Hatikvah - a liberal translation
                    by Josh Mitteldorf


We were rent asunder  / many years ago
War, famine, plunder / laid our people low.

Exile is our history / slavery is our lore;
Shrouded in mystery, our / legacy of yore.

From these roots must never grow again
Bitter fruits, expressions of our pain.

Now in our freedom / comfort and prosperity
Pledge our response to / liberation's call.

Counter oppression / bias, greed and tyranny.
J'rusalem's gate means / hope to one and all.

           
Copyleft notice: Permission is granted to anyone,
for any non-commercial purpose, to copy and distribute
the above text freely, unaltered and with attribution intact.