_The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language (A Companion to _MENDELE_) ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 02.020 7 June 1998 YEHOYESH ISSUE 1) Yiddish Matters: From the Editor (Leonard Prager) 2) Yehoyesh's Life and Work (Robert Goldenberg); "Yehoyesh" (A.Sutskever) 3) Selections from his tanakh translation (Yehoyesh) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 June 1998 From: Leonard Prager Subject: Yiddish Matters 1. In this issue: a) "shprakhn" by Note Manger b) Yehoyesh and his Bible translation (ed.). 2. Coming: Alefbeys Issue a) Note Manger [as reported by his brother Itsik Manger*] "shprakhn" di kleyne feygl oyfn dakh gibn-op tsu got a shvakh -- tshirik, tshirik -- in zeyer shprakh. di grine zhabes funem taykh gibn-op tsu got a shvakh -- kvo, kvo, kvo -- in zeyer shprakh. ikh leyen Yehoyesh|es tanakh un gib tsu got borekh-hu a shvakh in mame-loshn -- undzer shprakh. *Fun itsik mangers a briv: "di dozike dray strofes zaynen dos eyntsike, vos der shnayder-gezeln note manger hot ongeshribn. zey gefinen zikh in a briv tsu mir nokh dem, vos er hot bakumen un geleyent Yehoyesh|es t~a~n~a~k~h in y~i~d~i~s~h." [Shmuel Rozhanski, red., _Yidish in lid_ [antologye], Buenos-Ayres, 1967, p. 77.] b. Yehoyesh and his Bible translation No single work -- Shakespeare excepted -- has so influenced language and modes of thought and feeling in the English-speaking world as has the 1611 King James Version of the Bible. Despite scores of translations since -- more accurate, more accessible, often more readable -- it continues to occupy a special place among monuments of the English language. Historians have stressed the impact of Martin Luther's Bible translation on German nationalism and culture. Many peoples throughout the world received their alphabets and their first written literary work when linguist-missionaries translated the Bible into their native language. (For some of the world's more than six thousand or so languages this process continues.) A handmaiden of Yiddish literature, present at its genesis, Bible translation has occupied a strong if no longer central position in Yiddish writing. At a World Jewish Congress-sponsored conference in London around 1961, the alphabet scholar David Diringer and others suggested a project to retranslate the tanakh into a more modern Yiddish than that employed by Yehoyesh. Nothing came of this idea (which has perhaps been raised at other times and in other forums as well), and it seems even less worthy of high priority three and a half decades later. Yet it is certainly worthwhile to talk about Yehoyesh today. At a time when many new young readers are attracted to Yiddish we can ask ourselves if Yehoyesh's tanakh still has the status of a Yiddish classic or even whether it can still be regarded as a great Bible translation. We know that it drew the universal admiration of Yiddish writers and readers alike before the Shoa as reflected in numerous allusions to Yehoyesh in Yiddish poetry. Through the Yiddish press -- the chief reading material of the immigrant generation -- Yehoyesh was known to millions of readers. In today's far bleaker Yiddish world, how are we to view Yehoyesh's great life work? Half a century has passed since Y. Rozental analyzed it at length in _Yivo bleter_ (volume 34 [1950], 59-128). How do we respond today to Yehoyeshes bible language? Does it seem quaint, archaic, "poetic"? Is it pedantic to be critical of his orthography? How ought we view -- and use -- the _tanakh_ in mame-loshn that gave Note Manger and others so much pride and pleasure? [L.P.] 