Akdamut---First Day of Shavuot
Before the Words of G-d Supreme
Today are read, for this my theme
Approbation will I seek
These my sentences to speak
Just two or three,
While tremblingly
On Him I meditate:
The Pure, who doth bear
The world for e'er,
His power who
can relate?
Were the sky of parchment made,
A quill each reed, wach twig and
blade,
Could we with ink the oceans fill,
Were every man a scribe of skill,
The marvelous story
Of G-d's great glory
Would still
remain untold
For He, Most High
The earth and sky
Created alone
of old.
Without fatigue or weary hand,
He spoke the word, He breathed
command;
The world and all that therein
dwell,
Field and meadow, fen and fell,
Mount and sea
In six days He
With life did
then inspire;
The work when ended,
His glory ascended
Upon His throne
of fire.
Before Him myriads angels flash,
To do His Will they run and dash;
Each day new hosts gleam forth
to praise
The Mighty One, Ancient of Days;
Six-winged hosts
Stand at their posts--
The flaming
Seraphim--
In hushed awe
Together draw
To chant their
morning hymn.
The angels, together, without
delay,
Call one to another in rapturous
lay;
"Thrice holy He
Whose majesty
Fills earth
from end to end."
The Cherubim soar,
Like the oceans's roar,
One celestial
spheres ascend.
To gaze upon the Light on high,
Which, like the bow in cloudy
sky,
Is iris-colored, silver-lined;
While hasting on their tas assigned.
In every tongue
They utter song
And bless and
praise the Lord,
Whose secret and source,
Whose light and force
Can ne'er be
fully explored.
The heavenly hosts in awe reply:
"His Kingdom be blessed for e'er
and aye."
Their song being hushed, they
vanish away;
They may ne'er again offer rapturous
lay.
But Israel,
Therein excel--
Fixed times
they set aside,
With praise and prayer,
Him One declare,
At morn and
eventide.
His portion them He made, that
they
His praise declare by night and
day;
A Torah, precious more then gold,
He bade them study, fast to hold;
They He may be near,
Their prayer to hear,
For always
wear will He
As diadem fair
His people's prayer
In His phylactery,
Wherein is told of Israel's fame
Who oft G-d's untiy proclaim.
'Tis always meet G-d's praise
to sing
In presence of both prince and
king.
With tempestuous glee,
Like a stormy sea,
They surge
and ask: "Who, then,
Is the Friend of thy heart,
For whom thou art
Cast in the
lions' den?
How fairer wilt thou be to sight,
If thou with us in faith unite;
They favor we shall always seek."
But Israel's sons with wisdom
speak:
"O ye, who are wise
In your own eyes,
How can you
trumpery
At all compare
With our great share
When G-d proclaims
us free,
And shines on us in glorious light,
While you are wrapped in gloom
of night?
His glory then will shine and
gleam--
Almighty G-d, o'er all supreme!
His enemies,
On isles and seas,
Will suffering
endure;
But He' ll increase
Abundant peace
To upright
men and pure.
The perfect joy will bring our
Lord,
The sacred vessels will be restored;
The exiles, He will gather them
Into rebuilt Jerusalem;
Day and night
Shall be His light
A canopy of
splendor;
A crown of praise
His people will raise
To crown their
Lord and Defender.
With brilliant clouds He' ll ornament
Each deserving festive tent;
The pure, on stools with gold
inlaid,
Before the Lord shall be arrayed;
Their countenance bright,
With sevenfold light,
Will dim the
heavenly sheen;
Such beauty rare
None can declare,
No prophet's
eye has seen.
The joy and bliss of Paradise
Have not been seen by human eyes;
There the pure rejoice and dance
In the light of His countenance;
And point: "Tis He,
We patiently
Have hoped
and waited for,
To set us free
From captivity
And guide us
as of yore."
* *
* * * *
You upright who heard the voice
of my song,
May you merit to join this glorious
throng;
In heavenly halls you shall mee
them in time,
If you hearken His Words, melodious,
sublime.
Exalted on high,
For e'er and aye,
Our Lord in
glory and awe!
We are His choice,
Then let us rejoice
That He blessed
us and gave us the Law.
I got this from pages 186-188 of "Sabbath
and Festival Prayer Book with A New Translation, Supplementary Readings
and Notes" by the Rabbinical Assembly of America and the United Synagogue
of America.
