Page:Chapters on Jewish literature (IA chaptersonjewish00abra).pdf/115

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THE SPANISH-JEWISH POETS
111

Wondrous are thy works, O Lord of hosts,
And their greatness holds ny soul in thrall.
Thine the glory is, the power divine,
Thine the majesty, the kingdom thine,
Thou supreme, exalted over all. ********* Thou art One. the first great cause of all;
Thou act One, and none can penetrate,
Not even the wise in heart, the mystery
Of thy unfathomable Unity;
Thou art One, the infinitely great,

But man can perceive that the power of God makes him great to pardon. If he see it not now, he will hereafter.

Thou art light: pure souls shall thee behold,
Save when mists of evil Intervene.
Thou art light, that, in this world concealed,
in the world to come shall be revealed;
In the mount of God it shall be seen.

And so the poet in one of the final hymns of the “Royal Crown,” filled with a sense of his own unworthiness, hopefully abandons himself to God:

My God, I know that those who plead
To thee for grace and mercy need
All their good works should go before,
And wait for them at heaven's high door.
But no good deeds have I to bring,
No righteousness for offering,
No service for my Lord and King.