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 June 1998 From: Robert Goldenberg Subject: Yehoyesh's life and work** Yehoyesh (pseudonym of Yehoyesh-Shloyme Blumgarten [Yehoash-Solomon Bloomgarden]) was born 16 September 1872 in Varzhbolove (later Virbaln), near the Russian-German border. He died in New York in 1927. His father was a devout scholar, a maskil and an active member of Khovevey-Tsien ('Lovers of Zion'). His mother ran a small ironware store to support the family; she was also active in communal charitable organizations. Y. began kheyder at the age of 4, then studied tanakh, Talmud and Hebrew, first with his father and then with private tutors; at an early age he began to read the works of Haskalah writers such as Smolenskin and Gotlober. At 13 he was enrolled in the famous Volozhiner Yeshive, but soon returned home where, under his sister Sheyne's influence, he studied foreign languages and literature and wrote his first poems in Hebrew. For a time he was a private Hebrew tutor in wealthy homes, but not content with this, he resolved to emigrate to America. In 1889 he brought his first poems to Peretz in Warsaw. Peretz befriended him and foresaw a great literary future for him. David Pinski quotes Peretz's own words (in "The Jewish Worker," NY, 1927): "...Only a young man, in his early 20's, but filled with torah, with Jewish and worldly knowledge, a language scholar, with a great memory." In 1890, perhaps to avoid conscription into the Russian army, Yehoyesh emigrated to America. He earned his livelihood at first as a Hebrew teacher, and continued writing poetry in Hebrew. However, he was dissatisfied with his work and destroyed these early poems. He decided to try occupations other than teaching -- tailoring, peddling, bookkeeping in a glass factory; in this period he wrote nothing. He then met met Dr. Israel Davidson, a young Hebrew writer, under whose influence he began to write again. He composed a book of Hebrew poems, but sudden illness forestalled its publication; manuscripts of these poems are in the Yehoyesh archives. In 1900 Y. contracted acute tuberculosis, and spent the next seven years at the Jewish Sanitorium in Denver, Colorado, during which time he set aside his writing. He was married in 1903, and in 1908, cured of TB, he made a fund-raising trip across America on behalf of the Jewish Consumptive Relief Committee of Denver. These travels enabled Yehoyesh to become acquainted with the landscape and natural beauty of America, and to meet numerous influential people. Returning to New York in 1909, he wrote prolifically until 1914. He also participated actively in Jewish cultural life in New York in those years, especially for the Poale-Tsien (Labor Zionists). His _Dictionary of Hebrew and Aramaic words used in Yiddish_, co-written with Dr. Khayem Spivak while at the Denver Sanitorium, was published in 1911. (A second edition was published in 1926.) In January 1914, Y. and his wife, along with their daughter Evelyn, emigrated to Palestine, settling in Rekhovot. There he learned Arabic and studied the Koran and post-Koranic literature. The family lived for several months in Relvan, on the border of the Egyptian desert, not far from Cairo, but returned to New York in the summer of 1915, not long after World War 1 broke out. Y.'s travel experiences were serialized in _Der tog_, including "Biz Rekhoves un Tsurik" (To Rekhovot and Back), later published in book form. Yehoyesh's literary activity began with Hebrew poetry (which was never published) while he was still attending yeshive, but all of his published work is in Yiddish . Encouraged by the Hebrew writer Ben Avigdor, he sent some of his early poems to Peretz, who published them in his _Di yudishe bibliotek_ (Warsaw 1891). These poems included a translation -- from English --of a Byron poem, and a translation of Chapter 18 of the Book of Psalms, his first tanakh translation. He also wrote for Mordecai Spektor's _Hoyzfraynd_ (Warsaw 1894). In America, through the years 1891 to 1912 he published poetry and popular historical novels in _Der folks-advokat_. He wrote for _Di yudishe gazetn_, _Yidishes tageblat_, _Der forverts_, _Der varhayt_ and others: poetry, fables, translations, as well as Chinese, Japanese and Arab legends. From January 1902 until his death in 1927, he wrote for _Der tsukunft_: poetry, legends and fables, and translations of Byron, of Longfellow's "Hiawatha," and of Omar Khayam's "Rubaiyat." He contributed to Minikes' _Yontef-bleter_ and from November 16, 1916, was a regular