SONG OF PROTEST

Talmud Suite – mvt #3

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Cypress Choral Music · Song of Protest – Talmud Suite mvt III – by Sid Robinovitch

LYRICS

Abba Yose ben Hanin (first century) is said to have composed this complaint against the corruption and nepotism of the priestly ruling families.

Oi li mibeit Baitos
Oi li mei-alatan
Oi li mibeit Katros
Oi li mikulmosan.

Shehem cohahim g’dolim
u-vneihem gizborim.

Oi li mi-beit Chanan,
Oi li milchishatan,
Oi li mibeit Yishma-el ben F’yavi
Oi li mei-egrofan.

Shehem cohanim g’dolim
u-vneihem gizborim
v’chatneihem amarkalin.

Oi li mibeit Baitos
Oi li mei-alatan
Oi li mibeit Katros
Oi li mikulmosan.

V’avdeihem ba-in
v’ chov’tin aleinu b’maklot!

O curse corrupt Boethus,
O curse their heavy cudgels,
O curse the house of Kathros,
O curse their bows and arrows.

For they are the high and mighty Priests
And their sons control the treasury.

O curse the house of Hanin,
O curse their wicked slanders,
O curse the House of Ishmael son of Phabi,
O curse their power – their evil might.

For they are the high and mighty Priests
And their sons control the treasury.
And their sons-in-law are the trustees.

O curse corrupt Boethus,
O curse their heavy cudgels,
O curse the house of Kathros,
O curse their bows and arrows.

Their cruel slaves defame us,
And beat us with their bludgeons half to death!

Notes on Pronunciation
In the transliteration of the Hebrew text, most of the sounds are pronounced as in English while taking note of the following:

– ch is pronounced as in Scottish loch, e.g. n’fachtah
– The apostrophe(‘) is used to indicate a reduced vowel similar to the e in courtesy, e.g. n’shamah
– Both a and ah are pronounced as in Italian, mano, e.g., atah
– ai as in sky, e.g. Elohai
– ei as in they, e.g. seifer
– e and eh as in tent, e.g., mimeni
– i as in feet, e.g., b’kirbi
– o as in for, e.g., t’horah