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1923 Selected religious poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol HEBREW-ENGLISH

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    Description

    C3
    1923
    ENGLISH-HEBREW
    VG CONDITION, HARDCOVER
    Selected religious poems of Solomon Ibn Gabirol
    Solomon ibn Gabirol was the greatest of the Jewish medieval poets who flourished in the golden age of Spanish-Jewish culture. This collection of devotional poetry was translated into English verse by Israel Zangwill from a critical text by Professor Israel Davidson who was an authority on Hebrew poetry and Jewish liturgy.
    It is introduced by Davidson who provides biographical information and discusses the nature and impact of Gabirol's timeless work, as well as those of his contemporaries. Born in Malaga in 1021 or 1022, Solomon was a prominent philosopher and poet, and a contemporary of the Cid, Spain's national hero. He belonged to the third period of Hebrew poetry in Spain.
    Orphaned at a young age, Gabirol spent his formative years in Saragossa and began his literary career when he was about sixteen. He was supported by patrons, first Yekutiel then Samuel HaNagid. His other literary works include Biblical exegesis, Hebrew grammar, philosophy & ethics. More than 300 poems survive, half secular and half religious. Written in Arabic, only two of his more than 20 books on ethics and philosophy have survived, one of which is the famous Fountain of Life (Fons Vitae).
    The influence of the Sefer Yetzirah on his poetry is marked, and his lyrics have a permanent appeal to the emotions, aspirations and yearning of mankind. Davidson quotes from Moses ben Ezra and Harizi, two medieval critics who appreciated his work. He concludes by affirming that Gabirol's words are a sanctuary to which the weary in heart turn for consolation, the troubled in mind for guidance and all lovers of beauty for partaking in exuberant joy.
    Then follows a chapter on the translation by Israel Zangwill. The poems in this volume were all incorporated or designed for the liturgy of the synagogue. In them, one encounters the devotional spirit rooting itself more in individual expression than in tradition. There is a strong personal quality about them. Gabirol was the first Hebrew poet to use secular images and philosophy in his verse and also the first really great Hebrew poet to employ rhyme and metre.
    Before Gabirol, rhyme or metre was not used much. Biblical poetry has parallelism but it is mainly the accent that counts; in other words, it was free verse. The English translations are in rhyme in order to preserve the singing element, except for the magnificent Keter Malkut (The Royal Crown) on pp. 82 to 123. The original Hebrew rhymes but has no fixed metre. A long philosophical poem, its exquisite beauty of expression complements its profundity of thought.
    There are 50 poems, from At The Dawn to The Royal Crown. The English versions are on the left page and the Hebrew on the right. They are most moving and spiritually uplifting, especially those dealing with the wounded heart of Israel. They are like a melody of eternal hope which brings the reader closer to God. All of them are stirring and memorable, but those I remember well after the first reading include The Messiah, Before My King, My Refuge, Ecstasy, The Redemption, God and Israel, My Lord and King, Lord of the World and Lord of Heaven.
    The book concludes with Notes on the Introduction, Notes on the Text (on the poems - mainly references to scripture and grammatical explanations), a Hebrew version of the previous and a short section titled Technical Payyetanic Terms in this Collection. These appear to be liturgical elements preceding prayers and benedictions, probably the same as what is called "antiphons" in Christian devotional music, for example the work of Hildegard von Bingen.
    For those interested in Jewish devotional music from around the world, I recommend the CD Kabbalah Music: Songs of the Jewish Mystics by Laura Wetzler. It includes three tracks from the Spanish Sephardi tradition: Kol Haneshama Meditation, Respondemos and Yom Zeh L'Yisrael.
    Complete list of poems:
    At the Dawn
    My Soul Shall Declare
    The Messiah
    Invitation
    Three Things Conspire
    Before My King
    Open the Gate
    Pour Out Thy Heart
    Six Years Were Decreed
    `Tis Joy to Me
    My Refuge
    Ecstasy
    I Have Sought Thee Daily
    Humble of Spirit
    For a Marriage
    The Sun
    The Redemption
    God and Israel
    Reassurance
    Duologue
    Establish Peace
    Judgment
    Prayer for the Hazzan
    Two Things Have Met
    For New Year's Day
    My Lord and King
    Blow Ye the Trumpet
    Let the Isles Rejoice
    For the Day of Memorial
    God Dwelleth High
    For Atonement Eve
    Lord of the World
    Lord, What is Man?
    The Day of Judgment
    Lamentation
    The Dwellers in Clay
    Almighty God
    The Lord of Heaven
    Ask of Me
    Forget Thy Affliction
    To My Soul
    Look up to Thy Maker
    Invocation
    Benediction
    My Heart Clamours
    Arise, O My Rapture
    Passover Psalm
    O God, My Sun
    The Love of God
    The Royal Crown
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