contributor to _Der tog_, where he published most of his tanakh translations. From 1909-1919 he wrote for the humour and satire journal _Kundes_, including his version of "Around the World in 80 Days." From 1908-1915 he contributed to Zhitlovski's _Dos naye lebn_. Yehoyesh was a regular contributor to most of the Yiddish periodicals in North America, Canada, Russia, Poland, Argentina, Austria, Palestine and other countries. His poems were translated into English, Polish, Russian, French, German and Hebrew. Many of his poems were included in anthologies and in textbooks used in Jewish schools; many were set to music and performed widely. His first impulse to translate the Torah came to Yehoyesh in 1904. By 1909 he had completed a translation of Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Ruth, Job and, in 1910, Isaiah. He was dissatisfied with his first efforts and destroyed them. In preparation for his great project he read Bible translations and commentaries in many languages and versions (Septaguint, Vulgate, Onkeles; Ibn Ezra, Rambam, Ramban, etc.) and clarified hundreds of interpretations of words and sentences. His translation is not only a monument of the Yiddish language, it is a creative work. Yehoyesh labored at his translation from 1909 until his premature death in 1927. From 1922-1927, _Der tog_ published hundreds of letters from leading Bible scholars responding to the tanakh serialized in its pages. According to Leyeles, Yehoyesh destroyed his first tanakh translation of 1909-1910, including the printing plates and galleys, wanting to purge all daytshmerisms. Surviving today, and so long as Yiddish is spoken, read and understood, are the later translation of the khumesh (1927), the early neviyem (1927), the later neviyem (1929), the ksuvem (1936) and the revisions of 1933 and 1938 (aside from the special editions (_Der tog_, 1936 and 1941; _Der forverts_ in 2 volumes in 1939). YIVO also issued separately _Shir hashirem_ (1932), _Megiles Ester_ (1936). In 1940 a _Khumesh far kinder_ appeared. In 1949 Mortkhe Kosover edited a lexicon of commentaries based on Yehoyesh's prolific notes on the tanakh. Selections from Yehoyesh's tanakh (in English translation!) can be found in the anthologies by Joseph Leftwitch (_The Golden Peacock_, 1961) and by Howe and Greenberg (_Treasury of Jewish Poetry_, 1957). Shmuel Niger praised Yehoyesh's translation and claimed its utility in the study of the Hebrew original. Yankev Glatshteyn credited Yehoyesh with rescuing and immortalizing thousands of forgotten Yiddish words. Until his death Yehoyesh worked on a Syriac grammar to help him prepare an even better Bible translation. A memorial book in 1935 listed over 50 translations of his poems in 10 languages. His yortsayt was celebrated in the ghettos of Warsaw, Lodz and Vilne. We conclude with the poem, "Yehoyesh," written by Avrem Sutskever for a commemoration of Yehoyesh's yortsayt in the Vilna Ghetto on April 6, 1943. The poet buried this and other poems in the ghetto and retrieved them after Vilna was liberated. "yehoyesh"*** di erd, - a blinder zhipendiker shtrom, -- un oyfn shtrom -- a bintl kranke hayzer vi reshtlekh fun a shif... in zeyer tif -- neshomes fun aroysgehoykhte shoen. un kinder in di vinklen -- groe toybn in a shturem, farklamerte in zeyer letster midkayt. dos bintl hayzer trogt zikh shtrom arop, antkegn kokht a keslgrub mit yeder blik alts nenter. gezenenish. geplats fun morgns. verter sheydn zikh mit zakhn erev zeyer sof. nokh a rege, nokh, un mit a mol -- a nomen heylik-oysgeshmidt fun altn gold: y~e~h~o~y~e~s~h. un shoyn fargeyt mit karshnblitn der farshmakhter troyer. kvaln blo, mit zunen oyf di dekn, shnirlen zikh farbay di nakhtik-flaterdike shoybn un vartn me zol efenen. un anshtot grub un keler -- turemt tsvishn tsedern a templ mit zayln oysgeknotene oys dem gebeyn fun doyres. -- -- -- sara makhtik-oysgevakhter yontef! sara likhtik-rikhtike derkentshaft! yeder fun di goysesdike kinder in di vinklen -- iz itst farvandlt in a yungn novi, gevashn inem ershtn toy fun shneyik-vayse royzn. un oyf di