Religion

On the Sea II

by Judah Halevi c. 1075–1141

Translated by Nina Salaman (1924) · From Selected Poems of Jehudah Halevi (Jewish Publication Society, 1924)

Religion

Hath the flood come again and made the world a waste
So that one cannot see the face of the dry land,
And no man is there and no beast and no bird?
Have they all come to an end and lain down in sorrow?
To see even mountain or marsh would be a rest for me,
And the desert itself would be sweet.
But I look on every side and there is nothing
But only water and sky and ark,
And Leviathan making the abyss to boil,
So that one deemeth the deep to be hoary.
And the heart of the sea concealeth the ship
As though she were a stolen thing in the sea’s hand.
And the sea rageth and my soul exulteth—
For to the sanctuary of her God she draweth near.

✦ ✦ ✦

Salaman no. 10. The Journey to Zion.

MLA

Halevi, Judah. “On the Sea II.” Translated by Nina Salaman. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/judah-halevi/16/.

Chicago

Halevi, Judah. “On the Sea II.” Translated by Nina Salaman. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/judah-halevi/16/.

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