Rachel Bluwstein: The Herald (From Hebrew)

The Herald
By Rachel Bluwstein
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

The messenger came in the night
And sat upon my bed:
A fleshless, bone-protruding body
And socket-sunken head.

And then I knew that the old bridge
Had finally given way,
Time's hands were dangling now between
Tomorrow and today.
 
He menaced with a bony fist
And then I heard the blast
Of wicked laughter "Yes, ah yes
This poem is your last."

The Original:

המבשר

רחל המשוררת

בַּלַּיְלָה בָּא הַמְבַשֵּׂר
עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי יָשַׁב,
בָּלְטוּ עַצְמוֹת גֵּווֹ אֵין-שְׁאֵר,
עָמְקוּ חוֹרֵי עֵינָיו.

אֲזַי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי נִשְׁבַּר
הַגֶּשֶׁר הַיָּשָׁן,
שֶׁבֵּין אֶתְמוֹל לְבֵין מָחָר
תָּלוּ יְדֵי הַזְּמָן.

אִיֵּם עָלַי אֶגְרוֹף רָזֶה,
נִשְׁמַע לִי צְחוֹק זָדוֹן:
אָכֵן יְהֵא הַשִּׁיר הַזֶה
שִׁירֵךְ הָאַחֲרוֹן!

Romanization:

Hamevaser

Raḥel Hamešoréret

Baláyla ba hamevaser

ˁal miškavi yašav

Baltu ˁatsmot gevo eyn-šer

ˁamku ḥorey ˁeynav.

Azay yadáˁti ki nišbar

Hagéšer hayašan,

Šebeyn etmol leveyn maḥar

Talu yedey hazman

Iyem ˁalay egrof raze

Nišmaˁ li tsḥok zadon:

Axen yehe hašir haze

Širex ha'aḥaron.