Friday, June 10, 2016

Poetry Month, Day 10, Psalm 23 (English and Hebrew)

I learned this morning that my grandfather has died. It's sad, because he was my grandfather, and I liked him. At the same time, he was old, and suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's - I'm not really sure, but he was losing his memory, and wasn't able to do the things he loved, like gardening. Also, I haven't seen him in a long time - he lived in England, and so I haven't seen him in almost 20 years. Also too, as a Universalist Christian, I believe he is in Heaven, and I'll see him again at some point in the future. Or I'm wrong about an afterlife, and I won't. Anyway, here's a poem for loss - one of my favorite psalms, in Hebrew and English. I don't read Hebrew, but I find the script delightful. Also, I'm not usually a King James Version person, but this feels right in that translation:

Psalms Chapter 23 תְּהִלִּים

א  מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד:    יְהוָה רֹעִי, לֹא אֶחְסָר.1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
ב  בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא, יַרְבִּיצֵנִי;    עַל-מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
ג  נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב;    יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי-צֶדֶק, לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ.3 He restoreth my soul; He guideth me in straight paths for His name's sake.
ד  גַּם כִּי-אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת, לֹא-אִירָא רָע--    כִּי-אַתָּה עִמָּדִי;
שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ,    הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; {N}
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
ה  תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי, שֻׁלְחָן--    נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי;
דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי,    כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; {N}
Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
ו  אַךְ, טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי--    כָּל-יְמֵי חַיָּי;
וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית-יְהוָה,    לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; {N}
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. {P}


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