Sources of Maoz Tzur (with gratitude to Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb for locating the sources in A Different Light, pp. 4-5)

(א) מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּחַ.

(ב) תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ.

(ג) לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ.

(ד) אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.

(1) O Fortress, Rock of my salvation, unto thee it is becoming to give praise:

(2) let my house of prayer be restored, and I will there offer thee thanksgivings

(3) when thou shalt have prepared a slaughter of the blaspheming foe,

(4) I will complete with song and psalm the dedication of the altar.

(ג) הַטֵּ֤ה אֵלַ֨י ׀ אָזְנְךָ֮ מְהֵרָ֪ה הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי הֱיֵ֤ה לִ֨י ׀ לְֽצוּר־מָ֭עוֹז לְבֵ֥ית מְצוּד֗וֹת לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃

(3) Incline Your ear to me; be quick to save me; be a rock, a stronghold for me, a citadel, for my deliverance.

(כא) הָכִ֧ינוּ לְבָנָ֛יו מַטְבֵּ֖חַ בַּעֲוֺ֣ן אֲבוֹתָ֑ם בַּל־יָקֻ֙מוּ֙ וְיָ֣רְשׁוּ אָ֔רֶץ וּמָלְא֥וּ פְנֵֽי־תֵבֵ֖ל עָרִֽים׃

(21) Prepare a slaughtering block for his sons Because of the guilt of their father. Let them not arise to possess the earth! Then the world’s face shall be covered with towns.

(א) מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃

(1) A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the House.

(ד) כִּֽי־שָֽׂבְעָ֣ה בְרָע֣וֹת נַפְשִׁ֑י וְחַיַּ֗י לִשְׁא֥וֹל הִגִּֽיעוּ׃

(4) For I am sated with misfortune; I am at the brink of Sheol.

(ו) רָעוֹת שָׂבְעָה נַפְשִׁי בְּיָגוֹן כֹּחִי כִּלָה.

(ז) חַיַּי מָרְרוּ בְּקוֹשִׁי בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת עֶגְלָה.

(ח) וּבְיָדוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה הוֹצִיא אֶת הַסְּגֻלָּה.

(ט) חֵיל פַּרְעֹה וְכָל זַרְעוֹ יָרְדוּ כְאֶבֶן בִּמְצוּלָה.

(6) Full sated was my soul with ills, my strength was spent with sorrow;

(7) they embittered my life by hardship during my subjection to the dominion of Egypt,*The kingdom of the heifer," see Jeremiah 46:20.

(8) but God with his great power brought forth the chosen race,

(9) while the host of Pharaoh and all his seed sank like a stone into the deep.

(יא) כִּ֤י כָל֪וּ בְיָג֡וֹן חַיַּי֮ וּשְׁנוֹתַ֪י בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה כָּשַׁ֣ל בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י כֹחִ֑י וַעֲצָמַ֥י עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃

(11) My life is spent in sorrow, my years in groaning; my strength fails because of my iniquity, my limbs waste away.

(כ) עֶגְלָ֥ה יְפֵֽה־פִיָּ֖ה מִצְרָ֑יִם קֶ֥רֶץ מִצָּפ֖וֹן בָּ֥א בָֽא׃

(20) Egypt is a handsome heifer— A gadfly from the north is coming, coming!

(לא) וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה ה' בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־ה' וַיַּֽאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽה' וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ (פ)

(31) And when Israel saw the wondrous power which the LORD had wielded against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD; they had faith in the LORD and His servant Moses.

(ה) וְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(5) Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine,

(כח) וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ הַמַּ֗יִם וַיְכַסּ֤וּ אֶת־הָרֶ֙כֶב֙ וְאֶת־הַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים לְכֹל֙ חֵ֣יל פַּרְעֹ֔ה הַבָּאִ֥ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם בַּיָּ֑ם לֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֥ר בָּהֶ֖ם עַד־אֶחָֽד׃

(28) The waters turned back and covered the chariots and the horsemen—Pharaoh’s entire army that followed them into the sea; not one of them remained.

(ה) תְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן׃

(5) The deeps covered them; They went down into the depths like a stone.

(יא) דְּבִיר קָדְשׁוֹ הֱבִיאַנִי וְגַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי.

(יב) וּבָא נוֹגֵשׂ וְהִגְלַנִי. כִּי זָרִים עָבַדְתִּי.

(יג) וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי.

(יד) קֵץ בָּבֶל, זְרֻבָּבֶל, לְקֵץ שִׁבְעִים נוֹשָׁעְתִּי.

(11) To his holy oracle he brought me, yet there also I found no peace,

(12) for the oppressor came and led me captive, because I had served strange gods:

(13) I had to quaff the wine of bewilderment; well nigh had I perished,

(14) when Babylon's end drew near; through Zerubbabel I was saved after seventy years.

