Week 12 (Book 7): The Raven Is Saying

The Raven is saying, 

Who prepares food for the raven, 

When his young ones cry out to G-d?
[So] the Lord guided them alone, 

And there was no alien deity with Him.

And He fixed darkness about Him as Sukkot

Gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Who is like You among the powerful, O Lord? 

Who is like You, exalted in the holy place? 

My soul thirsts for G-d, for the living G-d; 

When will I come and appear before G-d?

On my bed at night, I sought him whom my soul loves 
I sought him but I did not find him.

And it came to pass, as she prayed long before the Lord, 

That Eli watched her mouth.

I will seek him whom my soul loves 

I sought him, but I did not find him.

 

Liken yourself, my beloved, 

To a gazelle or to a fawn of the hinds, on distant mountains.

That offered themselves willingly among the people, 

(Saying,) 'Bless the Lord,' the riders of white donkeys,

As a hart cries longingly for rivulets of water, 

So does my soul cry longingly to You, O G-d.

My tears were my bread day and night 

When they say to me all day long, "Where is your G-d?"

I will arise now and go about the city, 

In the market places and in the city squares. 

The north and the south-You created them; 

Tabor and Hermon sing of Your Name. 

Until the sun spreads, and the shadows flee, 

Go around; 

For the conductor, 

A maskil of the sons of Korah. 

Week 13 (Book 7): The Starling is Singing

 The Starling is Saying, 

He made them ride upon the high places of the earth, 

That they would eat the produce of the field. 

Their seed shall be known among the nations, 

And their offspring among the peoples; 

He let them suck honey from a rock, 

And oil from the mighty part of the crag. 

All who see them shall acknowledge them, 

That they are the seed that G-d has blessed.

Those that sit in judgment, 

And those that walk on the path, tell of it. 

Too awesome for praises, 

Performing wonders! 

Instead of the noise of adversaries, 

Between the places of drawing water,

You inclined Your right hand; 

The earth swallowed them up.

The watchmen who patrol the city found me: 

Have you seen him whom my soul loves?

Only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; 

Therefore, Eli thought she had been drunk.

Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; 

Why are you downcast, my soul, and why do you wail within me? 

Hope to G-d, for I will yet thank Him for the deliverances of His countenance. 

From the brightness before Him flamed forth coals of fire. 

I had just passed them by, 

When I found him whom my soul loves; 

These do I recall, and pour out my soul from within me: 

How I traveled [to Jerusalem] in covered wagons; I

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, 

By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, 

Yours is the arm which has the might; 

Strengthen Your hand, raise high Your right hand.

 held him and would not let him go, until I brought him into my mother's house 

And into the chamber of her who had conceived me.

I would walk leisurely with them up to the House of G-d, 

Amid the sound of rejoicing and thanksgiving, the celebrating multitude. 

My G-d! My soul is downcast upon me, 

Because I remember You from the land of Jordan 

And Hermon's peaks, from Mount Mitzar.

That you neither awaken 

Nor arouse the love while it is desirous.

Week 14 (Book 7): The Domestic Goose is Saying

The Domestic Goose is Saying, 

Give thanks to G-d and call upon His name, 

Make His works known amongst the peoples,

By day the Lord ordains His kindness, 

And at night His song is with me. 

Sing to Him, make music to Him, speak of all His wonders! 

A prayer to the G-d of my life. 

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; 

Kindness and truth go before Your countenance. 

Deep calls to deep at the roar of Your channels 

All Your breakers and waves have swept over me. 

Behold the litter of Solomon; sixty mighty men are around it, of the mighty men of Israel.

They all hold the sword, skilled in warfare; each with a sword on his thigh due to fear at night.

The Lord thundered from heaven; 

And the Most High gave forth His voice. 

I say to G-d, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? 

Why must I walk in gloom under the oppression of the enemy?”

And it would drink the blood of grapes as the finest wine. 

And Eli said to her: Until when will you be drunk? 

Throw off your wine from upon yourself.

Of all the powder of the peddler

Who is this coming up from the desert, 

Like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, 

The cream of cattle and the milk of sheep, 

With the fat of lambs and rams of Bashan and he goats, with kidneys of wheat

 

Week 18: The Grasshopper is Saying (Book 7)

 The Grasshopper is saying 

I lift my eyes up to the mountains, 

Where shall my help come from?

For our protectors turn to the Lord, 

And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

You shall look from the peak of Amanah, 

From the peak of Senir and Hermon, 

From the lions' dens, from mountains of leopards.

[Because of] his might, I wait for You, for G-d is my stronghold. 

The G-d of my kindness will anticipate my [need]; 

G-d will show me [the downfall] of my watchful foes. 

With the arm of Your greatness may they become as still as a stone, 

Until Your people cross over, O Lord,

He delivered me from my mighty enemy; 

From them that hated me; for they were too powerful for me. 

But You, Lord, You laugh at them; 

You mock all nations. 

You forgot the [Mighty] Rock Who bore you; 

You forgot the G-d Who delivered you. 

Out of Ephraim, whose root was against Amalek; 

After you (will be) Benjamin with your abaters;

You have captivated my heart, my sister, [my] bride; 

You have captivated my heart with one of your eyes, 

With one link of your necklaces.

And she said: May your bondswoman find favor in your eyes; 

You are all fair, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you.

With me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon shall you come; 

And the woman went on her way and ate, 

And her face was not (sad) anymore.  

Week 19: The Locust is Saying (Book 7)

The Locust is saying, 

At the sight of their accursed state and deterioration, [people] will recount. 

Consume them in wrath, consume them and they will be no more; 

And the Lord saw this and became angry, 

Provoked by His sons and daughters. 

Do not kill them, lest my nation forget; 

Drive them about with Your might and impoverish them, 

Until this nation that You have acquired crosses over. 

You shall bring them and plant them on the mount of Your heritage,

And they will know that G-d rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth, Selah. 

And they arose early in the morning, and prostrated themselves before the Lord: 

And they returned and came to their house, to Ramah, 

I will praise Your Name; for You have done wondrous things; 

They confronted me on the day of my calamity;  

But the Lord was a support to me.

O our Shield, my Master, [for] the sin of their mouth, 

The word of their lips;  let them be trapped by their arrogance. 

Out of Machir came down officers, 

And out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the scribe.

And Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife, and the Lord remembered her.    

Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Then You spoke in a vision to Your pious ones and said: 

How fair is your love, my sister, [my] bride; 

How much better is your love than wine, 

and the fragrance of your oils than all spices! 

I have granted aid to [David] the mighty one; 

Your lips drip flowing honey, O bride; 

Honey and milk are under your tongue, 

O G-d, You are my Lord; I will exalt You, 

I have exalted the one chosen from among the people.

And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. 

A locked up garden is my sister, [my] bride; 

A locked up spring, a sealed fountain.