lipn -- bentshung un nevue, ayngevebt mit zeungen fun oysgeleyzter freyd, fun yoyvldikn folk. der toyt aleyn dershtrekt zikh far der sheynkayt, un traybt avek tsurik zayn blotik-roykherdikn kesl -- -- -- [1943] ** The above sketch was abstracted and translated mostly from Khayem-Leyb Fuks's entry "Yehoyesh" in the _Leksikon fun der nayer yidisher literatur_. Also consulted were Sol Liptzin's _The History of Yiddish Literature_, and Charles Madison's _Yiddish Literature -- Its Scope and Major Writers_. [R.G.] ***"Yehoyesh" was published in New York in the April 1946 issue of _Yidishe kultur_, while Sutskever was still living in Moscow. It was also published in Sutskever's _Lider fun geto_ (1946) and his _Poetishe verk_ (Tel Aviv, 1963). 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 June 1998 From: Craig Abernethy Subject: Tanakh selections (Yehoyesh [Solomon Bloomgarden]) opklayb fun Yehoyesh|es tanakh iberzetsungen: breyshis beys:daled-kof"daled [Genesis 2:4-24] breyshis lamed"beys:kof"hey-lamed"beys [Genesis 32:25-32] Shmuel alef tes"zayin:alef-yod"gimel [1 Samuel 16:1-13] Shmuel alef tod"zayin:lamed"beys-nun [1 Samuel 17:32-50] Yeshayohu beys:beys-hey [Isaiah 2:2-5] tilim kof"gimel [Psalms 23] Koheles gimel:alef-zayin [Ecclesiastes 3:1-7] Rus alef:alef-yod"zayin [Ruth 1:1-13] Yoyne alef:alef-tes"zayin [Jonah 1:1-16] Yoyne gimel:alef-yod [Jonah 3:1-10] -------------------- bresyshis beys:daled-kof"daled [Genesis 2:4-24] dos iz di geshikhte fun dem himl un der erd ven zey zaynen bashafn gevorn, in dem tog vos got der har hot gemakht erd un himl. un keyn beyml fun feld iz nokh nit geven oyf der erd, un keyn kraytekhts fun feld hot nokh nit geshprotst, vorum got der har hot nit gemakht regenen oyf der erd, un a mentsh iz nit geven tsu baarbetn di erd; nor a nebl flegt oyfgeyn fun der erd, un flegt ontrinken dos gantse gezikht fun der erd. hot got der har gefuremt dem mentshn fun shtoyb fun der erd, un hot arayngeblozn in zayne nozlekher an otem fun lebn, un der mentsh iz gevorn a lebediker nefesh. un got der har hot geflantst a gortn in eydn, in mizrekh, un hot dortn arayngezetst dem mentshn vos er hot gefuremt. un got der har hot gemakht shprotsn fun der erd alerley boymer glustik ontsukukn un gut tsum esn; oykh dem boym fun lebn, in mitn gortn, un dem boym fun visn gut|s un shlekht|s. un a taykh iz aroysgegangen fun eydn ontsutrinken dem gortn, un fun dortn hot er zikh tsesheydt, un iz gevorn fir teyln. der nomen fun eynem iz pishon, dos iz der vos ringlt arum dos gantse land khavilo, vos dortn iz do gold; un dos gold fun yenem land iz gut. dortn iz der bdoylekh* un der oniklshteyn. un der nomen fun tsveytn taykh iz gikhon; dos iz der vos ringlt arum dos gantse land kush. un der nomen fun dritn taykh iz khidekl; dos iz der vos geyt tsu mizrekh fun ashur. un der firter taykh, dos iz pros. un got der har hot genumen dem mentshn, un hot im arayngezetst in gortn fun eydn, im tsu baarbetn un im tsu hitn. un got der har hot ongezogt dem mentshn, azoy tsu zogn: fun ale boymer fun gortn megstu esn; ober fun dem boym fun visn gut|s un shlekht|s, fun im zolstu nit esn, vorum in dem tog vos du est fun im, vestu zikher shtarbn. un got der har hot gezogt: es iz nit gut der mentsh zol zayn aleyn; ikh vel im makhn a gehilf vedlik far im. un got der har hot gefuremt fun der erd alerley khayes fun feld un alerley foyglen fun himl, un gebrakht tsu dem mentshn, tsu zen vos er vet zey rufn, un vos nor der mentsh vet rufn itlekh lebedike bashefenish, dos zol zayn ir nomen. hot der mentsh ongerufn nemen far ale beheymes, un far di foyglen fun himl, un far ale khayes fun feld; ober far Odem|en hot er nit gefunen a gehilf vedlik far im. hot got der har gelozt faln a tifn shlof oyf dem mentshn, un er iz ayngeshlofn; un er hot aroysgenumen eyne fun zayne ripn, un hot farshtopt ir ort mit fleysh. un got der har hot geboyt fun der rip, vos er hot aroysgenumen fun dem mentshn, a froy, un hot zi gebrakht tsu dem mentshn. hot der mentsh gezogt: dos mol iz dos a beyn fun mayne beyner, un fleysh fun mayn fleysh; didozike zol gerufn vern