The hosts of radiant seraphs call The sons of mighty men declare All they who glorify His name, Israel, His people, ceaselessly Those shining as a crystal spring The stranger's children evermore Blessed art Thou, O Lord! Blessed art Thou! JOSEPH IBN ABITUR Translation from the Hebrew by Mrs. Henry Lucas 126 WHERE IS GOD? Where is He? Ask His emblem, The glorious, glorious sun, Who glads the round earth with his beams Where is He? Ask the stars that keep Where is He? Ask the secret founts Where is He? Ask the storm of fire That bursts from Etna's womb, And ask the glowing lava-flood That makes the land a tomb. Where is He? Ask the maelstrom's whirl, Where is He? Ask the behemoth, Who drinketh rivers dry; The ocean-king leviathan, Or scarce-seen atom fly. Where is He? Ask the awful calm On mountain tops that rests; Ask the wide-wasting hurricane, The thunder crash, the lightning blaze, Where is He? Ask the crystal isles Or ask from lands of balm and spice, Where on the universe is found ANONYMOUS 127 GOD, WHOM SHALL I COMPARE TO THEE? God! whom shall I compare to Thee, To picture Thee, when everywhere Greater, O Lord, Thy glories are Than all the heavenly chariot far. Whose mind can grasp Thy world's design? Whose word can fitly Thee define? Whose tongue set forth Thy powers divine? Can heart approach, can eye behold Thy world eternal witness bears Before the pillars of the sky Were raised, before the mountains high Were wrought, ere hills and dales were known, Thou in Thy majesty alone Didst sit, O Lord, upon Thy throne! Hearts, seeking Thee, from search refrain, And weary tongues their praise restrain. The sages' minds bewildered grow, Deep, deep beyond all fathoming, Thy righteousness we can discern, Pure souls behold Thee, and no need Thy holiness forever they proclaim: The Lord of Hosts! thrice holy is His name! JEHUDA HALEVI Translation from the Hebrew by Mrs. Henry Lucas |