GOD-JERUSALEM-JEWS
.
Jerusalem!I would not be able to see you
drunk with the yellow colors of the sun.
You are Naked and White.
In your veins the blood runs of your children that,
scattered to the corners of the earth, were
lost for your faith.
God smiles when you smile
In your winter nights He angers
And calmly He rests upon your eyelids
When they are left in sleep's blessing.
God-Jerusalem-Jews;
Indivisible trinity. Without it
The world a flower with no fragrance.
The faith a wound; and the dawn
Every time would want new blood.
Jerusalem, first you
When the dawn drew of man
You awoke from the deep sleep
And using sense and spirit to cover the sun
Your eyes saw the eternal light
And the eternal darkness.
And you kept them, priceless
So that whoever wants and comes
Can see where from he comes
And feel where to he goes.
Nine thousand years ago your soil
was giving birth to grass and flowers;
Trees grew;
Animals grew;
And made people, that carrying their load pushed life
And left descendants, preparing -
Without they themselves knowing
The dough from which your body would be made.
The dough that would become for you eyes to see.
The dough that would become for you ears to hear.
The dough that would become for you mouth to speak.
Nine thousand years ago
Caught into the yet unglorified nets
Your once children were preparing your glory.
And the centuries passed by.
And the Israelites came.
And your patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
And they knitted the carpet for one to step on -
And they set the carpet for one to step on -
For Moses to step on,
the hero of your people
That God chose to save your people
And Israel's god to make the world's god.
Then Elimelech. And Chelaion.
And Ruth. And Noemin.
And the decision you made Ruth take
Entering a guide into her heart
And decisively entering into her female instinct
Not to ever part with Noemin...
And Booz you sent to meet Ruth... And Booz begets Obed.
Him, Jessie.
And he, David, the prophet king.
That from the dust of Time came to deliver you
And into the light immortal and straight to give you.
And into the light of dawn your light shone more
Blessed by God's merciful hand.
And you entered, Jerusalem, into the mortal's world, too
Bringing from your divine worlds thousands of graces
Which you open-handedly pass to everyone who can take then
And Jerusalem became the world's first city
in beauty, strength, in graces and riches.
And David prayed to the Lord and said:
"Lord,
You picked me among your people
To become king..
You guided my hand and I beat Goliath.
Chased by Saul,
You gave a cave to hide, cold water to drink, and food to eat.
And Saul's throne you gave me
And you guided my step and mind
And Israel's enemies, Lord, I beat all.
All you did well to me;
But also one bad thing, my Lord.
You took Absalom.
My heart tore from pain.
Many nights I drowned in tears
Many days in misery.
And into my deep pain -
You know in first -
My blurred mind
Dared to speak bad words against you.
Yes, Lord, I cursed you.
As a heavy double-edged sword And as lightning
Then your word fell upon me, Lord.
And you said: Disgusting animal
Who are you to teach me
Who to take and leave from life?
Still one word from you
And I take your glory, riches and honor
And your people I throw into distress.
And I'll place you into eternal fire
Away from your son not for two years or decades
But forever.
All you did well to me, Lord. Bad thing none.
Give me that, also, Lord, and let it be the last one -
Enable me, Lord,
To build a temple
So that we may cherish you within it
I as well as my people
And all that come after us".
And Lord sent an angel in David's dream
And this is what the angel said to the king prophet:
"Blessed are the Jewish people.
Blessed first among them is you.
Because by you were beat
The pagans' crowds
And Lord's name and grace
Throughout the earth will be glorified
With your people.
But it is not worth for the temple of the Lord
From a man who lived fighting to be built;
A project of your son - Solomon - that will be
Who will be a king of peace".
And here, years later, is seated on the throne
Where David was, his son, Solomon.
It is a bright day...
Solomon, the great king,
Is laying on his armchair
Under the date trees that tall rise
In the garden of his palace.
Right and left stand his soldiers
Brightly dressed and armed with spears
Ready to execute every one
Of the great king's desire.
Black servants holding fans
Made of multi-colored feathers
Cool the air around him.