froy, vayl fun a man** iz genumen gevorn didozike. drum farlozt a man zayn foter un zayn muter, un baheft zikh on zayn vayb, un zey vern eyn layb. * min shmekedike boympekh. loyt andere: a min tayer shteyn, oder perl. **isho -- ish -------------------- breyshis lamed"beys:kof"hey-lamed"beys [Genesis 32:25-32] un az Yankev iz geblibn aleyn, hot a man zikh geranglt mit im biz der frimorgn iz oyfgegangen. un az er hot gezen az er ken im nit baykumen, hot er ongerirt dos lefl fun zayn dikh; un dos lefl fun Yankev|s dikh iz oysgelunken gevorn in zayn ranglen zikh mit im. hot er gezogt: loz mikh avek, vorum der frimorgn iz oyfgegangen. hot er gezogt: ikh vel dikh nit aveklozn, saydn vest mikh bentshn. hot er tsu im gezogt: vos iz dayn nomen? hot er gezogt: Yankev. hot er gezogt: nit mer zol Yankev gerufn vern dayn nomen, nayert Yisroel*, vorum host geshtritn mit got un mit mentshn, un bist baygekumen. hot Yankev gefregt un hot gezogt: zog mir, ikh bet dikh, dayn nomen. hot er gezogt: nokh vos den fregstu oyf mayn nomen? un er hot im dortn gebentsht. un Yankev hot gerufn dem nomen fun dem ort Pniel**, vayl: ikh hob gezen got ponem el ponem, un mayn zel iz nitsl gevorn. un di zun iz im oyfgegangen vi er iz aribergegangen Pniel***, un er hot gehunken oyf zayn dikh. *der vos shtrayt mit got. **der ponem fun got ***in tekst: penuel. ------------------- Shmuel alef tes"zayin:alef-yod"gimel [1 Samuel 16:1-13] un got hot gezogt tsu Shmuel|n: biz vanen vestu troyern vegn Shoel|n, az ikh hob im farakht fun tsu kinign iber yisroel? fil on dayn horn mit eyl, un kum ikh vel dikh shikn tsu Yishay|n fun beys-lekhem, vorum ikh hob mir gezen a meylekh tsvishn zayne zin. hot Shmuel gezogt: vi ken ikh geyn? az Shoel vet hern, vet er mikh hargen. hot got gezogt: a yunge ku vestu nemen mit zikh, un vest zogn: tsu shlakhtn tsu got bin ikh gekumen. un vest farrufn Yishay|n tsum shlakhtopfer, un ikh vel dikh lozn visn vos du zolst ton; un vest mir zalbn dem vos ikh vel dir zogn. hot Shmuel geton vos got hot geheysn, un er iz gekumen keyn Beys-lekhem. un di eltste fun shtot hobn geaylt im antkegn, un gezogt: frid tsu dayn kumen! hot er gezogt: frid! tsu shlakhtn tsu got bin ikh gekumen. heylikt aykh, un ir vet kumen mit mir tsum shlakhtopfer: un er hot geheysn Yishay|n un zayne zin zikh heylikn, un hot zey farrufn tsum shlakhtopfer. un es iz geven, vi zey zaynen gekumen, azoy hot er derzen Elyov|n, un er hot gezogt: farvor, antkegn got iz zayn gezalbter. hot got gezogt tsu Shmuel|n: zolst nit kukn oyf zayn oyszen, un oyf zayn hoykhn vuks, vorum ikh vil im nit; vorum es iz nit vi der mentsh zet; vayl der mentsh zet nokhn onblik, ober got zet nokhn hartsn. hot Yishay gerufn Avinodov|n, un hot im farbaygefirt far Shmuel|n, ober er hot gezogt: oykh demdozikn hot got nit oysderveylt. hot Yishay farbaygefirt Shamo|n, ober er hot gezogt: oykh demdozikn hot got nit oysderveylt. azoy hot Yishay farbaygefirt zibn fun zayne zin far Shmuel|n, un Shmuel hot gezogt tsu Yishay|n: got hot nit oysderveylt didozike. un Shmuel hot gezogt tsu Yishay|n: geendikt di yungen? hot er gezogt: es iz nokh geblibn der klenster; un ot iz er a pastukh bay di shof. hot Shmuel gezogt tsu Yishay|n: shik un breng im; vorum mir veln zikh nit zetsn, biz er kumt aher. hot er geshikt un im gebrakht. un er iz geven a geroytlter, mit sheyne oygn un a faynem oyszen. un got hot gezogt: shtey oyf, zalb im, vorum er iz dos. hot Shmuel genumen dem horn mit eyl, un hot im gezalbt in mitn fun zayne brider. un der gayst fun got iz gekumen oyf Dovid|n fun yenem tog on un vayter. un Shmuel iz oyfgeshtanen, un iz avekgegangen keyn romo. -------------------- Shmuel alef yod"zayin:lamed"beys-nun [1 Samuel 17:32-50 un Dovid hot gezogt tsu Shoel|n: zol keyn mentshns harts nit aropfaln iber im; dayn knekht vet geyn, un vet milkhome haltn mit demdozikn plishti. hot Shoel gezogt tsu Dovid|n: kenst nit geyn oyf demdozikn plishti, milkhome tsu haltn mit im, vorum du bist a yingl, un er iz a man fun milkhome fun zayn yugnt on. hot Dovid gezogt tsu Shoel|n: dayn knekht iz geven a pastukh far zayn foter bay di