Selected Poems (Engelse vertaling)

67 JEHUDAH HALEVI

Consider the glory of a precious stone—
How it is red and how it is white;
And marvel to behold upon one stone
Zech. 3,9. Seven facets.

Num. 11,7.

Turn for me into honey the gall of adders:
For every man marrieth for substance,
But I give my heart to thee
i Sam. 1,5. A double portion.

Cheek of lilies, and mine eyes gathering;
Breasts of pomegranates, and mine hands

harvesting;
If thy lips be glowing coals
Then let my jaws be tongs!

Thy two locks of hair are like an ambush
For the wolves.of evening;
The light of thy cheek mingleth with them
Like morning light amid the shadows.

A graceful doe, like gold of Ophir,
With her light she shameth the light of day;
Ex. 24,10. Like the moon, like paved work of sapphire,
As it were the very heaven.