(ב) שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃

(2) Listen to my plea for mercy when I cry out to You, when I lift my hands toward Your inner sanctuary.

(יז) תְּבִאֵ֗מוֹ וְתִטָּעֵ֙מוֹ֙ בְּהַ֣ר נַחֲלָֽתְךָ֔ מָכ֧וֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ֛ פָּעַ֖לְתָּ ה' מִקְּדָ֕שׁ אדושם כּוֹנְנ֥וּ יָדֶֽיךָ׃

(17) You will bring them and plant them in Your own mountain, The place You made to dwell in, O LORD, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands established.

(יא) וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֖מָת עָתְנִיאֵ֥ל בֶּן־קְנַֽז׃ (פ)

(11) and the land had peace for forty years. When Othniel the Kenizzite died,

(ד) וְנָשָׂ֜אתָ הַמָּשָׁ֥ל הַזֶּ֛ה עַל־מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶ֖ל וְאָמָ֑רְתָּ אֵ֚יךְ שָׁבַ֣ת נֹגֵ֔שׂ שָׁבְתָ֖ה מַדְהֵבָֽה׃

(4) you shall recite this song of scorn over the king of Babylon: How is the taskmaster vanished, How is oppression ended!

(יב) וְהָיָ֣ה כִמְלֹ֣אות שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֡ה אֶפְקֹ֣ד עַל־מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֩ וְעַל־הַגּ֨וֹי הַה֧וּא נְאֻם־ה' אֶת־עֲוֺנָ֖ם וְעַל־אֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ לְשִֽׁמְמ֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם׃

(12) When the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation and the land of the Chaldeans for their sins—declares the LORD—and I will make it a desolation for all time.
(ה) וְעַתָּ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּקֹלִ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֑י וִהְיִ֨יתֶם לִ֤י סְגֻלָּה֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים כִּי־לִ֖י כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(5) Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples. Indeed, all the earth is Mine,
(ה) תְּהֹמֹ֖ת יְכַסְיֻ֑מוּ יָרְד֥וּ בִמְצוֹלֹ֖ת כְּמוֹ־אָֽבֶן׃
(5) The deeps covered them; They went down into the depths like a stone.

(טז) כְּרוֹת קוֹמַת בְּרוֹשׁ, בִּקֵּשׁ אֲגָגִי בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא.

(יז) וְנִהְיָתָה לוֹ לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ וְגַאֲוָתוֹ נִשְׁבָּתָה.

(יח) רֹאשׁ יְמִינִי נִשֵּׂאתָ וְאוֹיֵב שְׁמוֹ מָחִיתָ.

(יט) רֹב בָּנָיו וְקִנְיָנָיו עַל הָעֵץ תָּלִיתָ.

(16) The Agagite (Haman), the son of Hammedatha, sought to cut down the lofty fir tree (Mordecai)*See Talmud Babli, Tr. Megillah, 10b.;

(17) but his design became a snare to himself, and his pride was brought to an end.

(18) The head of the Benjamite thou didst exalt, but the enemy's name thou Midst blot out:

(19) the many sons he had gotten thou didst hang upon the gallows.

(א) אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ אֶת־הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֕ל כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

(1) Some time afterward, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite; he advanced him and seated him higher than any of his fellow officials.

(ה) אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדִ֔י הָיָ֖ה בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֑ה וּשְׁמ֣וֹ מָרְדֳּכַ֗י בֶּ֣ן יָאִ֧יר בֶּן־שִׁמְעִ֛י בֶּן־קִ֖ישׁ אִ֥ישׁ יְמִינִֽי׃

(5) In the fortress Shushan lived a Jew by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite.

(יט) וְהָיָ֡ה בְּהָנִ֣יחַ ה' אֱלֹקֶ֣יךָ ׀ לְ֠ךָ מִכָּל־אֹ֨יְבֶ֜יךָ מִסָּבִ֗יב בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהוָֽה־אֱ֠לֹקֶיךָ נֹתֵ֨ן לְךָ֤ נַחֲלָה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ תִּמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹ֖א תִּשְׁכָּֽח׃ (פ)

(19) Therefore, when the LORD your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

(יג) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶסְתֵּר֙ אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב יִנָּתֵ֣ן גַּם־מָחָ֗ר לַיְּהוּדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּשׁוּשָׁ֔ן לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כְּדָ֣ת הַיּ֑וֹם וְאֵ֛ת עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת בְּנֵֽי־הָמָ֖ן יִתְל֥וּ עַל־הָעֵֽץ׃

(13) “If it please Your Majesty,” Esther replied, “let the Jews in Shushan be permitted to act tomorrow also as they did today; and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on the stake.”

