Abraham Turned Human
By Ory Bernstein
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
She didn't promise me anything else,
Didn't tempt me with a thing or try.
Not when I went out ahead of the army
and not when the army passed by.
One of my sons I sent to die,
the other I tried to sacrifice,
while I maintained an innocence
no longer useful or wise.
When all the prophecies come to pass
as, for evil, they always do,
My eyes like a heifer's eyes will rise
pleadingly toward you.
Behold me in my affliction, see
my days are numbered and bound.
I was, after all, just a happenstance
for things to happen around.
Audio of me reciting this translation in English
Audio of me reciting this poem in Hebrew
Commentary with Literal Translation:
The Original:
By Ory Bernstein
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
She didn't promise me anything else,
Didn't tempt me with a thing or try.
Not when I went out ahead of the army
and not when the army passed by.
One of my sons I sent to die,
the other I tried to sacrifice,
while I maintained an innocence
no longer useful or wise.
When all the prophecies come to pass
as, for evil, they always do,
My eyes like a heifer's eyes will rise
pleadingly toward you.
Behold me in my affliction, see
my days are numbered and bound.
I was, after all, just a happenstance
for things to happen around.
Audio of me reciting this translation in English
Audio of me reciting this poem in Hebrew
Commentary with Literal Translation:
The Original:
אברהם נעשה אנושי
לֹא הִבְטַחְתְּ לִי דָּבָר שׁוֹנֶה.
לֹא פִּתִּית אוֹתִי בְּדָבָר.
גַּם כְּשֶׁיָּצָאתִי לִפְנֵי הַמַּחֲנֶה,
וְגַם כְּשֶׁהַמַּחֲנֶה עָבַר.
יֶלֶד אֶחָד שָׁלַחְתִּי לָמוּת,
וְאֶחָד נִסִּיתִי לַעֲקֹד.
וְשָׁמַרְתִּי עַל תְּמִימוּת
שֶׁלֹּא תְּסַיַּע לִי עוֹד.
וּכְשֶׁכָּל הַנְּבוּאוֹת מִתְקַיְּמוֹת –
וְתָמִיד מִתְקַיְּמוֹת לְרַע –
עֵינַי אֵלֶיךָ מוּרָמוֹת
בִּתְחִנָּה, כְּעֵינֵי פָּרָה.
רְאֵה אוֹתִי בְּעָנְיִי, רְאֵה
אוֹתִי כְּשֶׁיָּמַי נִסְפְּרוּ.
הָיִיתִי, כִּכְלוֹת הַכֹּל, רַק מִקְרֶה
שֶׁסְּבִיבוֹ הַדְּבָרִים קָרוּ.
שֶׁסְּבִיבוֹ הַדְּבָרִים קָרוּ.
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