Amir Gilboa: Isaac (From Modern Hebrew)

Isaac
By Amir Gilboa
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

In early morning, the sun strolled out in the forest
Together with me and father,
My right hand in his left.

A knife like lightning flamed out through the wood,
And I was so scared of my eyes' terror, facing the blood on the leaves.

Father! Father! Come quick and save Isaac
And nobody will be missing at lunchtime.

It is I who am slaughtered, my son
And my blood is already all over the leaves.
And father's voice was stifled
And his face pale.

And I wanted to scream, writhing not to believe,
As I ripped my eyes open.
And I awoke.

And my right hand had run right out of blood.


Audio recording of me reading the original Hebrew:


The Original:


יצחק
אמיר גלבע

לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר טִיְּלָה שֶמֶש בְּתוֹך הַיַעַר
יַחַד עִמִּי וְעִם אַבָּא
וִימִינִי בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ.

כְּבָרָק לָהֲבָה מַאֲכֶלֶת בֵּין הָעֵצִים.
וַאֲנִי יָרֵא כָּל-כָּך אֶת פַּחַד עֵינַי מוּל דָּם עַל הֶעָלִים.
אַבָּא אַבָּא מַהֵר וְהַצִּילָה אֶת יִצְחָק
וְלֹא יֶחְסַר אִיש בִּסְעֻדַּת הַצָּהֳרַיִם.

זֶה אֲנִי הנִּשְׁחָט, בְּנִי,
וּכְבָר דָּמִי עַל הֶעָלִים.
וְאַבָּא נִסְתַּם קוֹלוֹ.
וּפָנָיו חִוְרִים.

וְרָצִיתִי לִצְעֹק, מְפַרְפֵּר לֹא לְהַאֲמִין
וְקוֹרֵעַ הָעֵינַיִם.
וְנִתְעוֹרַרְתִּי.

וְאָזְלַת-דָּם הָיְתָה יַד יָמִין

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