shof, un az a leyb iz gekumen, oder a ber, un hot avekgetrogn a sheps fun der stade, bin ikh aroysgegangen nokh im, un hob im geshlogn, un hob aroysgerisn fun zayn moyl; un az er hot zikh geshtelt akegn mir, hob ikh im ongenumen baym bord, un hob im geshlogn un im geteyt. i dem leyb i dem ber hot dayn knekht dershlogn; un derdoziker umbashnitener plishti vet zayn vi eyner fun zey, vayl er hot gelestert di reyen fun dem lebedikn got. un Dovid hot gezogt: got vos hot mikh matsl geven fun der hant fun leyb, un fun der hant fun ber, er vet mikh matsl zayn fun der hant fun demdozikn plishti. hot Shoel gezogt tsu Dovid|n: gey, un zol got zayn mit dir. un Shoel hot ongeton Dovid|n zayne kleyder, un er hot aroyfgeton a kupernem kiver oyf zayn kop, un im ongeton a pantser. un Dovid hot ongegurt zayn shverd iber zayne kleyder, un zikh gematert tsu geyn, vayl er iz nit geven tsugevoynt. hot Dovid gezogt tsu Shoel|n: ikh ken nit geyn in didozike, vayl ikh bin nit tsugevoynt. un Dovid hot zey oysgeton fun zikh. un er hot genumen zayn shtekn in zayn hant, un hot zikh oysgeklibn finf glate shteyner fun dem bakh, un arayngeton in dem pastukhzekl vos er hot gehat, in dem baytl; un zayn shlayderer iz geven in zayn hant; un er hot genent tsu dem plishti. un der plishti iz gegangen alts nenter, tsu Dovid|n, un der man vos trogt dem shild, im faroys. un der plishti hot a kuk geton un hot derzen Dovid|n, un hot im farakht, vorum er iz geven a yingl, un geroytlt, oykh sheyn oyfn ponem. un der plishti hot gezogt tsu Dovid|n: tsi a hunt bin ikh, vos du kumst tsu mir mit shtekns? un der plishti hot gesholtn Dovid|n bay zayn got. un der plishti hot gezogt tsu Dovid|n: kum tsu mir, un ikh vel gebn dayn fleysh tsum foygl fun himl, un tsu der khaye fun feld. hot Dovid gezogt tsu dem plishti: du kumst tsu mir mit a shverd un mit a shpiz un mit a pike, un ikh kum tsu dir in dem nomen fun hashem fun tsvoos, dem got fun di reyen fun yisroel, vos du host gelestert. hayntikn tog vet dikh hashem iberentfern in mayn hant, un ikh vel dikh dershlogn, un vel aropnemen dayn kop fun dir; un ikh vel gebn di pgorem fun der makhne fun di plishtem hayntikn tog tsum foygl fun himl un tsu der khaye fun der erd; un di gantse erd vet visn, az faran a got bay yisroel. un didozike gantse aynzamlung vet visn, az nit mit a shverd un mit a shpiz helft hashem; vorum di milkhome iz hashem|s, un er vet aykh gebn in undzer hant. un es iz geven, vi der plishti iz oyfgeshtanen un iz gegangen un hot genent antkegn Dovid|n, azoy hot Dovid geaylt, un iz gelofn tsum shlakhtfeld antkegn dem plishti. un Dovid hot arayngeshtekt zayn hant in zekl, un hot aroysgenumen fun dortn a shteyn, un a shlayder geton, un getrofn dem plishti in zayn shtern. un der shteyn iz arayngezunken in zayn shtern, un er iz gefaln oyf zayn ponem tsu der erd. azoy hot dovid ibergeshtarkt dem plishti mit a shlayderer un mit a shteyn, un getrofn dem plishti, un im geteyt; un keyn shverd iz nit geven in Dovid|s hant. ----------------- Yeshayohu beys:beys-hey [Isaiah 2:2-5] un es vet zayn in sof fun di teg, vet shteyn fest der barg fun got|s hoyz oybn on fun di berg, un derhoybn iber di heykhn; un ale felker veln tsu im shtromen. un fil umes veln geyn un veln zogn: kumt, un lomir aroyfgeyn tsum barg fun hashem, tsum hoyz fun dem got fun Yankev; un er vet undz lernen fun zayne vegn, un mir veln geyn in zayne shtegn; vorum fun tsien vet aroysgeyn a toyre, un got|s vort fun yerusholaim. un er vet mishpetn tsvishn di felker, un antsheydn iber fil umes; un zey veln shmidn zeyere shverdn oyf akerayzns, un zeyere shpizn oyf tsvaygmesers; a folk kegn a folk vet nit heybn a shverd, un me vet nit mer lernen milkhome. hoyz fun Yankev, kumt, un lomir geyn in dem likht fun got. ----------------- tilim kof"gimel [Psalms 23] a mizmer fun Dovid|n. got iz mayn pastukh, mir vet nit feln. oyf grozike fiterpletser makht er mikh hoyern, bay ruike vasern tut er mikh firn. er derkvikt mayn zel; er firt mikh in rikhtike shtegn fun vegn zayn nomen. afile az ikh gey in tol fun toytshotn , hob ikh nit moyre far beyz, vorum du bist mit mir; dayn