Selected Poems (Engelse vertaling)

xxviii INTRODUCTION

a few lines from the opening of his Piyut on
the Dew—force is more apparent than form:

טל תן לרצות ארצך
שיתנו ?רכה ?דיצך
רוב דגן ותירוש בהפךיצך
קומם עיר בה דו?צך

בטל

Israel Zangwill has thus rendered these lines:

Dew, precious dew, unto Thy land forlorn!
Pour out our blessing in Thy exultation,
To strengthen us with ample wine and corn
And give Thy chosen city safe foundation
In Dew.

Here the thought is impressive, and the Hebraic
conception of the Dew as the reviver of earth
and soul is well developed as the piyut proceeds.
But the Hebrew verses jingle harshly. Is the
fault in the medium? Contrast these lines
with two verses from an early song of Jehudah
Halevi's in praise of Jerusalem:

ןפה נ1ף משוש תבל קךיה למלך ךב

לך נ?ס?ה 3פשי מפאתי מערב

המון רהמי נכמר כי אן ?רה <ןךם

?בוךך אשר ^ה ונוך אשר חרב

Beautiful height! the whole world's gladness!
O great King's city, mountain blest!