Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov

Subject: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: RS
Date: 21 Sep 97 - 03:44 PM

HINEI MA TOV

Text: Psalm 133:1
Music: Folk tune
Sources: various

Original version:
Hinei ma tov uma nayim
Shevet achim gam yachad

Variation #1: [my version, used at the Women's Song Evening]
Hinei ma tov uma nayim
Shevet achot gam yachad

Variation #2: [Marcia Falk]
Hinei ma tov uma nayim
Shevet kulanu yachad

COMMENTS:

Non-literal translations:

How good and pleasant it is that friends live peacefully together. [RS]
How good to sit together in peace. [Marcia Falk]

Word by word translation:

Original version:
Hiney=here is; ma=what (is); tov=good; uma=and what (is); nayim=beautiful;
Shevet=to sit, to dwell; gam=also; yachad=together, in unity.

Variation #1:
achot=sisters

Variation #2:
kulanu=all of us; note that the word "gam" is omitted in this variation; in the other versions "gam" is not really necessary for the phrase, only for the rhythm

Variation #2 appears in Marcia Falk's newly published "Book of Blessings" - a gender-inclusive rewriting of both the Hebrew and the English of traditional Jewish prayers and songs.

Music:

This song has *many many* tunes associated with it, some solemn, some cheerful, some quiet, some noisy, some witty.
The following are the chords to one of the most well-known tunes:

Am - Dm Am / E7 - Am - [I prefer E rather than E7]
[This version, in a minor key, can be done in a two-part round]

Subject: RE: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 05:15 AM

Corrections:
Hineh mah-tob u-mah-na'im (' = glottal stop)
Shebet akhim gam-yakhad
the Bs are pronounced V when between two vowels

Hineh = behold; is used to start a sentence describing a status
Shebet = the sitting
gam = together; a lot of other meanings and functions elsewhere
yakhad = together, unity

More about this verse and its translations as an academic drinking song in my lecture, held at May 1st, 2004 in Hull during the Mudcat Eurogathering. Here also the beautiful translation of the King James Version.

Subject: RE: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 08:16 PM

Wiulfried, I think your corrections are mostly a difference between the common German and English transliterations of the Hebrew. German and English transliterations of Yiddish also vary, and it frustrates me to no end.
Of course, you Germans are the folks who call "Milano" "Mailand."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 03:22 AM

Joe, my corrections are aimed at the meanings of the words and the translation first.
I have transliterated letter by letter (I'm a semitist). Albeit the Hebrew alphabet gave the consonants only there is a system of added dots and dashes to mark the vowels - with a lot of shades not represented in Latin alphabets -, invented later.
The song - and this I must state apodictically - is NOT Yiddish, but biblical Hebrew, about the times of David and Salomo.

The problem of transliteration into English or German can be easily solved. I prefer the German way (naturally), because Yiddish is basically a German language with a lot of Hebrew words adapted to German articulation (e.g. change of stress and vowels). In Yiddish some Hebrew letters representing sounds unknown to German are now used to denote German sounds, e.g. the 'Ain for a subdued, or murmured E. Also the difference between the sounds ai and ei are clearly distinguished (in German both represented by ei). So you can transliterate letter for letter and have the correct sounds.
The crux with English transliterations is that they are mostly ethnoorthographic transscriptions. Often singers, familiar with neither the language nor the script, write down the words they think they hear in an insufficient way.

Aren't you the people calling Milano Milan? :-)

Subject: RE: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 08:41 PM

Hey, "Milan" is a lot closer to the original than "Mailand," isn't it? I won't say anything about "Florence" and "Munich."
So, what's a semitist? - a guy who studies Jewish semantics? I gather it's somebody who studies Semitic languages.

Now, I have to say I learned "Hine Ma Tov" and "Hava Nagila" from that infamous Semitist, Harry Belafonte - so what do I know???

