Adon Olam - A Prayer of Jewish Faith
Read this prayer below, or listen to this youtube audio. Courtesy of: Beit Hallel Congregation in Roswell, GA.
Adon Olam means "Master of the Universe." This beautiful poem from the middle ages is a prayer that can be seen as a summary of much of the Jewish faith.
At Roeh Israel, we sing this prayer as a congregation right after the Ma Tovu Prayer.
Transliteration of Adon Olam:
Adon olam asher malach,
beterem kol yetzir nivra.
Le’et na’asah vechef’tzo kol,
azai melech shemo nikra.
Ve’acharei kich’lot hakol,
levado yimloch nora.
Ve’hu hayah, ve’hu hoveh,
ve’hu yihyeh betif’arah.
Ve’hu echad ve’ein sheni,
lehamshil lo lehachbirah.
Bli reisheet, bli tachlit,
velo ha’oz vehamisrah.
Ve’hu Eli vechai go’ali,
v’tzur chevli be’et tzarah.
Ve’hu nisi u’manos li,
menat kosi beyom ekra.
Beyado afkid ruchi,
be’et ishan ve’a’irah.
Ve’im ruchi geviyati,
Adonai li velo ira.
Adon Olam Prayer in Hebrew:
אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ
בְּטֶרֶם כָּל יְצִיר נִבְרָא
לְעֵת נַעֲשָׂה בְּחֶפְצוֹ כֹּל
אֲזַי מֶלֶךְ שְׁמוֹ נִקְרָא
וְאַחֲרֵי כִּכְלוֹת הַכֹּל
לְבַדּוֹ יִמְלךְ נוֹרָא
וְהוּא הָיָה. וְהוּא הוֶה
וְהוּא יִהְיֶה בְּתִפְאָרָה
וְהוּא אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי
לְהַמְשִׁיל לוֹ לְהַחְבִּירָה
בְּלִי רֵאשִׁית בְּלִי תַכְלִית
וְלוֹ הָעֹז וְהַמִּשְׂרָה
וְהוּא אֵלִי וְחַי גּוֹאֲלִי
וְצוּר חֶבְלִי בְּעֵת צָרָה
וְהוּא נִסִּי וּמָנוֹס לִי
מְנָת כּוֹסִי בְּיוֹם אֶקְרָא
בְּיָדוֹ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי
בְּעֵת אִישָׁן וְאָעִירָה
וְעִם רוּחִי גְּוִיָּתִי
ה' לִי וְלֹא אִירָא
Translation of Adon Olam:
Master of the Universe
who reigned before any form was created,
at the time when all was made by His will,
then was His name proclaimed King.
And after all things cease to be,
He alone, in awe, will reign.
He was, He is, and He shall be
in glory everlasting.
He is One, there is no other,
alone, unique, beyond compare.
Without beginning and without end—
His is the power and the rule.
He is my God, my Redeemer lives,
my Rock in times of trouble.
He is my banner, my refuge,
my portion when I call upon Him.
Into His hand I entrust my spirit,
when I sleep and when I wake.
And with my soul, my body too—
the Lord is with me, I shall not fear.
Adon Olam Prayer Printout
Click on the link to download a printable PDF of the prayer: Adon Olam
