WEDDING
SONG
Stanza 1, line 1, Ecclesiastes xi, 9; line 3, Proverbs v, 18.
Stanza 3, line 1, Psalm xlv, 5.
Stanza 4, line 1, Ecclesiastes xii, 1; line 4, Deuteronomy xxxiii, 25; lines 5 and 6, Deuteronomy xxviii, 6.
Stanza 5, line 6, Job v, 24.
Stanza 6, line 4, Isaiah lviii, 8; line 6, Psalm cx, 3.
Wedding Song
By Jehudah Halevi
REJOICE, O young man, in thy youth,
And gather the fruit thy joy shall bear,
Thou and the wife of thy youth,
Turning now to thy dwelling to enter there.
Glorious blessings of God, who is One,
Shall come united upon thine head;
Thine house shall be at peace from dread,
Thy foes' uprising be undone.
Thou shalt lay thee down in a safe retreat;
Thou shalt rest, and thy sleep be sweet.
In thine honor, my bridegroom, prosper and live;
Let thy beauty arise and shine forth fierce;
And the heart of thine enemies God shall pierce,
And the sins of thy youth will He forgive,
And bless thee in increase and all thou shalt do,
When thou settest thine hand thereto.
And remember thy Rock, Creator of thee,
When the goodness cometh which He shall bring;
For sons out of many days shall spring,
And e'en as thy days thy strength shall be.
Blessed be thou when thou enterest,
And thy going out shall be blest.
'Mid the perfect and wise shall thy portion lie,
So thou be discreet where thou turnest thee;
And thine house shall be builded immovably,
And "Peace" thou shalt call, and God shall reply;
And peace shall be thine abode; and sealed
Thy bond with the stones of the field.
Thy glory shall rise, nor make delay;
And thee shall He call and choose; and thy light,
In the gloom, in the darkness of night,
Then shall break forth like the dawn of day;
And out from the shining light of the morn
Shall the dew of thy youth be born.