On Tisha B’av at night, the spies returned
With a critical report about the land
They said it couldn’t be conquered
They denied Hashem’s strong hand
The Holy One, Blessed is He
Saw our weeping in vain
And established this day forever
As a time of weeping and pain
On this night, we weep and wail
For both Temples that were destroyed
We were exiled from our Father’s house
By a consuming fire we could not avoid
That Bnei Yisrael would die in the Midbar
It was decreed this day
A massacre happened at Beitar
And Jerusalem was razed, empty it lay
For many troubles this day was destined
So Hashem had designated
On this day, the jews of Spain were exiled
For the jews in Warsaw, deportation waited
We lament over King Yoashiyahu
Who tried to destroy idols of every kind
But they concealed their idols, behind their doors
His efforts to purify Israel were undermined
When Pharaoh asked to march his troops
Through Yoashiyahu’s land
Yirmiyahu said let him, he didn’t listen
Against Pharaoh’s army he took a stand
The archers shot at Yoashiyahu
And sent 300 arrows into him
His last words were, Hashem is righteous
Israel’s hopes for the future grew dim
We mourn because of a wicked man’s evil plans
Against G-d, he stretched out his hand
Titus entered the Holy of Holies, he slashed the curtain
Blood began to flow, at Hashem’s command
Hashem’s presence had departed in anger
Unlike Aaron’s sons, Titus was unharmed
He emptied the Temple of its contents
The Elders were alarmed
He took 400 children, and sent them away
In three ships, daughter and son
They united in a solemn pact
To cast themselves into the sea as one
We cry over the deaths of 10 martyrs
Giants of Torah, Mishnah and Gemara
For these we weep, our eyes overflow
The Harugei Malchus Asara
Each asked to be executed first
Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel and Rabbi Yishmael Cohen Gadol
Rabbi Shimon cried, when he heard the decree
For the sale of Joseph it was decreed, by heavenly tribunal
Rabbi Yishmael placed Rabbi Shimon’s head on his lap
And lamented “ Oh Pure Menorah”
He placed his mouth upon his mouth in love
And cried “ O mouth that strengthened itself in Torah”
They stripped the skin off of Rabbi Yishmael’s head
When the place of the tefillin they did reach
The earth trembled, and the whole world quaked
From the sound of Rabbi Yishmael’s shriek
After him they brought Rabbi Akiva
Who expounded Torah, unequal to anyone
They combed his flesh with an iron comb
His soul departed saying “Hashem is One”
At 70 they killed Rabbi Yehuda Ben Bava
To continue the chain of semicha, he did aspire
Next Rabbi Chanina Ben Teradyon, who sat and learned Torah
They surrounded him with branches, and set him on fire
Rabbi Yeshavav observed every detail of the Torah
They flung him to the dogs, and sent him to his death
Then they killed Rabbi Chutzpis, who taught with such fire
A bird flying above was burnt by his breath
Last came Rabbi Elazar Ben Shamua
It was Erev Shabbos, the words of Kiddush he stated
They unsheathed a sword and stabbed him
His soul departed with the words “when G-d created”
Hashem seek revenge for all the spilled blood
Avenge Your Torah, which our enemies have burned
Bring our days of mourning to an end
Bring us Moshiach, for whom we’ve so long yearned
Remember Hashem what has befallen us
Look and see our disgrace
Because we pursued purposeless hatred
We are without a home without a place
Har Zion lies desolate
The Bais Hamikdash is no more
Bring us back Hashem
As in days before