Shir HaMalot (Psalm 126)

Jewish Folk Song, for Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) on Shabbat and Festivals

Lyrics

שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת בְּשׁוּב יי
אֶת־שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן הָיִינוּ כְּחֹלְמִים׃ 
אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ
וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה
אָז יֹאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם
הִגְדִּיל יי לַעֲשׂוֹת עִם־אֵלֶּה׃ 
הִגְדִּיל יי לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּנוּ
הָיִינוּ שְׂמֵחִים׃ 
שׁוּבָה יי אֶת־שְׁבִיתֵנוּ
כַּאֲפִיקִים בַּנֶּגֶב׃ 
הַזֹּרְעִים בְּדִמְעָה
בְּרִנָּה יִקְצֹרוּ׃ 
הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבָכֹה
נֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ־הַזָּרַע
בֹּא־יָבֹא בְרִנָּה
נֹשֵׂא אֲלֻמֹּתָיו׃

shir ha- ma- a- los b'- shuv a- do- no̞y
es- shi- vas tzi- yon ho̞- yi- nu k'- cho- l'- mim.
o̞z yi- mo̞- lei s'- chok pi- nu
u- l'- sho- nei- nu ri- no̞
o̞z yom- ru va- go- yim
hig- dil a- do- no̞y la- a- sos im- ei- le.
hig- dil a- do- no̞y la- a- sos i- mo̞- nu
ho̞- yi- nu s'- mei- chim.
shu- vo̞ a- do- no̞y es- sh'- vi- sei- nu
ka- a- fi- kim ba- ne- gev.
ha- zo- r'- im b'- dim- o̞
b'- ri- no̞ yik- tzo- ru.
ho̞- loch yei- leich u- vo̞- cho
no- sei me- shech- ha- zo̞- ra
bo- yo̞- vo v'- ri- no̞
no- sei a- lu- mo- so̞v.

Shir ha-ma--a-lōs b’-shuv a-dō-noy
es-shi-vas tzi-yōn ho-yi-nu k’-chō-l’-mim.
Oz yi-mo-lay s’-chōk pi-nu
u-l’-shō-nay-nu ri-no
oz yōm-ru va-gō-yim
hig-dil a-dō-noy la--a-sōs im-ay-le.
Hig-dil a-dō-noy la--a-sōs i-mo-nu
ho-yi-nu s’-may-chim.
Shu-vo a-dō-noy es-sh’-vi-say-nu
ka--a-fi-kim ba-ne-gev.
Ha-zō-r’-im b’-dim-o
b’-ri-no yik-tzō-ru.
Ho-lōch yay-laych u-vo-chō
nō-say me-shech-ha-zo-ra
bō-yo-vō v’-ri-no
nō-say a-lu-mō-sov.

A song of ascents. When Hashem will return
the exiles of Zion, we will have been like dreamers.
Then our mouth will be filled with laughter,
and our tongue with songs of joy;
then will they say among the nations,
'Hashem has done great things for these.'
Hashem has done great things for us;
we were joyful.
Hashem, return our exiles
as streams to arid soil.
Those who sow in tears
will reap with songs of joy.
He goes along weeping,
carrying the bag of seed;
he will surely return with songs of joy,
carrying his sheaves.