Shinar, Pathros-can they in majesty
With thee compare? Or their idolatry
With thy Urim and thy Thummim august?
Who can surpass thy priests, thy saintly just,
Thy prophets bold,

And bards of old?

The heathen kingdoms change and wholly cease-
Thy might alone stands firm without decrease,
Thy Nazarites from age to age abide,

Thy God in thee desireth to reside.

Then happy he who maketh choice of thee
To dwell within thy courts, and waits to see,
And toils to make,

Thy light awake.

On him shall as the morning break thy light,
The bliss of thy elect shall glad his sight,
In thy felicities shall he rejoice,

In triumph sweet exult, with jubilant voice,
O'er thee, adored,

To youth restored.

JUDAH HA-LEVI.

(Translated by Nina Davis.)

In Memoriam, Ninth of Ab

ND all is lost! Thy valiant sons are dead

ANP

Or slaves! The crown from off thy queenly brow

Is plucked! Thy glory in the dust doth bow! Thine ancient splendours are for ever fled!

I see it all-thine altars gory red:

Around, Death lays the mighty heroes low,
Awhile, revengeful and relentless glow
The fiendish flames, and from the foot to head
Consume the Sanctuary! O woeful day!
When Temple, Country, Freedom, all in one,

Most dire destruction, fell! Then to the skies
Uprose the bitter cry of dark dismay,
Oh, God, Almighty Lord, forgive, condone,
And in Thy glory, make our glory rise!

BEN AVROM.

A Thought for the Ninth of Ab: SWINGING low by a garden wall

A flower bent its head, Only a few its beauty knew,

And the fragrance sweet it shed.

But a wind blew rough on the blossom rare,
And its seeds were scattered wide,

Now one finds its bloom, where'er there's room
On the great green countryside!

So stood the shrine on Zion's hill,
For Truth's Temple fair,

'But all too few its beauty knew

Men knew not Truth dwelt there.

But came the foe like shattering storm,
And Temple walls laid low,
'Neath weeping skies the ruin lies
'Mid wails of mortal woe.

But like windblown blossom then
The precious seeds were blown,
And Truth spread wide on every side
Where'er the seeds were sown!

HADASSAH.

V

LITURGICAL

Hymn of Unity

WHO shall narrate Thy wonders wrought of old?

The utterance of the lips Thou didst create,

But all Thy majesty and power untold,
Who shall narrate?

Thy ways on earth in song we celebrate,
Though none may Thy similitude behold,

Yet know we by Thy works that Thou art great.

Thousands of angels, by Thy word controll'd
To do thy bidding, Thy commands await:
Yet of them all, Thy wonders manifold

Who shall narrate?

SAMUEL BEN KALONYMUS. (Translated by Alice Lucas.)

The Hymn of Glory

I

SWEET hymns shall be my chant and woven songs, For Thou art all for which my spirit longs

To be within the shadow of Thy hand
And all Thy mystery to understand.

The while Thy glory is upon my tongue,
My inmost heart what love of Thee is wrung.

So though Thy mighty marvels I proclaim,
'Tis songs of love wherewith I greet Thy name.

II

I have not seen Thee, yet I tell Thy praise,
Nor known Thee, yet I image forth Thy ways.