Alas, how poor are words to state our pain
In remembering our brothers and sisters slain
Who gave their lives on Kiddush Hashem
To defend our holy land from blame
Shaken, here sit depressed
As long as Israel is oppressed
By murderers who seek our death
With so many grieving in distress.
Shalt, thou, O G-d, not here our cries
For many who are suffering and died
To honor you in holding our land
Against those who would take it with slight of hand.
While throughout these years so many have died to defend us
To their last breath they intervened to protect us
To stand tall and proud for our home away from home
So that one day aliya could and will be our goal.
That G-d-given inheritance which lay at our footsteps
Requiring blood, sweat, and tears for our offerings
Which we would give gladly to You with our suffering
If only we knew that peace was true and everlasting.
So, on this day of sorrow, we ask you help to send
For our family in Israel may you defend them
From rockets and rifles and pistols and bullets,
From bomb out shelters, ruin, and silence
That the world might not forget what we gave it,
The values all civilized people live by who
Cherish good not bad, right not wrong, and love not hate
And who would be happy if no one learned but just left us alone.
Oh, trouble, alas how she follows us wherever we go
To remind us that we are a people who must come to know
That there is no one who will come to our defense but us
And YOU who we must rely on age after age to trust... again!