json/Liturgy/Other Liturgy Works/Akdamut Milin/English/Birnbaum 1949.json

{
    "language": "en",
    "title": "Akdamut Milin",
    "versionSource": "Daily Prayer Book - Translated and Annotated with an Introduction by Philip Birnbaum, 1949",
    "versionTitle": "Birnbaum 1949",
    "license": "Public Domain",
    "actualLanguage": "en",
    "languageFamilyName": "english",
    "isBaseText": false,
    "isSource": false,
    "direction": "ltr",
    "heTitle": "אַקְדָּמוּת מִלִּין",
    "categories": [
        "Liturgy",
        "Other Liturgy Works"
    ],
    "text": [
        [
            "Before reciting the Ten Commandments,",
            "I first ask permission and approval",
            "To start with two or three stanzas in fear",
            "Of God who creates and ever sustains.",
            "He has endless might, not to be described",
            "Were the skies parchment, were all the reeds quills,",
            "Were the seas and all waters made of ink,",
            "Were all the world’s inhabitants made scribes.",
            "The glorious Lord of heaven and earth,",
            "Alone, formed the world, veiled in mystery.",
            "Without exertion did he perfect it,",
            "Only by a light sign, without substance.",
            "He accomplished all his work in six days;",
            "His glory ascended a throne of fire.",
            "Millions of legions are at his service;",
            "Fresh each morning they flourish with great faith.",
            "More glowing are the six-winged seraphim,",
            "Who keep silence till leave is given them.",
            "Without delay they call to one another:",
            "“God’s majestic splendor fills the whole earth!”",
            "Like a mighty thunder, like ocean’s roar,",
            "The cherubim and the spheres rise loudly",
            "To gaze at the rainbowlike appearance.",
            "Wherever set, they hasten anxiously,",
            "Whispering praise in each tongue: “Blessed be",
            "His glory in his entire universe.”",
            "All the heavenly hosts shout praise in awe:",
            "“His glory shines forever and ever!”",
            "Their hymn is timed; when the hour is gone,",
            "They shall at no period chant it again.",
            "Dear to him are the people of Israel,",
            "Acclaiming him each morning and evening.",
            "They are dedicated to do his will;",
            "His wonders, his praises, they declare hourly.",
            "He desires them to toil in the Torah,",
            "So that their prayer be well accepted,",
            "Bound up in the crown of the Eternal,",
            "Securely set near the precious frontlet.",
            "His frontlet is most skillfully inscribed:",
            "“Great is Israel who proclaims God’s Oneness.”",
            "The praise of the world’s Lord, in pure homage,",
            "I am pleased to declare before the kings.",
            "They come and gather like the surging waves,",
            "Wondering and asking about the signs:",
            "Whence and who is your beloved, O fair one?",
            "For whom do you die in the lion’s den?",
            "Most precious are you; if you merge with us,",
            "We will do your will in all the regions.",
            "With wisdom I answer them concisely:",
            "You must recognize and acknowledge him!",
            "Of what value is your glory compared",
            "With all that God will do for me in due time,",
            "When light will come to me and shame to you,",
            "When he will reveal himself in great might?",
            "He will repay the foes in all the isles;",
            "Triumph to the dear and upright people!",
            "Perfect joy, pure delight, will come into",
            "Jerusalem when he will gather the exiles.",
            "His glory will shield Zion day and night,",
            "While his tent for praise will be made in it",
            "Under a splendid canopy of bright clouds.",
            "For each godly man a booth will be made,",
            "Furnished with a gold throne of seven steps.",
            "The righteous will be arrayed before God,",
            "Their sights resembling sevenfold delight,",
            "The brilliant sky and the luminous stars – ",
            "A splendor that no language can describe,",
            "That was not heard of nor viewed by prophets.",
            "No eye has penetrated Paradise,",
            "Where the righteous dance in presence of God,",
            "Reverently pointing out: “This is he",
            "For whom we looked in exile with firm faith!",
            "He now gently guides us eternally,",
            "Granting us the share long reserved for us.:",
            "Leviathan contends with Behemoth;",
            "They are locked in combat with each other.",
            "Behemoth gores mightily with its horns;",
            "The sea-monster counters with potent fins.",
            "The Creator slays them with his great sword,",
            "And prepares a banquet for the righteous,",
            "Who sit in rows at tables of precious stones,",
            "While before them there flow streams of balsam,",
            "And they indulge themselves and drink full cups",
            "Of the precious old wine preserved in vats.",
            "You upright, having heard this hymn of praise,",
            "May you be in that blissful company!",
            "You will merit to sit in the first row",
            "If you will obey God’s majestic words.",
            "God, exalted from beginning to end,",
            "Was pleased with us and gave us the Torah.\n"
        ]
    ],
    "sectionNames": [
        "Piyyut",
        "Verse"
    ]
}