From his high throne where he sits
The great king can see
His city stretch out - Jerusalem
With the clear, winding, narrow streets
And the clumps of cypress trees
Whose deep green color goes with
The pale yellow of the soft-curving domes.
To his head-servant the king turns
And says: Go, Benaiah
Into the room where all
My most beloved treasures are
And where you only among my servants
Have the key and permit to enter
And bring the unique diamond Which,
when I look into it,
I can see what a naked eye cannot.
I want to see my city and my people.
And he brought the diamond to his eye
And clearly saw all Jerusalem and its life -
Even the roads laying out of the triple walls.
Within the shadows of the big agora
He saw the white-dressed figures
Of donkey-drivers who drove their animals
Between the stores' rows
And those who sold and bought.
Men dressed with multi-colored robes
Pushed walking up and down.
In front of benches
Full of well-placed merchandise
There were sitting merchants
Pulling passers by the clothes
To make them see, be interested, and buy their goods.
Foreign merchants dressed with multi-colored clothes
All kinds of goods were unloading
From their kneeled camels
And they brought in front of the eyes of the locals
Wavy silk handkerchiefs,
Carpets, colored vessels, diamonds,
Birds with the rainbow's colors,
Small cute monkeys,
Ivory... And the people around
Admired, looked and wondered
Meaningfully shaking their heads
And continuously moving their hands.
And they bargained... and they bought...
While, the water-bearers, bending a little
Lowered their goat-skin sacs
That swelled full of water,
And watered merchants and clients.
Suddenly, in the agora,
A camel-driver entered.
And the camel was limping
As if it had much road traveled up to here.
The camel-driver stops the animal,
Kneels it, and from between its two hunches
He pulls a carpet
And lays it in front of him on the ground.
And the carpet had wonderful color.
And strange on it designs.
And Solomon looked. All from around
Left the other merchants and
Were admiring the carpet.
They looked at it, they touched it, they caressed it.
But no further. Next, one-by-one
When they learned its price Left, making place for others.
The king calls a soldier
And orders him to bring there The merchant with his carpet.
Soon the merchant was before him.
Yes. The carpet's price was big.
Sixty thousand gold coins.
And the merchant spreads his carpet
On the shiny floor of the palace.
And the shining of the carpet was brighter.
And it had words written on it
That while unknown for others,
Solomon knew them..
Because he knew the languages of all:
Beasts, birds, men, and demons.
And the king pales as he sees them
And a cry leaves his mouth.
"I know those figures," he whispers.
"And where did you find this carpet?"
The king asks the merchant.
"I was passing yesterday from the big road.
Tt was night. I heard a voice:
Lift that large stone.
You will find underneath a carpet.
Take it and bring it to your agora.
And sell it for sixty thousand gold coins.
Not more and not less
Otherwise you will bring misfortune to yourself
And whoever buys it, let him step on it
it will take him where it knows.
And will show him what it must.
And the carpet will have its own voice.
The King sits on his throne.
"This is Ashmodai's carpet -
Of the king and master of the demons.
Go to be paid.
And all of you go and rest.
Leave me. I want to be alone."
And all left. And he remained alone
With the miraculous carpet near him
Solomon, the Great King.
"Well, as you see, everyone left.
What do you want from me, Ashmodai?"
"Oh! Just a simple thing I seek, king.
For you to come with me and together
To go and see something that is worth seeing."
"Let go of your many words
And clearly say what you seek from me."
"I know you well, king. And I know
Thai l<> my temptation you will not resist
You are not a coward and you shall not want
To avoid coming with me.
Come, then, and I'll tell you on the way".
"You speak with wise Solomon.
And you know well that before
I say or do something
I've thought much about it. If wisdom
Must be overlooked by courage,
It is me who will decide it.
Tell me, then-what you want from me".
"Tomorrow, king, is for you
And for the city and for you people The biggest hour of you life.
Tomorrow you begin building
The temple into which you and your people
Will worship your one and only God.
Come with me. I want to show you
What disasters await your temple.
And with it the people and the city.
