Part 10 (1/2)
”Mighty Lord, whose sovereign pleasure Made all worlds and men of dust, I, Thy humble handmaid, measure, G.o.d, the dwellings of the just.
”Speechless here the ground they c.u.mber, Where the pious, gracious G.o.d, Where Thy heart's beloved slumber Underneath the quiet sod.
”They who sing in jubilation, Lord, before Thy holy seat, Each one from his habitation, Through the dream for ever sweet.
”From the yarn with which I measure, Pessyeh-Tsvaitel, filled with awe, Wicks will make, to search the treasure, Nightly, of Thy holy Law.
Praying still, by faith sustained: 'Thou with whom the holy dwell, Scorn not Jacob's prayer unfeigned, Mark the tears of Israel!'”
The First Bath of Ablution
The wind is keen, the frost is dread, Toward the icy water, By aunt and mother forth is led The fisher's lovely daughter.
”Dive in, dive in, my child, with haste!
There's naught whereon to ponder, The time, dear heart, we must not waste: The sun has set out yonder.
”G.o.d's mercy, child, is great and sure: Fear not but He will show it!
Leap in,--leap out! and you are pure,-- 'Tis over ere you know it!”
The frost and cold with cruel knife The tender form a.s.sail.
Ah, would you be a Jewish wife, You must not weep and quail!
And in--and out,--she leaps. Once more!
Poor girl, it has not served you.
No purer are you than before: A Gentile has observed you!
And into th' icy flood again, In terror wild she leaps!
The white limbs shudder... all in vain!
The Christian still he peeps.
The frost and cold, they burn and bite, The women rub their fingers, The lovely child grows white and white, As on the bank she lingers.