shtekn un dayn onlen, zey tuen mikh treystn. du greyt|st far mir a tish antkegn mayne faynt; host bazalbt mit eyl mayn kop, mayn kos loyft ariber. nor gut|s un genod veln mir nokhgeyn ale teg fun mayn lebn, un ikh vel zitsn in got|s hoyz oyf lange teg. ----------------- Koheles gimel:alef-zayin [Ecclesiastes 3:1-7] oyf alts iz do a sho, un a tsayt far itlekher zakh untern himl. a tsayt geborn tsu vern, un a tsayt tsu shtarbn; a tsayt tsu flantsn, un a tsayt oystsuraysn dos geflantste. a tsayt tsu hargen, un a tsayt tsu heyln; a tsayt tsu brekhn, un a tsayt tsu boyen. a tsayt tsu veynen, un a tsayt tsu lakhn; a tsayt tsu klogn, un a tsayt tsu tantsn; a tsayt avektsuvarfn shteyner, un a tsayt oyftsuklaybn shteyner; a tsayt tsu haldzn, un a tsayt zikh tsu dervaytern fun haldzn. a tsayt tsu zukhn, un a tsayt ontsuvern; a tsayt tsu hitn, un a tsayt avektsuvarfn. a tsayt tsu raysn, un a tsayt tsu neyen; a tsayt tsu shvaygn, un a tsayt tsu redn. a tsayt lib tsu hobn, un a tsayt faynt tsu hobn; a tsayt far milkhome, un a tsayt far sholem. -------------------- Rus alef:alef-yod"zayin [Ruth 1:1-13] un es iz geven in di teg vos di shoftem* hobn gehersht, iz geven a hunger in land. un a man iz gegangen fun beys-lekhem-Yude zikh oyftsuhaltn in feld fun moyev. er mit zayn vayb un zayne tsvey zin. un der nomen fun dem man iz geven Elimeylekh, un der nomen fun zayn vayb Nome, un der nomen fun zayne tsvey zin Makhlen un Kilyen -- Efros|er fun beys-lekhem-yude. un zey zaynen gekumen in feld fun moyev un zaynen dortn geven. iz geshtorbn Elimeylekh, Nome|s man, un zi iz ibergeblibn, mit ire tsvey zin. un zey hobn genumen moyev|er vayber: der nomen fun eyner iz geven Orpe un der nomen fun der tsveyter Rus. un zey zaynen dortn gezesn arum tsen yor. un zey beyde, Makhlen un Kilyen, zaynen geshtorbn, un di froy iz geblibn farelndt fun ire beyde kinder un ir man. un zi iz oyfgeshtanen mit ire shnir, un hot zikh umgekert fun feld fun moyev, vorum zi hot gehert in feld fun moyev az got hot gedakht on zayn folk, zey tsu gebn broyt. un zi iz aroys fun dem ort vos zi iz dortn geven, un ire beyde shnir mit ir, un zey zaynen gegangen in veg, kedey zikh umtsukern tsum land yude. hot Nome gezogt tsu ire beyde shnir: geyt kert aykh um itlekhe tsu ir muters hoyz. zol got ton mit aykh khesed azoy vi ir hot geton mit di geshtorbene un mit mir. zol aykh got gebn ir zolt gefinen menukhe itlekhe in hoyz fun ir man. un zi hot zey gekusht; un zey hobn oyfgehoybn zeyer kol un hobn geveynt. un zey hobn tsu ir gezogt: neyn, nayert mir veln mit dir zikh umkern tsu dayn folk. hot Nome gezogt: kert aykh um, tekhter mayne, tsu vos zolt ir geyn mit mir? hob ikh den nokh zin in mayn layb, az zey zoln aykh vern far manen? kert aykh um, tekhter mayne, geyt, vorum ikh bin tsu alt tsu hobn a man; lomikh shoyn zogn, ikh hob a hofenung, ikh zol nokh di nakht hobn a man, un zol oykh gebern zin, vet ir den oyf zey oyskukn biz zey veln groys vern? vet ir tsulib zey blaybn zitsn nit tsu nemen keyn man? neyn, tekhter mayne! vorum mir iz fil biterer fun aykh, vayl got|s hant iz oysgegangen oyf mir. hobn zey oyfgehoybn zeyer kol un hobn vider geveynt. un Orpe hot zikh tsekusht mit ir shviger, ober Rus hot zikh baheft on ir. hot zi gezogt: ze, dayn shvegern hot zikh umgekert tsu ir folk un tsu ir got; ker zikh um nokh dayn shvegern. hot Rus gezogt: zolst mikh nit betn dikh tsu farlozn, zikh umtsukern fun hinter dir, vorum vuhin du vest geyn, vel ikh geyn, un vu du vest nekhtikn, vel ikh nekhtikn; dayn folk iz mayn folk, un dayn got iz mayn got. vu du vest shtarbn, vel ikh shtarbn, un dortn vel ikh bagrobn vern. zol mir got ton azoy un nokh mer! nor der toyt vet fanandersheydn tsvishn mir un tsvishn dir. *ze shoftem beys, 16. -------------------- Yoyne alef:alef-tes"zayin [Jonah 1:1-16] un dos vort fun got iz geven tsu Yoyne dem zun fun Amitay|n, azoy tsu zogn: shtey oyf, gey tsu der groyser shtot ninveh, un ruf oys oyf ir, vorum zeyer shlekhtikayt iz oyfgegangen far mir. iz Yoyne oyfgeshtanen tsu antloyfn keyn tarshish fun far got, un er hot genidert keyn yofo, un hot gefunen a