Another "misplaced comma" special :)

As the holder of a B.A. in French who spent the last 18 years of her career editing 200+-page documents, I have something of an ear for language--and my "language ear" often conflicts with my musical ear.  You're welcome to do a search on this blog for "comma" to read other posts in this "series" and get an idea of what hurts my ear a bit.

Here's a gem that I just spotted on YouTube last spring.  These are the words:

Yi'h'yu l'ratzon imrei fi v'hegyon libi l'fanecha HaShem, tzuri v'goali.

Here's a translation:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You HaShem, my rock and my redeemer.

It might help if I posted a more literal translation:

May they be acceptable, the words of my heart and the meditation of my heart, before You Hashem, my rock and my redeemer.

Here's the way the baritone soloist sings it:

Yi'h'yu l'ratzon
imrei fi v'hegyon
libi l'fanecha
HaShem, tzuri v'goali.


May they be acceptable,
the words of my heart and the meditation of
my heart, before You
Hashem, my rock and my redeemer.

Yes, "l'ratzon" and "v'hegyon" rhyme, but it still sounds a bit weird, doesn't it?

Until you listen to the music--hear here.

Sounds nice, doesn't it?

It's another case of "composer's license"--the music wins every time.  :)


Here's the granddaddy of the "comma" series, my first post on this subject.