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Can someone please help me translate the following into English?:

מצןה גךןלה להיןת בשמחה

A friend of mine brought me something from Israel and I am trying to figure out what it means (but I don't speak or read Hebrew!)

Toda raba.

H.

I think that the words are not spelled correctly.  For example the third letter in the first word is a final form nun.  Final forms only go at the end of a word.  This final form is also in the second and third words.  The second word has besides the final nun a final chaf.  

I think that the correct words are מצוה גדולה להיות בשמחה If so it says: The Greatest (Mitzva) Spiritual Law is to be Happy.  The phrase usually includes one more word תמיד so complete it would be מצוה גדולה להיות בשמחה תמיד or The Greatest Mitzva is to be Happy Always.

That is the correct spelling-- my apologies for the misspelling!

Thank you very much!

HT