Selected Poems (Engelse vertaling)

60 JEHUDAH HALEVI

33

TO THE BRIDEGROOM

(For rhymed version see page 159)

Rejoice, O young man in thy youth,
And gather the fruit of thy joy,
Thou and the wife of thy youth
Who cometh to thine house.

Precious blessings of the only God
Shall come upon thine head together,
And thine house shall be at peace from dread,
And all who rise against thee shall be cut off.
And when thou liest down thou shalt not be
afraid;

Thou shalt lay thee down and thy sleep
be sweet.

In thine honour, my bridegroom, ride on and
prosper,

Raise up and put forth thy beauty;
And the heart of thine enemies God shall
pierce,

And the sins of thy youth He will forgive,
And will bless thee in all the doings
Of thine hand and in all thine increase.

And remember thy Rock and thy Creator
When the good cometh which He shall bring
thee,