IVIV. DER ELENDER SUCHT DIE RUHE ('Makel Noam,' Vol. I. pp. 71-75)
Reading edition
Sāg' mir, ich bett' dich, du Wind, Du schwebst dich auf der ganzer Welt, Wēisst nischt, wu der Elender sich gefindt Zu ruhen ein Gezelt,
11. There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
King James Bible.
II. THE MONKEY
"Show me but one among all the animals whose grimaces I cannot imitate!" Thus a little monkey boasted to a fox that came to visit him. The fox bluntly replied to him: "Tell me, you nasty marshelik! To whom would it ever occur in a year to want to imitate you a whit?"
* * * * * * * *
The parable, I am sure, may remain without a moral, for each one knows himself to whom to ascribe it.
III. WORRY AFTER DEATH
Stingy Chaim lies buried in this place! He never gave a penny to a poor man; he is worried even at the present hour because his tombstone has cost him so much.
IV. THE FORLORN MAN LOOKING FOR REST
Tell me, I pray you, O Wind, you who hover over the whole world, do you not know where the forlorn man may find a tent in which to rest,—where injustice has ceased, where there is never a complaint, where no
Wu Reziches hāt aufgehört, Me hāt kēinmal nischt geklāgt, Wu kēin Äug' hāt nischt getrährt, Der Gerechter werd nischt geplāgt? Der Wind schweigt un' bleibt still stēhn, Süfzt un' entwert: "Nēin, nēin!" Sāg' mir, du tiefes, du grōsses Meer, Du stromst asō weit Bei deine Inslen hin un' her, Wēisst nischt ergez in a Seit', Wu der Frummer gefindt a Trōst, Zu ruhen a sicher Ort? Wēisst nischt, wie die Stādt hēisst? Sāg' dās gute Wort! Der Jam stromt un' brummt: "Nēin! "Ich hāb' sō ein Ort nischt gesehn." Du schoene Lewone mit dein Pracht, Du kuckst doch überall Wenn es is' still bei der Nacht, Verdeckt mit der schwarzer Schal. Du gehst doch aus die ganze Welt Tomid durch die Nacht',— Wēisst nischt ergez ein Gezelt, Wu dem Guten is' nischt schlecht? Me seht sie in a Wolken bald vergēhn, Süfzt un' entwert: "Nēin, nēin!" Sāg' že du mir, mein Seele, fort, Liebe un' Hoffnung derneben, Wu die Sunn' gēht auf jeden Ort, Wu gefindt män a ruhig Leben, Wu kēin Schlechts is' nischt derbei, Me lebt nor in Frēuden,
eye has ever been in tears, and the just man is not vexed?—The Wind remains mute and arrests its course, sighs and answers: "No, no!"
Tell me, you deep, you large Sea, you flow so far around your islands here and there,—know you not somewhere in some corner, where the godly man may find his consolation and a safe place of rest? Know you not the name of that city? Tell the good word!—The Ocean flows onward and murmurs: "No! I have not seen such a place."
You beautiful Moon, in your glory! You look everywhere when all is still at night and covered with a black shroud. You pass over the whole world ever through the nights,—know you not somewhere a tent, where the good have no sorrow?—You may see the Moon disappear behind a cloud, and sigh and answer: "No, no!"
Tell me, then, my Soul, and Love and Hope also,—wherever the Sun passes is there not to be found a quiet life, where no evil goes with it, where one may live but in joy, where one may be free of sins and sorrows, of troubles and of sufferings?—They all give the one answer: "They live quietly up there in heaven!"
Vun Sünd' un' Sorgen is' män frei, Vun Zores un' vun Lēiden? See geben Alle ēin Antwort: "Ruhig lebt män in Himmel dort!" B. W. Ehrenkranz-Zbarzer.