shif vos geyt keyn tarshish; hot er opgetsolt ir loyn, un hot genidert in ir, kedey tsu geyn mit zey keyn tarshish fun far got. hot got ongevorfn a groysn vint oyfn yam, un es iz gevorn a groyser shturem oyfn yam, un di shif hot gehaltn baym tsebrokhn vern. hobn di shiflayt zikh dershrokn, un zey hobn geshrien itlekher tsu zayn got, un zey hobn arayngevorfn di zakhn vos oyfn shif, in yam, kedey zikh laykhter tsu makhn. un Yoyne hot aropgenidert in vinkl shif, un hot zikh geleygt un iz ayngeshlofn. hot der eltster fun di shiflayt genent tsu im, un hot gezogt: vos iz mit dir, vos du shlofst? shtey oyf un ruf tsu dayn got, efsher vet zikh got badakhtn on undz, un mir veln nit untergeyn. un zey hobn gezogt eyner tsum andern: kumt lomir varfn goyrl, kedey mir zoln visn iber vemen dosdozike beyz is oyf undz. hobn zey gevorfn goyrl, un der goyrl iz gefaln oyf Yoyne|n. hobn zey tsu im gezogt: zog undz akorsht, du iber vemen dosdozike beyz iz oyf undz: vos iz dayn ton? un fun vanen kumstu? vos iz dayn land? un fun voser folk bistu? hot er tsu zey gezogt: a ivri bin ikh, hashem dem got fun di himlen tu ikh forkhtn, dem vos hot gemakht dem yam un di yaboshe. hobn di mentshn moyre gekrogn a groys moyre, un zey hobn tsu im gezogt: vos hostu do geton? vorum di mentshn hobn farshtanen az er antloyft fun got, az er hot dos zey gezogt. hobn zey tsu im gezogt: vos zoln mir ton mit dir, kedey der yam zol zikh aynshtiln far undz? vorum der yam iz gevorn alts shturemdiker. hot er tsu zey gezogt: heybt mikh oyf un varft mikh arayn in yam, un der yam vet zikh aynshtiln far aykh; vorum ikh veys az iber mir iz derdoziker groyser shturem oyf aykh. un di mentshn hobn gerudert zikh umtsukern tsu der yaboshe, ober zey hobn nit gekent, vorum der yam hot nokhanand geshturemt akegn zey. hobn zey gerufn tsu got, un hobn gezogt: mir betn dikh, got, lomir nit untergeyn far dem lebn fun demdozikn mentshn, un zolst nit brengen oyf undz umshuldik blut, vorum du got, azoy vi du bagerst tustu. un zey hobn oyfgehoybn Yoyne|n, un hobn im arayngevorfn in yam, un der yam hot zikh opgeshtelt fun zayn shturemen. un di mentshn hobn moyre gehat a groys moyre far got un zey hobn geshlakht a shlakhtopfer tsu got, un genumen oyf zikh nedorem. ----------------------- Yoyne gimel:alef-yod [Jonah 3:1-10] un dos vort fun got iz geven tsu Yoyne|n a tsveyt mol, azoy tsu zogn: shtey oyf, gey tsu der groyser shtot Ninveh, un ruf oys tsu ir di oysrufung vos ikh red tsu dir. iz Yoyne oyfgeshtanen, un er iz gegangen keyn Ninveh, azoy vi dos vort fun got; un Ninveh iz geven a gevaltik groyse shtot fun dray teg gang. un Yoyne hot ongehoybn arayngeyn in shtot eyn tog gang, un er hot oysgerufn un hot gezogt: nokh fertsik teg un Ninveh vert ibergekert. un di mentshn fun Ninveh hobn gegloybt in got, un zey hobn oysgerufn a fasttog, un hobn zikh ongeton in zak fun zeyer grestn biz zeyer klenstn. un di zakh hot dergreykht tsum meylekh fun Ninveh, un er iz oyfgeshtanen fun zayn tron, un hot oysgeton zayn mantl fun zikh, un hot zikh tsugedekt mit zak, un zikh gezetst oyf ash. un er hot gelozt oysrufn un ongezogt in Ninveh oyf dem bafel fun dem meylekh un zayne groyse layt, azoy tsu zogn: keyn mentsh un keyn beheyme, rinder oder shof, zol nit farzukhn dos mindste; nit zey zoln zikh fitern, un nit zey zoln trinken vaser. mentshn un beheymes zoln zayn tsugedekt mit zak; un me zol rufn tsu got mit shtarkayt, un me zol zikh umkern itlekher fun zayn shlekhtn veg, un fun dem umrekht vos in zeyere hent. ver veys, efsher vider vet got kharote hobn, un zikh opkern fun zayn grimtsorn, un mir veln nit untergeyn. hot got gezen zeyere maysem, az zey hobn zikh umgekert fun zeyer shlekhtn veg, un got hot kharote gehat oyf dem beyz vos er hot geredt zey tsu ton, un er hot es nit geton. ______________________________________________________ End of _The Mendele Review_ 02.020 Leonard Prager, editor Subscribers to _Mendele_ automatically receive _The Mendele Review_. Archived (*.zip) versions of _The Mendele Review_ are to be found at: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~mendele/tmrarc.htm