Selected Poems (Engelse vertaling)

106 JEHUDAH HALEVI

72

NOW COMETH THE LIGHT

P3. 76,5. Together in Thy light, O God resplendent,
Ps. 36,10. Do we see lightI

isa. 9.1. The people that walked in darkness—

Their hope¹ how long deferred!—
Gen. 49,17,19. While biting sin still troopeth at their heel,
isa. 18,4. Upon them, like clear heat in sunshine,
job 38.19. Shall dwell the light.

With veil on the uncovered head,
With glory in place of rent apparel,
Ps. 97,11. Wilt Thou clothe them; the light, once sown,
make manifest
Again, as Thou hast said: "Let there be light,
Gen. 1,3. And there was light. "

Thy banner, over them whose knees stumble,
Upraise, and clear the way before them
Maiachi 3.1. By an Angel; and Thou wilt bless

The seed of the upright, what time Thou
makest light²job 24,13. Of them that rebel against the light.

¹  I have followed S. D. Luzzatto and Brody in their
pointing of iTJto "his hope", although ש^רו is also possible
in the sense of long drawn out calamity.

^2 1 This is an attempt to reproduce the play on words
continually taking place in the Hebrew rhymes.