But supplications do Thy people speak,
Seeking forgiveness with a bitter heart;
Behold them standing at the siege apart,
Watching, entreating Thee whose face they seek,
Hoping Thou wilt give respite for their debt
At even-saying "I shall appease him yet
With evening sacrifice."

Jerusalem Thy city build again,

And all her cities strengthen round about,
And her oppressed prisoners bring out
To freedom, loosened from the binding chain,
Sweet be their offering as in days of yore,
And Thou wilt turn, Thou wilt accept once more
Their evening sacrifice.

All Israel's outcasts, Judah's scattered ones
Shall yet again be gathered to Thine hand,
And fed as by a shepherd in good land;

And God shall sit refining Israel's sons

Like gold until their cleansing shall be wrought
And they shall be to Him as though they brought
An evening sacrifice.

MORDECAI BEN SHABBETHAI.

(Translated by Nina Davis.)

Since We Be Standing

SINCE we be standing even yet, to be

As ministers before Thee in Thy Name, And spread our hands out, having naught for Thee Of that oblation wherewith once we cameHear now, O Lord, Thy people's voice and hold Their crying for their sacrifice of old.

That He maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as every day shall

require.

All those who watched Thy doors have passed away,
Who guarded for Thy treasury its due;
There is no off'ring and no gift this day,

And still can justice pierce a mountain through,
Yet so shall Jacob's sin be purged at last,
And his atonement made in this his fast.
See, for the coin for off'ring faileth now,
The silver of the ransom for my soul;
But wherefore, O my soul, art stricken low?
Nay, bless the Lord and verily extol.
For He will soon repent Him for His own
Judging His people from the eternal throne.
A day of pardon is appointed us

To make repentance for our souls therein;
Yea, though. Thine altar still be empty thus,
Our soul's affliction pleadeth for our sin.
Of old our fathers trusted in Thy Name,
They trusted, and from Thee redemption came.
Because the hand was once sent forth to lay
Their dwelling-places low, their cities fair,
No off'ring hath been brought Thee since the day
The sanctuary was wasted and laid bare.

Yet vengeance on His foemen He will take,
And make atonement for His people's sake.

For incense brought to Thee, which is no more,
Mine orison shall drop as fragrant spice;
The prayer of the afflicted, burdened sore,
Shall be a handful sweet for sacrifice;
So that he may not perish in the pit,
Nor want for bread nor go forth lacking.

Keep Thou the portal of my lips, accept

Their gift as that brought once in priestly hand; Let those who call on stocks or trees be swept

From where my fathers prayed on hallowed land.

Yet, let the Lord to jealousy be moved
For His own land, and pity those He loved.

Since we be standing even yet, to be

As ministers before Thee in Thy Name, And spread our hands out, having naught for Thee Of that oblation wherewith once we came

Hear now, O Lord, Thy people's voice, and hold Their crying for their sacrifice of old.

That He maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as every day shall

I

require.

EPHRAIM BEN ISAAC.

(Translated by Nina Davis.)

I Am the Suppliant

AM the suppliant for my people here,, Yea, for the House of Israel, I am he; I seek my God's benign and heedful ear, For words that rise from me.

Amid the walls of hearts that stand around,

My bitter sighs surge up to mount the sky;
Ah! how my heart doth part with ceaseless bound
For God, my Rock on high.

With mighty works and wondrous He hath wrought,
Lord of my strength, my God. When me He bade
To make a sanctuary for Him, I sought,

I labored, and 'twas made.

The Lord my God, He hath fulfilled His word-
He ruleth as an all-consuming fire

I came with sacrifice, my prayer He heard,
He granted my desire.

My sprinkling He accepted at the dawn

Of this, the holiest day, the chosen one, When with the daily offering of the morn The High Priest had begun.

And when the services thereafter came
In glorious order, each a sacred rite,
I, bending low, and calling on the Name,
Confessed before His sight.

The holy Priests, the ardent, for their sin

Upon this day made their atonement then, With blood of bullocks and of goats, within The city full of men.

The Priest with glowing censer seemed as one
Preparing for the pure a way by fire.

I brought two rams and entered as a son
That cometh to his sire.

The bathings and ablutions, as 'twas meet,
Were all performed according to their way;
Then passed before the throne of God complete
The service of the day.

And when sweet strains of praise to glorify
Burst forth in psalmody and songs of love,
Yea, when I heard the voice uplifted high,
I raised mine hand above.

The rising clouds of incense mantled o'er
The mercy-seat within its sacred space:
Then glory filled me and my soul would soar
To yon exalted place.

Of ancient times I dream, of vanished days;
Now wild disquiet rageth unrestrained;

Scorned and reproached by all from godly ways.
Have I, alas, refrained.

Afar mine eyes have strayed and I have erred,
Even the hearing of mine ears I quelled;
And righteous is the Lord, for at His word
I sorely have rebelled.

Perverseness have I loved, and wrongful thought,
And hating good, strove righteousness to shun,
And in mine actions foolishness have wrought;
Great evil have I done.

Pardon I pray Thee, our iniquity,

O God, from Thine high dwelling, and behold
The souls that in affliction weep to Thee—
For lo! I have grown old.

Work for me, I beseech Thee, marvels now,
O Lord of Hosts! in mercy lull our fears;
Answer with potent signs and be not Thou
Silent to all my tears.

Open Thine hand exalted, nor revile

The hearts not comforted, but pierced with care,
Praying with fervent lips, that know not guile,
O hearken to my prayer!

BARUCH BEN SAMUEL.

(Translated by Nina Davis.)

All the World Shall Come to Serve Thee

LL the world shall come to serve Thee

ALL

And bless Thy glorious Name,

And Thy righteousness triumphant

The islands shall acclaim.

And the peoples shall go seeking

Who knew Thee not before,

And the ends of earth shall praise Thee,

And tell Thy greatness o'er.

They shall build for Thee their altars,

Their idols overthrown,

And their graven gods shall shame them,
As they turn to Thee alone,