The city that you want to brighten building it.
And when you see how bad instead of good
You will bring to what you loved
Perhaps you will change you mind
And you will not build this temple.
A demon might once in its life
Do a good deed".
"Although what you just said is a blasphemy,
Although I await no good from you
I will come with you Ashmodai -
I will climb - yes - onto your carpet.
Because I'll be wiser when I come back.
Let's go then. But will you appear before me
Or will you converse with me
Through this nice carpet, throughout the trip?"
"I prefer this, because the weight of a demon
not even a demon itself could bear.
Step on, king. We are leaving."
And the big trip began.
And while it seemed that the carpet run,
It didn't. The stars, clouds and birds run instead.
And Ashmodai spoke:
"Look how your temple is deserted
Which you built bringing cedars from Lebanon
and builders from the king of Sidon.
Not even one hundred years past since your death
And look how desolate your temple is.
Its priests built other temples
And other gods worship within them."
And Solomon looked and saw.
And saw Jewish priests offer
Sacrifices to Astoreth and to Baal.
"Zejabel, our new queen,
Brought with her even the gods
That her compatriots were worshiping,
Over in Assyria, in Sidon".
Solomon said:*'Our God
For which we are the chosen people,
That has taken us out Egypt,
That has helped us become a state
Big and respectable by all,
That god my people have forgotten?
Bring me down Ashmodai.
I shall speak to them. I shall correct them.
And if not, with my own hands
I shall destroy their dirty idols
Like another Moses". At once,
The carpet found itself on the ground.
With a bright look and quick step
And stood before the lawless priests.
"Who had given, wounds in Egypt?
Who saved Moses from the waves?
Who fed us with the manna in the desert?
Who divided the sea in two
And your ancestors came up to here?
And were your fathers foolish
That they have built the great temple
That you have now abandoned
And sacrifice foolishly to Baal?"
But no priest heard him.
They respectfully bowed to Baal
And offered wheat to Astoreth.
Solomon, then, angrily
Reaches the hand, and the gold idol
Rushes to throw down.
But his hand went through the idol
And it was still standing.
Then Solomon understood -
It was nothing but a shadow.
"It is late for you to do something now
What you can only do is
Not to build that temple".
"But even if some priests of ours
Took the wrong turn
Someone must help them
Find the right path again.
If you want to continue the trip,
Show me everything Ashmodai.
Else you are mocking me, and it is not just.
Tell me then. They truly forgot the temple
Those who believed to god still?
Impossible! I know my people".
"Noone did anything.
All accepted the new situation
And all gave in to the idols".
And a female voice was heard:
"Lies! No Solomon! It wasn't like that!
If some priests surrendered,
The flame did not extinguish from your people..
They did not forget the one god.
Tell the truth, vile Ashmodai!"
And the demon's soul shook:
"Who dared come on my carpet without me knowing?"
"I very well recognize her voice.
These words were spoken by Truth.
Do you forget that I am a judge Ashmodai?
And I so much love the Truth
And I so much seek it every day
That she finally got used to me,
And does not part my side.
And it is my that she followed,
Not you, on this trip I decided to make.
Tell me, therefore, the truth, Ashmodai.
Did my people remain into the impiety?"
"In a carpet, I with Truth...
Let it be. Get on my carpet and do not
ask to walk down again
Since with your own eyes you saw
That for them you are a shadow.
Here is, then, what happened with these".
And pictures came to the king's eyes,
Pictures of happiness and hope.
And words sweetly caressed his ears,
That were full of honey and light.
And he saw prophets that criticized
The kings for their unlawful deeds.
And "tell me" the king asked Ashmodai
"Did they return to the true faith,
The lawless priests and my people?"
"True!.. But yes, they returned
And from the prophets, two, the biggest ones,
Isaiah and Jeremiah,
Made your capital, Jerusalem, the city
That you have enlightened with your temple,
Become the spiritual and moral center
Of the future western world.
But come and see what happened later
To Jerusalem and your people
And to the temple that you want to build.