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 04:08 AM

Well guessed, Joe. It's Semitic languages. Had to do Arabic, Ge'ez (old Ethiopic), Amarinya (Modern Ethiopic), Epigraphic South Arabic, and Biblical Hebrew. Learned a little bit Ivrit also by the way.
I wouldn't call Harry a semitist - and never infamous -, but a wonderful singer. I haven't heard him sing in Hebrew or Yiddish, but I'm afraid there is always an American accent sounding through, especially with the vowels.

Oh, I had forgotten to wish you a happy new year, and thanks for all the important work you do for the MC.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Hinei Ma Tov - Lyric Addition
From: GUEST,Patrick
Date: 29 Jan 08 - 06:45 AM

I guess the song takes me back to the ancient united Israel. I think that's one reason GOD IS WITH THEM.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hine Ma Tov
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 10:27 AM

La Lala La Lala La La La La Lala La La La(x2)

Hine ma tov u ma nayim she veta chim gam yachad (x2)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 03 Dec 08 - 08:02 PM

Wilfried, I enjoyed reading the lecture to which you linked, but I didn't understand how the aborigines got into it near the end.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 04:59 AM

A joke - the people born and living in this land

correct: Hine ma-tov u ma-nayim shevet achim gam yachad

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: goatfell
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 06:01 AM

a joke Jews/arbs tlaking of Peace in 'israel' now that's ajoke

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: Monique
Date: 18 May 21 - 01:53 AM

Here are the Hebrew lyrics:
הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 May 21 - 10:54 AM

I have only heard this sung as Zionist propaganda (and coming across as ever more sick and hypocritical with every passing year).

Does it have a more innocent origin?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: Felipa
Date: 18 May 21 - 01:21 PM

The person who sang this song at the Mudcat singing circle on Monday this week did so in the spirit of seeking peace. She mentioned the current dire situation and said she would sing a song of dwelling together in peace. :Like most songs, it means what people want it to mean.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: robomatic
Date: 18 May 21 - 06:49 PM

The version I'm most familiar with was sung by Harry Belafonte no later than the 60s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: GerryM
Date: 18 May 21 - 07:01 PM

Jack, the origin is Psalm 133.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: GUEST,Beachcomber
Date: 19 May 21 - 06:23 PM

I thought that Leon Rosselson, with Jimmie McGregor, Robin Hall and Shirley Blande (ie The Galliards) did a wonderful version, also in the 1960s. It's on the LP "A-ROVIN' "

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: Monique
Date: 02 Mar 22 - 04:36 AM

Lyrics in Hebrew characters

הנה מה טוב ומה נעים
שבת אחים גם יחד

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: BrooklynJay
Date: 04 Mar 22 - 01:02 AM

The Weavers did a nice version on their Reunion at Carnegie Hall - Part 2 album in 1963.

Jay

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: robomatic
Date: 16 Mar 22 - 07:11 PM

There's a kid's version where everyone sings round after round:

verse: He nei ma tov-u ma-nay-im (x3)

chorus: shevarachim gam ya-cha-a-ad!

then reduces the verse part by a syllable, so the next would be:

verse: He nei ma tov-u ma-na- (x3)

the chorus is sung in full each time...

Finally the syllables are whittled down to -none-, so there is a full pause, then the chorus is sung in full and the song is over.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: clueless don
Date: 17 Mar 22 - 09:45 AM

We used to do a version of this song in our Madrigal Group. The first time through consisted of "Alleluia", repeated over-and-over. The second time through we sang the Hinei Ma Tov (etc.) lyrics. Probably similar to the version posted above with La Lala La Lala.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hinei Ma Tov
From: clueless don
Date: 17 Mar 22 - 09:45 AM

We used to do a version of this song in our Madrigal Group. The first time through consisted of "Alleluia", repeated over-and-over. The second time through we sang the Hinei Ma Tov (etc.) lyrics. Probably similar to the version posted above with La Lala La Lala.