Shochanet Ba-Sadeh -

R. Solomon Ibn Gavirol

About the Piyut
Shochanet BaSadeh was written by the Spanish poet Solomon Ibn Gabriol. This piyut is sung in the
Moroccan Jewish community as part of the Bakkashot slated for the Shabbat mornings of Parashat
Noach, Miketz and Mishpatim. In the Iraqi Jewish community, this piyut is designated for the holiday
of Succot.
Shochanet BaSadeh is a dialogue between two lovers, a man and wife, which recalls the spirit of Shir
Hashirim. In the text, the wife wanders in a field [in the Diaspora] while the husband herds in a
foreign countryside, both recalling and longing to return to the garden in which they met. The
husband calls out to his wife, asking her to go to the top of the hill in order to look out over the rosefilled garden. The wife responds, inviting him to the garden: Come down now, to the garden, where
youll savor delicacies, and within its fine embrace, youll reclineand sleep.

Hebrew Text

Uri arugatech / ki nimla shoshan

Ma lach yfeh ayin / ki taazov gani

Shochanet ba-sadeh / Im ohaley chushan

Imdi lrosh karmel / tzapi ;har bashan
Lagan asher nechmas / kala si eynayich

Lirot bgan yakshan / tachat atsey dishan

Hava rda lagan / tochl mgadim sham
Uvcheik yfat ayin / tishkav vgam tishan

English Translation
Youve dwelled along the plains
among the tents of Cushan.
Turn to Carmels heights
toward Mount Bashan,

take in the ravaged garden,

and lift, my bride, your eyes:
behold your bed of flowers,
filled, now, with lilies.
Why, my fine one, why
did you leave my garden
to roam in Arabian lands
and under Edoms trees?
Come down now, to the garden
where youll savor delicacies,
and within its fine embrace,
youll reclineand sleep.
Translation: Annie Kantar, March 2012

Recording from the Jerusalem Piyut Festival, 2011