë`ot “to shepherd”, + ־ֵנוּ -nû, 1pl object suffix;
    • זוּנֵנוּ | Zûnêynû | Zinayni: "Nourish us", from the same object -nû as above, + זוּן zûn- , imperative sg. masc. of לָזוּן lɔzûn “nourish”;
    So «Shepherd us, nourish us»;
  3. L. 3 «פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ | Farënëṣênû Vë-khalëkëlênû Vë-harëviyaḥnû»:
    • פַרְנְסֵנוּ | Farënëṣênû | Barnesayni (or maybe Farnesayni): "Provide for us", again the -(e)nû object suffix, and this time פַרְנְס parënês-, imperative of לְפַרְנֵס lëfarnês “to provide for”;
    • וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ | Vë-khalëkëlênû | Ve-khalkelayni: "And sustain us", from וְ vë "and", + כַלְכֵּל khalëkêl-, imperative sg. masc. of לְכַלְכֵּל lëkhalëkêl "to sustain", + -nû as usual;
    • וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ | Vë-harëviyaḥnû | Vë-kharvikhayni: "And relieve us", ve=and and -nû=us we already know, the rest is הַרְוֵחַ harëvêaḥ, imperative masc. sg. of לְהַרְוִיחַ lëharëviyaḥ;
    So «Provide for us, and sustain us, and relieve us»;
  4. L. 4 «אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ | 'Ôy vë-ha-rëvakh lɔnû»:
    • אוֹי | 'Ôy | Oy: Oy, an interjection;
    • וְהַרְוַח | vë-ha-rëvaḥ | ve-ha-rëvakh: "And the ??", ve=and we know, הַ ha is the article "the", and then the word רְוַח rëvaḥ is a mystery; my best guess is the word רְוָחָ rëvɔḥɔ́ “relief”, which I somehow found but can no longer find; otherwise, again הַרְוֵחַ harëvêaḥ from above;
    • לָנוּ | lɔnû | luni: "to us, for us", from preposition l- + personal suffix -nû;
    So «Oh and [give] the relief(?) to us»;
  5. L. 4 «ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ | Ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû»:
    • ד׳ | D' = הַשֵׁם | Ha-Šêm | Ha-Shem: "The (Ha) Name (Shem)", another minced way to refer to God, and D' is probably a reference to the tetragrammaton;
    • אֱלֹקֵינוּ | 'Ẹloqêynû | Eloykayni: "Our G-d", from אלוקי | Eloqei-, construct state of אלוקים | Eloqim, a minced form of אלוהים | Elohim "God" (so basically "G-d") + -נוּ -nû, 1pl. possessive suffix;
    So «Oh God, our God»;
  6. L. 5 «מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ | Mëhêrɔh mi-kɔl tsɔrôtêynû»:
    • מְהֵרָה | Mëhêrɔh | mehayeruh: "Quickly", «fem. sg. adj.» says the analysis, I assume it's the fem. sg. of מָהִיר mɔhíyr, though Wiktionary tells me that would be מְהִירָה mëhiyrɔh instead…
    • מִכָּל | mi-kɔl | mi-kol: "From all of", from = mi, all of = כָּל kɔl, construct of כֹּל kol "all, everything";
    • צָרוֹתֵינוּ | tsɔrôtêynû | tzuruysayni: "Our troubles", usual possessive -nû + צָרוֹת tsɔrot, plural of צָרָה tsɔrah, "distress, misfortune";
    So «Quickly from all our troubles».
  7. L. 6 «אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ | 'Ɔṿiynû, ha-Šêm 'Ẹloqêynû» is a mix of elements from other lines, «Our Father, God, our God».
The result is the below translation:
אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ
אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ
אֱלֹקֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ
רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ, וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ

פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ
אוֹי רְעֵנוּ, זוּנֵנוּ
פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ (וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ)

אוֹי וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
מְהֵרָה, מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אוֹי ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
נַי מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ
אָבִינוּ, ד׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ
Our G-d, our father
Shepherd us, nourish us
Provide for us, and sustain us, and relieve us
Our G-d, our father
Shepherd us, nourish us
Provide for us, and sustain us, and relieve us

Oy and the relief(?) to us
God, our God
Yea, quickly [give] from all our troubles
Oy God, our God
Quickly [relieve us] from all our troubles
Our father, God, our God

Oy and the relief(?) to us
God, our God
Yea, quickly [give] from all our troubles
Oy God, our God
Quickly [relieve us] from all our troubles
Our father, God, our God

Our G-d, our father
Shepherd us, nourish us
Provide for us, and sustain us, and relieve us
Our G-d, our father
Shepherd us, nourish us
Provide for us, and sustain us, and relieve us

Oy and the relief(?) to us
God, our God
Quickly [give] from all our troubles
Oy God, our God
Quickly [relieve us] from all our troubles
Our father, God, our God

Oy and the relief(?) to us
God, our God
Yea, quickly [give] from all our troubles
Oy God, our God
Quickly [relieve] from all our troubles
Our father, God, our God

Provide for us, and sustain us
Oy shepherd us, nourish us
Provide for us, and sustain us, (and sustain us)

Oy and the relief(?) to us
Oy God, our God
Quickly, quickly [give] from all our troubles
Oy God, our God
Yea, quickly [relieve] from all our troubles
Our father, God, our God

Comments

  1. וְהַרְוַח
    is the imperative of הִרְוִיחַ "relieve." The consonants החע cause the e vowel to become a, which is why it's not הַרְוֵחַ
    (compare הושַע from the verb הושיע).
    It's not the noun רֶוַח "relief."
    The words are from the third blessing of the blessings after meals, which can be found in translation in various prayer books.

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  2. Pretty impressed that you have gone this deeply into the translation and various investigations of pronunciation and word modification in Hebrew. Was this all learned specifically for this one song?

    I had a good look at Hebrew when I read "Truth behind the Bible Code", and to a lesser extent in the books "The Bible Code" 1 and 2.

    Nick

    ReplyDelete
  3. Did you ever try your hand at deciphering ciphers?

    On and off I'm having a go at investigating whether there was an intentional (or unintentional) message behind the 500 codon sequence listed at conspicuously great length in the book The Messiah Code. I say unintentional, because if Michael Cordy did get that from a draft of the HGP results, it would be fun to find a coded message in a human genome.

    ReplyDelete

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