Religion
Beautiful of Elevation
Translated by Nina Salaman (1924) · From Selected Poems of Jehudah Halevi (Jewish Publication Society, 1924)
Beautiful of elevation! Joy of the world!
City of the Great King!
For thee my soul is longing from limits of the west.
The tumult of my tenderness is stirred when I remember
Thy glory of old that is departed—thine habitation which is desolate. that I might fly on eagles' wings,
That I might water thy dust with my tears until they mingle together.
I have sought thee, even though thy King be not in thee and though, in place
Of thy Gilead's balm, are now the fiery serpent and the scorpion.
Shall I not be tender to thy stones and kiss them,
And the taste of thy soil be sweeter than honey unto me?
Codex Note
Salaman no. 8. The Journey to Zion.
Cite this poem
MLA
Halevi, Judah. “Beautiful of Elevation.” Translated by Nina Salaman. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/judah-halevi/14/.
Chicago
Halevi, Judah. “Beautiful of Elevation.” Translated by Nina Salaman. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/judah-halevi/14/.
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