While if you change your decision
Then your people's faith,
Not having a place to hold onto,
Will wilt
And the people will have no strength
To believe in its one and only god.
And all gave in to the idols".
And a female voice was heard:
"Lies! No Solomon! It wasn't like that!
If some priests surrendered,
The flame did not extinguish from your people..
They did not forget the one god.
Tell the truth, vile Ashmodai!"
And the demon's soul shook:
"Who dared come on my carpet without me knowing?"
"I very well recognize her voice.
These words were spoken by Truth.
Do you forget that I am a judge Ashmodai?
And I so much love the Truth
And I so much seek it every day
That she finally got used to me,
And does not part my side.
And it is my that she followed,
Not you, on this trip I decided to make.
Tell me, therefore, the truth, Ashmodai.
Did my people remain into the impiety?"
"In a carpet, I with Truth...
Let it be. Get on my carpet and do not
ask to walk down again
Since with your own eyes you saw
That for them you are a shadow.
Here is, then, what happened with these".
And pictures came to the king's eyes,
Pictures of happiness and hope.
And words sweetly caressed his ears,
That were full of honey and light.
And he saw prophets that criticized
The kings for their unlawful deeds.
And "tell me" the king asked Ashmodai
"Did they return to the true faith,
The lawless priests and my people?"
"True!.. But yes, they returned
And from the prophets, two, the biggest ones,
Isaiah and Jeremiah,
Made your capital, Jerusalem, the city
That you have enlightened with your temple,
Become the spiritual and moral center
Of the future western world.
But come and see what happened later
To Jerusalem and your people
And to the temple that you want to build.
While if you change your decision
Then your people's faith,
Not having a place to hold onto,
Will wilt
And the people will have no strength
To believe in its one and only go
And your people will become one
With the Sidonians or Babylonians,
Or the Tyrians or the Egyptians.
And the Jews will disappear as a nation
And will not suffer exiles,
Persecutions and torments and bitterness".
"Did my people go into exile again?"
"Look and see with your own eyes".
And the carpet was suspended
And to Solomon appeared
Scenes of shudder and landscapes of a nightmare
The city burned from one side to the other.
Walls, temple, palace, desolate.
Nothing was standing in its place.
Not even the streets showed,
The ones previously full of merchants
And their exotic objects.
And an endless line of people
Was on its way to exile,
Suffering and tired.
He reached his hand to them
As if he wanted to help them
Or, the king, to console them...
But he remembered that it would be useless.
And only asked Ashmodai:
"And who has done this?"
"The Babylonians and their king -
The glorious Nebuchadnezzar.
And your people remained in exile
For seventy years."
"My loved, poor people!
But let's go.
Let us leave this place.
I cannot bear to see such sight."
"You shall see more - only have heart."
And the carpet moved again.
And the voice of Truth said again:
"Stop here for my king to see."
And the carpet stopped. And Solomon
Saw, with the horses and cattle
That grazed on the thick grass,
Also a human. And he had a crown
On his bent head.
"Who is this that eats grass
Bending his head like the animals?"
Ashmodai unwillingly told him:
"King Nebuchadnezzar.
This is how god has punished him
For the things he did to your people.
Let us move, however, forward..
And here is your city
In the hands of enemies that came from the West.
And see your temple, too, decorated
With statues of foreign gods.
They raised idols inside your temple!
Will you build one that will end up like this?"
And inside his own temple he saw
Statues of gods unknown to him.
And his priests worshipping them...
Within this, his own temple!
And "Ashmodai", the king asks,
"Which are the people who believe in those gods
And how did they reach Jerusalem?"
"Greeks believe in these gods
And they themselves brought them here."
"And these Greeks, tell me who are they?"
"It is a pagan people that has pushed aside
Faith in gods and believes in the human
And his mind only.
And in philosophy they seek to find
What is their origin and destiny.
And they are famous the world over
Because Stupidity has crowned them -
Them and their ideas and their writings
With the crown of cleverness".
"And did my people come out of this suffering
And was he saved, and held his own?"
"Here is Matathias. A priest.
He is the beginning for what followed
And the answer to your question."
