Israel Founding

The first line of the Israeli National Anthem, Hatikva, "Our hope is not yet lost" ("עוד לא אבדה תקוותנו"), may be a Biblical reference to Ezekiel's "Vision of the Dried Bones" (Ezekiel 37: "...Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost"), describing the despair of the Jewish people in exile, and G-d's promise to redeem them and lead them back to the Land of Israel.

Audio

The text of the Hatikva corresponds to the first stanza and amended refrain of the original nine-stanza poem by Naftali Herz Imber. Along with the original Hebrew, the corresponding transliteration and English translation are listed below.