Songs of Exile/The Prophet Jeremiah and the Personification of Israel
THE PROPHET
JEREMIAH
AND THE
PERSONIFICATION OF ISRAEL
This poem is attributed to Elasar ben Kalir.
Stanza 1, line 1, "Tirzah," Song of Songs vi, 4; line 5, "Hilkiah's son," Jeremiah.
Stanza 2, line 2, Isaiah xxx, 15; line 8, Isaiah xix, 24; line 9, Psalm cxxii, 4; line 10, the six hundred thousand redeemed from Egypt.
Stanza 3, line 5, Jeremiah xxxi, 21.
Stanza 4, line 12, Lamentations i, 1.
The Prophet Jeremiah and the Personification of Israel
By Kalir
FULL in her glory, she as Tirzah fair
Hath sinned and fallen; lo! the angels weep
There at the threshold of her sanctuary.
Forth from the Temple, over Zion's mount
Wandered Hilkiah's son, and chanced to meet
A woman, beauteous, but with grief distraught.
"Appalled I ask, in name of God and man!
Art thou dread phantom? Art thou human form?
For while thy beauty mouldeth woman fair,
Awe shadoweth spirit from the vast unknown!"
"I am no phantom nor vile clay of earth;
I shall be known when I return in rest.
Lo! of the one am I! of three am |!
Lo! of six hundred thousand, and of twelve!
Yea, and behold me of the seventy-one!
O Prophet! know: the 'one' is Abraham;
'Three' be the fathers; verily in me
Behold the third, God's messenger of peace;
The 'twelve' I show thee be the tribes of God,
Six hundred thousand of redeemèd men;
And their Sanhedrin wrought of seventy-one."
"List to my counsel: O return! repent!
Since thou art thus endowed, so proud in state,
'Tis fitting that thou shouldst exultant rise,
To glory in the good awaiting thee;
'Backsliding Daughter!' cast that brand of shame!"
"Can I rejoice, or lift my voice in song?
Behold my children given to the foe!
My prophets martyred, yea, their life-blood spilt!
My kings, my princes, and my holy priests
Borne into distant exile, fetter-bound.
Far from mine House the Sacred Presence fled,
Shunning the place of mine iniquity;
Yea, thence did my Belovèd flee away,
And left the beauty of my tent to wane
And set in darkness nevermore to rise.
How doth the city, once with heroes thronged,
Great 'mid the nations, now sit solitary!"
Pausing, she glided to the Prophet's side,
And with imploring utterance whispering spake:
"Plead to thy God for this my bitter wound;
Beseech Him for the tempest-stricken soul;
Until He softened say: 'It is enough!'
And save my sons from exile and the sword."
With suppliant's plea he prayed before his Lord:
"O God of mercy! let compassion flow,
E'en as a father pitieth his son;"
And cried: "Doth not a father mourn his child
Carried away to harsh captivity?
And woe unto the son in exile chained,
When at his father's board his place is void!"
"Prophet! arise, depart!" the vision bade:
"Call now the sleeping fathers from their rest;
And Moses, yea, and Aaron shall arise;
O let the shepherds peal to Heaven a wail,
For lo! the wolves of night have torn the lamb!"
The Prophet's voice with mighty yearning swelled,
And shook with heaving sobs Machpelah's cave:
"O glorious sires! lift up your voice and weep:
Your sons have erred; behold them captives bound!
If they, weak mortals, have transgressed the bond,
Where, fathers! doth your merit slumber now,
That sanctified of old the covenant?"
"What crave ye, sons, from Me? The doom is fixed.
This is My judgment; this is My decree.
The shrine is desolate, bereft of men;
None cometh in upon the solemn day;
Behold, the steps of My belovèd fail."—
"But Thou wilt yet restore them as of old,
O Thou Sustainer! Thou that givest strength!
And pity Zion; for the time is come."