And the king sees the priest,
Old and white from the years,
That to the invaders says:
"No, I do not sacrifice to your gods.
There is just one god, the Lord.
Only to him I will offer.
Not only incense and grain
But my own life.
And if not today me, here
Someone else will quickly chase
from Israel you and your gods.
And immediately the pagans kill him.
"His sons, however, were able to run away
And sent away the enemy - the Maccabeans.
And we're about seven hundred years from your death,
But, behold! I will tear yet another veil
And on history's scene you will see
The most terrible of all;
Here!" And before him the dark opens up
And Solomon looks into his temple.
And sees mad soldiers
Slaughter priests inside his temple
While they performed their duty.
Blood was everywhere.
And on this blood walked
The leader of the pagans
And entered the Holy of Holy of the temple.
"This city your father built,
And you have made it impregnable.
And you want to built this temple -
For every foreigner to desecrate".
"Let us get away from this".
"Let us get away. But we do not go far.
Just a few years forward."
Here is your city built from nothing
And here is your temple again erected.
But see up, in front
What covers it with wings?"
"An eagle". "Yes. It is of the Romans.
A people taught by Greeks
And here is their eagle on your temple
Symbol of the strength of the non-believers.
There, golden, he stands
So that there is no hope for your people
To carry out what they want
In their country".
"And is this how my temple will remain?"
"I say it before Truth.
The Pharisees threw down the eagle
And were immediately killed.
But come now, I'll take you somewhere,
Tell me if you recognize the place.
Fly, my carpet, a few more years, and stay.
Tell me, what do you see?"
This is Jerusalem, surely.
But in the place of my temple
I see another one erected.
But even the people inside the city...
The people... are not Israelites...
Was this the end of all?"
"It is not allowed for the Jews
To enter their own city".
"So, the Israelites were not lost!
Let the Lord have glory!" "They exist. And returned
And again in Jerusalem lived.
But again, foreigners in their own home.
Now, two hundred years ahead
Jerusalem became Christian."
"What is Christian? What other evil
Hit my city and my people?"
"A charlatan from Galilee -
Christ - made a new religion.
A heretic. And behaved irresponsibly.
He was found in the land of ices,
And sought fire from people - '
He sought from people love".
"If other things like this you have to show,
It is better for this trip to end.
Many are the disasters I've seen so far.
I don't want others like these to see".
"I'd have much more to show you.
And I have neglected just as many.
But I will tell you only with words
What was the disasters' continuation
That hit your unlucky people".
"And till what time will you narrate?"
"Till three thousand years since the moment
That you have closed your earthly eyes".
"Only till then your knowledge goes?
The head-demon knows no more?"
"I'll go up to then, because tbsn is when
This work is being written -
And as you see, with haste,
Seeking to finish before
The celebration for the three thousand years
From the time Jerusalem was built from David.
And I'm not telling but whatever
Its writer orders me to" say.
After the Christians came the Persians.
And th en the Arabs took over.
And '.' •., ,a fee Seltzuk Turks
And then the Ottoman Turks next..."
"But for a while let us stop
Our strenuous run.
Because as we quickly fly
I saw a strange thing down there.
What are these fires, Ashmodai, that
Do not warm, but cool the world?
And scatter darkness instead of light?"
"It is Europe that, been raised
By the Greeks' wise ideas
Your sacred books burns".
"Of the Israelites?" "Yes. Of the Jews.
And it is the sixteenth century".
"Oh! How I am sorry for Europe!"
"Your show pity instead of hate?
Any way. Let us continue. What was I saying?"
For some Ottoman Turks you spoke".
"Yes. And all these conquerors
Are people that you do not know.
They came from the East.
And each has his god.
And in Jerusalem each one
A big temple built to his god.
And all people have each taken
From your city one piece
And in there worship their god.
And the Jews, having no choice
Left and scattered in earth's every corner.
But everywhere all were after them
Until two hundred years from now
A democratic country of the world
Saw with a clear eye all around
And amid so many things it did
That changed your world's face
Something did, still, that
Her and your people hds benefitled:..
