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Rising, falling, as the ocean
Lifts the waves in joy or fear?
From Time's ocean has it risen;
Every age has lent a murmur,
Every cycle built a wail;
Every sorrow ever dwelling

In the tortured heart of man,
Tears and sighs together swelling,
Answer for the pangs of ages.
'Tis the voice of countless pilgrims,
Sons of Jacob, with a cry,

Moaning, sighing, grieving, wailing,
Answering in thousand voices,
Fate and destiny of man;

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Wander-song of homeless traveller, Outcast from the ranks of men; Echoes from the throes of mortals, Questioning the ways of God;

'Tis a saintly aspiration
Of a holy soul in prayer;
'Tis the music hummed by mercy,
Love, forgiveness, in a union,
Sweeping o'er the span of ages,
Flooding earth with one majestic,
Universal hymn of woe,

As if God had willed his children

Weep in but one human strain.

YOM KIPPUR

Who can hear this strange Kol Nidra
Without dropping in the spell?

Lift the visage of the present,
Like the momentary fleeting

Of the evening with the past.

237

*

RABBI JOSEPH LEISER

105

YOM KIPPUR

They of great faith have ceased,
Men girt with spirit-power,
Who, standing in the breach,
Became our shelt'ring tower.

They wrestled through the night,
Whilst we from God had turned;
Lay prostrate in the dust,

As His fierce anger burned.

They changed to mercy-wrath,
And stay'd the chastening rod;
For their sakes we found grace
With an offended God.

Woe, woe! that through our sins
Our helpers we have lost!
They now are at their rest,

Whilst we by tempests tossed.

For those of mighty hearts

We search the earth in vain;

And yet will not despair

God's gracious ear to gain.

Alone we come to Thee

In sorrow and in shame;
With daring hope and trust,
Now Thy forgiveness claim.

O, blest the gracious word,
Th'evangel of this day,
That none who turn to Thee

Are ever cast away.

FROM THE HEBREW OF THE TENTH CENTURY

Translation by Rabbi Gustav Gottheil

106

YOM KIPPUR

To Thee we give ourselves to-day,
Forgetful of the world outside;
We tarry in Thy house, O Lord,
From eventide to eventide.

From Thy all-searching, righteous eye
Our deepest heart can nothing hide;

It crieth up to Thee for peace

From eventide to eventide.

HYMN FOR TABERNACLES

Who could endure, should'st Thou, O God,
As we deserve, forever chide!
We therefore seek Thy pardoning grace
From eventide to eventide.

O may we lay to heart how swift
The years of life do onward glide;
So learn to live that we may see
Thy light at our life's eventide.

239

RABBI GUSTAV GOTTHEIL

107

HYMN FOR TABERNACLES

Thy praise, O Lord, will I proclaim
In hymns unto Thy glorious name.
O Thou Redeemer, Lord and King,
Redemption to Thy faithful bring!
Before Thine altar they rejoice

With branch of palm and myrtle stem;
To Thee they raise the prayerful voice-
Have mercy, save and prosper them.

Mayst Thou, in mercy manifold,
Dear unto Thee Thy people hold;
When at Thy gate they bend the knee,
And worship and acknowledge Thee,
Do Thou their heart's desire fulfil;

Rejoice with them in love this day;
Forgive their sins and thoughts of ill,

And their transgressions cast away.

They overflow with prayer and praise
To Him who knows the future days.
Have mercy, Thou, and hear the prayer
Of those who palms and myrtles bear;
Thee day and night they sanctify,
And in perpetual song adore;
Like to the heavenly hosts they cry:
66 Blessed art Thou forevermore."

ELEAZAR BEN JACOB KALIR Translation from the Hebrew by Mrs. Henry Lucas

108

HARVEST HYMN

Lord of the harvest! Thee we hail;
Thine ancient promise doth not fail;

The varying seasons haste their round;
With goodness all our years are crowned;
Our thanks we pay,

This holy day;

Oh, let our hearts in tune be found.

If Spring doth wake the song of mirth;
If Summer warms the fruitful earth;
When Winter sweeps the naked plain,
Or Autumn yields its ripened grain,
Still do we sing

To Thee, our King;

Through all the changes Thou dost reign.

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