Stars Flicker
By Haim Nachman Bialik
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Stars flicker and go out.
Men in the dark decay.
In my heart and everywhere
See the dark take sway.
Dreams sparkle and fade out.
Hearts flower and decay.
In my heart and everywhere
See the ruins splay.
Everyone prays for the light.
Their lips rot as they pray.
This is a tired old tale
Repeated every which way.
How slow the nights drag! Not even
The broken moon can stay
Without yawning wearily,
Waiting in slumber for day.
The Original:
By Haim Nachman Bialik
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Stars flicker and go out.
Men in the dark decay.
In my heart and everywhere
See the dark take sway.
Dreams sparkle and fade out.
Hearts flower and decay.
In my heart and everywhere
See the ruins splay.
Everyone prays for the light.
Their lips rot as they pray.
This is a tired old tale
Repeated every which way.
How slow the nights drag! Not even
The broken moon can stay
Without yawning wearily,
Waiting in slumber for day.
The Original:
כוכבים מציצים
חיים נחמן ביאליק
כּוֹכָבִים מְצִיצִים וְכָבִים,
וַאֲנָשִׁים בַּחֲשֵׁכָה נְמַקִּים;
הַבִּיטָה בַכֹּל וּבִלְבָבִי –
מַחֲשַׁכִּים, יְדִידִי, מַחֲשַׁכִּים.
וְנוֹצְצִים חֲלֹמוֹת וְנוֹבְלִים,
וּפוֹרְחִים וּרְקֵבִים לְבָבוֹת;
הַבִּיטָה בַכֹּל וּבִלְבָבִי –
חֳרָבוֹת, יְדִידִי, חֳרָבוֹת.
וְהַכֹּל מִתְפַּלְּלִים לְאוֹרָה,
וְנֹבְלוֹת שְׂפָתַיִם בִּתְפִלָּה;
וִיגֵעִים הַדְּבָרִים וַאֲרֻכִּים,
וְהֵם נִשְׁנִים וְחוֹזְרִים חֲלִילָה.
וְהַלֵּילוֹת – הוֹי, כַּמָּה עֲצֵלִים!
אֲפִלּוּ הַלְּבָנָה הַפְּגוּמָה –
גַּם-הִיא מְפַהֶקֶת עֲיֵפָה
וּמְצַפָּה לַיּוֹם מִתּוֹךְ תְּנוּמָה
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