It took the people of your people
To be equal citizens
Like her own people..
And now is the time for me to take you
And leave you back into the palace.
You have a big decision to make after
What I've shown you tonight.
Before this, however, something else.
Because you must not think
That something changed for your people.
Come and see what in the heart of Europe happened
Where the Jews were found chased.
Fifty only years ago
And do you know for who? Not from those
That their god orders them with hate,
But from the Christian, that their god
Love - imagine - asks".
And Solomon looked and saw
Ovens that burned inside them Jews
And saw Jewish children suffering from hunger.
And saw camps of terror and shudder.
And saw a murderous cross that Chose and killed Jews.
Solomon closed his eyes.
And when he opened them again,
He was in his palace.
And before him Was the wonderful carpet.
And it said: "You saw what the Jews will suffer
From their faith and your temple.
Now the decision is yours".
And Truth spoke and said:
"What Ashmodai said is true.
And there are other evils that he did not mention.
But little has he spoken for goods.
You must therefore know, Solomon,
That amid these many disasters
Your people have never stopped
Fighting for freedom.
Also that the faith in your god,
The one, the true and eternal,
Is held always indistinguishable
Wherever in exile the hatred of people has sent them.
And only God knows that
It is me that cares most
That from this world this faith must not disappear.
Because the only thing that along with others
And saw camps of terror and shudder.
And saw a murderous cross that Chose and killed Jews.
Solomon closed his eyes.
And when he opened them again,
He was in his palace.
And before him Was the wonderful carpet.
And it said: "You saw what the Jews will suffer
From their faith and your temple.
Now the decision is yours".
And Truth spoke and said:
"What Ashmodai said is true.
And there are other evils that he did not mention.
But little has he spoken for goods.
You must therefore know, Solomon,
That amid these many disasters
Your people have never stopped
Fighting for freedom.
Also that the faith in your god,
The one, the true and eternal,
Is held always indistinguishable
Wherever in exile the hatred of people has sent them.
And only God knows that
It is me that cares most
That from this world this faith must not disappear.
Because the only thing that along with others
Within it contains me,
Is the god of Israel.
And if the idea of the god is lost
I go with it, lost, too.
Because - let him be well - Ashmodai
Has brought people to lies.
And their whole life is a lie
And anything that in it blossoms.
Even their conception of the world
Is from many lies made:
They have two eyes - they say Space exists.
They have memory - they say Time exists.
They think - they conclude that they exist.
Let me stop my words, though.
Whatever I had to say, I think I said".
And king Solomon said:
"A dead horse noone beats.
A have no need for much thought
To make my decision.
Before all this you showed me, Ashmodai,
Maybe something else were to happen
For me to change my mind at the last minute.
Now, however, my mind I'll not change.
Since the temple helps my people
Keep their faith strong,
Then the temple will be made.
My heart broke to see
All the calamities my people went through.
But what honor! What fame and what glory
For my people to be the only one
That has the great responsibility
To keep on the earth the divine flame!
On this earth the Israelites
Must exist and will exist
As many Greeces as might fight them,
And as many Romans as may burn their temples.
And as trimming makes a tree
New and strong every year
In this way the chase that we are subjected to
Will renew our existence.
It is a pity that my city is divided
Among people that have built
Their altars, inside it, each one.
But on the other hand -oh! what glory -
One only city in all the world
To be considered worthy by religions
And to make it a home for their gods -
Even if they are fakes, as they are;
But it is what they hold their most sacred -
And here, they hold it in my city!
I shall built my temple, Ashmodai.
Temple and Jerusalem and Jews Are indivisible a trinity
And one gains strength from others
And all together hold the people standing.
Ah! When the Jew fights
He does not fight only for his own
Bui foi the world's all countries!
Ah! If I could whatever I feel inside me
To make a feeling of every Jew!..
Come Ashmodai, take your carpet.
Thank you for what you have taught me".
And the carpet without another word
Got up and flew to the darkness.
And Solomon went to sleep -
Really, he had much to do tomorrow.
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