The Messenger
By Rachel Bluwstein
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Hebrew
The messenger came in the night
And sat upon my bed:
A fleshless, bone-protruding body
And socket-sunken head.
And then I knew the ancient bridge
Had finally given way,
That time had drooped its hands between
Tomorrow and today.
He menaced with a scrawny fist,
He laughed with cruel delight
"Oh yes indeed, this poem is
The last you'll ever write."
The Original:
By Rachel Bluwstein
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Hebrew
The messenger came in the night
And sat upon my bed:
A fleshless, bone-protruding body
And socket-sunken head.
And then I knew the ancient bridge
Had finally given way,
That time had drooped its hands between
Tomorrow and today.
He menaced with a scrawny fist,
He laughed with cruel delight
"Oh yes indeed, this poem is
The last you'll ever write."
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!
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 yadey hazman
Iyem ˁalay egrof raze
Nišmaˁ li tsḥok zadon:
Axen yehe hašir haze
Širex ha'aḥaron.
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