Im HaShem lo Yivneh Bayit Shira and Quorum

December 11, 2019

Now I’m caught on this song: “Im HaShem lo Yivneh Bayit”

I’ll give you two versions. The version by a Hassidic musical group, the Shira Choir, started this quest. The other is from a Lithuanian acapella group, Quorum, singing in a church in Vilnius.

The words come from Psalms 121 and 127, which you probably remember go something like this:

אִם־יְהוָה לֹא־יִבְנֶה בַיִת, שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹאִם־יְהוָה לֹא־יִשְׁמָר־עִיר, שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵרהִנֵּה לֹא־יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל

Oh, you don’t read Hebrew?

Well, we’re in luck. Someone named Nithin Ammananda translated it:

Im HaShem Lo Yivneh BayitUnless the Lord builds the house,

Shav Amlu Bonav BoThe builders labor in vain.

Im HaShem Lo Yishmor IrUnless the Lord watches over the city,

Shav Shakad Shomer The guards stand watch in vain.

Hinei Hinei Lo YanumIndeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep. Lo Yanum v’Lo Yishan Lo Yanum v’Lo Yishan

Shomer YisraelGuardian of Israel

Here’s the Shira Choir:

And here’s Quorum

Bonus: Quorum:

Girl

Let it be

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