(כא) יְוָנִים נִקְבְּצוּ עָלַי אֲזַי בִּימֵי חַשְׁמַנִּים.

(כב) וּפָרְצוּ חוֹמוֹת מִגְדָּלַי וְטִמְּאוּ כָּל הַשְּׁמָנִים.

(כג) וּמִנּוֹתַר קַנְקַנִּים נַעֲשָׂה נֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים.

(כד) בְּנֵי בִינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים.

(21) The Grecians were gathered against me in the days of the Hasmoneans;

(22) they broke down the walls of my towers, and defiled all the oils;

(23) but from one of the last remaining flasks a miracle was wrought for thy beloved*Likened to a lily in Song of Solomon 2:2.,

(24) and their men of understanding appointed these eight days for song and praises.

(ח) וַיְהִ֗י בְּהִשָּׁמַ֤ע דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְדָת֔וֹ וּֽבְהִקָּבֵ֞ץ נְעָר֥וֹת רַבּ֛וֹת אֶל־שׁוּשַׁ֥ן הַבִּירָ֖ה אֶל־יַ֣ד הֵגָ֑י וַתִּלָּקַ֤ח אֶסְתֵּר֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶל־יַ֥ד הֵגַ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר הַנָּשִֽׁים׃

(8) When the king’s order and edict was proclaimed, and when many girls were assembled in the fortress Shushan under the supervision of Hegai, Esther too was taken into the king’s palace under the supervision of Hegai, guardian of the women.

(ב) כְּשֽׁוֹשַׁנָּה֙ בֵּ֣ין הַחוֹחִ֔ים כֵּ֥ן רַעְיָתִ֖י בֵּ֥ין הַבָּנֽוֹת׃

(2) Like a lily among thorns, So is my darling among the maidens.

(לג) וּמִבְּנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֗ר יוֹדְעֵ֤י בִינָה֙ לַֽעִתִּ֔ים לָדַ֖עַת מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רָאשֵׁיהֶ֣ם מָאתַ֔יִם וְכָל־אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּיהֶֽם׃ (ס)

(33) of the Issacharites, men who knew how to interpret the signs of the times, to determine how Israel should act; their chiefs were 200, and all their kinsmen followed them;
(יט) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנְנִ֣י מוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֔ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶ֖ה בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַזָּ֑עַם כִּ֖י לְמוֹעֵ֥ד קֵֽץ׃
(19) and said, “I am going to inform you of what will happen when wrath is at an end, for [it refers] to the time appointed for the end.

(כו) חֲשׂוֹף זְרוֹעַ קָדְשֶׁךָ וְקָרֵב קֵץ הַיְשׁוּעָה.

(כז) נְקֹם נִקְמַת דַּם עֲבָדֶיךָ מֵאֻמָּה הָרְשָׁעָה.

(כח) כִּי אָרְכָה לָנוּ הַשָּׁעָה וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי הָרָעָה.

(כט) דְּחֵה אַדְמוֹן בְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן, הָקֵם לָנוּ רוֹעֶה שִׁבְעָה.

Bare Your holy arm
and hasten the End for salvation -
Avenge the vengeance of Your servants' blood
from the wicked nation.
For the triumph is too long delayed for us,
and there is no end to days of evil,
Repel the Red One in the nethermost shadow
and establish for us the seven shepherds. English

(י) חָשַׂ֤ף ה' אֶת־זְר֣וֹעַ קָדְשׁ֔וֹ לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְרָאוּ֙ כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ אֵ֖ת יְשׁוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ׃ (ס)

(10) The LORD will bare His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, And the very ends of earth shall see The victory of our God.

(א) מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִ֑ד ה' רֹ֝עִ֗י לֹ֣א אֶחְסָֽר׃

(1) A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

(יב) וְהָיָ֣ה כִמְלֹ֣אות שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֡ה אֶפְקֹ֣ד עַל־מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֩ וְעַל־הַגּ֨וֹי הַה֧וּא נְאֻם־ה' אֶת־עֲוֺנָ֖ם וְעַל־אֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֹת֖וֹ לְשִֽׁמְמ֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם׃ (יג) והבאיתי [וְהֵֽבֵאתִי֙] עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔יא אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרַ֖י אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֣רְתִּי עָלֶ֑יהָ אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַכָּתוּב֙ בַּסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נִבָּ֥א יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ עַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃

(12) When the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation and the land of the Chaldeans for their sins—declares the LORD—and I will make it a desolation for all time. (13) And I will bring upon that land all that I have decreed against it, all that is recorded in this book—that which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations.