✕
Original lyrics
שיר סיום
א.
כְּבָר הַשָּׁעָה מְאֻחֶרֶת.
עוֹד מְעַט אוֹרוֹת לַיְלָה כָּבִים.
עוֹד מְעַט תִּהְיֶה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת
וּפִתְאֹם יֶחֶוְרוּ עָלִים,
וְאֶרֶץ וְשָׁמַיִם חֶרֶשׁ
יַתְחִילוּ לְהַחֲלִיף פָּנִים.
כְּבָר הַשָּׁעָה מְאֻחֶרֶת
אַךְ מַעְגָּל לֹא נֶחְתַּם.
מְנוֹרָה וְאֵשׁ מְבֹעֶרֶת
מְאִירוֹת שׁוּלָיו שֶׁל יָם.
עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ, הָרְקִיעִים,
אִישׁוֹנָם רָחָב, פָּקוּחַ.
הַכּוֹכָב, הַמֶּרְחָב, הָרְגָעִים,
עֵרִים. כׇּל סֵפֶר פָּתוּחַ.
עוֹד קְצָת אֲנָשִׁים, פֹּה, שָׁם,
עוֹבְרִים בְּדִשְׁדּוּשׁ נְעָלִים
בִּסְטַמְבּוּל שֶׁאֵינָה מָשָׁל,
כִּי אִם אַחַד הַנִּמְשָׁלִים.
הַנָּשׁוּב בַּפַּעַם הַמֵּאָה
חֵלֶק בַּדְּבָרִים לִטֹּל?
בְעוֹדֶנּוּ מְחַוִּים דֵּעָה
נֶהְפַּךְ לַיְלָה זֶה לִתְמוֹל.
ב.
לֹא כׇּל הַמְּסֻפָּר חָשׁוּב.
הַרְבֵּה מִן הֶחָשׁוּב חָסֵר.
גַּם הַדָּבָר הַכָּתוּב
מֵחָדָשׁ מְחַכֶּה לִמְחַבֵּר.
צָרִיךְ יִהְיֶה אוּלַי לָשׁוּב.
אִישׁ אָחֵר אֶל עֶרֶב אָחֵר.
ג.
כְּבָר הַשָּׁעָה מְאֻחֶרֶת.
רַבִּים נָמִים לַעֲיֵפָה.
עִיר רֵיקָה וּכְמוֹ מוּאֶרֶת
מִסּוֹפָה וְעַד סוֹפָה.
הַגּוּף הָעוֹצֵם עֵינַיִם
אֵינוֹ יָרֵא בִנְפֹל שֵׁנָה,
בִּהְיוֹת אֲדָמָה וְשָׁמַיִם
נִלְקָחִים מִמֶּנּוּ כִּנְשָׁמֶה.
כִּי אֵלָיו יַחְזְרוּ יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן,
בְּחֶמְלָה רַבָּה, בֶאֱמוּנָה.
ד.
נִפְלָאִים חַיֵּי הַיָּשֵׁן
שֶׁאֵינָם מוּאָרִים בְּנֵר.
שׁוֹטְפִים כְמַחֲנֶה צוֹעֵן
בְּלִי קוֹל מְצַוֶּה וְגוֹעֵר.
עֲרוּכִים כְּעִיר מְלוּכָה
אֵין בָּהּ אִישׁ. רַק דִּינֶיהָ צוֹפִים
הֲלִיכוֹת וְרַק כְּלֵי הַמְּלָאכָה
יוֹצְאִים לְפׇעֳלָם דּחוּפִים.
נִפְלָאִים חַיֵּי הַיָּשֵׁן,
חוֹפְזִים בְּלַחַשׁ מְפַעְפֵּעַ,
מְמַלְמְלִים, אָצִים לְהִמָּשֵׁךְ,
לֹא לְהִפָּסֵק וּלְהִשָּכֵחַ,
וְהַכֹּל שׁוֹקֵק וְנוֹשֵׁם
וְהוֹמֶה בִּמְרוּצַת דָּם וָלֵחַ.
נִפְלָאִים חַיֵּי הַיָּשֵׁן
בְּעוֹד עוֹר תַּחַת עוֹר צוֹמֵחַ.
חוּשָׁיו אֵינָם רוֹאִים, אֵינָם שׁוֹמְעִים,
אֵינָם חוֹמְדִים, אֵינָם שְׁלוּחִים לָגַעַת.
רַק מֹחוֹ, כִּבְחֶשְׁכַת עוֹלָמִים,
רוֹבֵץ מְצֻנָּף כִּפְקַעַת,
גּוֹמֵעַ דָּמִים חַמִּים
הַבָּאִים בְּחׇפְזָה, בְּשַׁעַט.
כׇּל זִכָּרוֹן נִמְחָה,
סוֹעֶרֶת מְצוּלָה אֵין קֶצֶף.
נִשְׁאַר רַק הַחֹמֶר הַחַי,
הַפּוֹעֵם־וְשׁוֹהֶה בְּקֶצֶב,
הָאָדֹם, הַסּוֹאֵן, הַחַם,
הַפָּעוּר בָּעוֹלָם כְּפֶצַע,
כִּי תִיעַף וְתֶחְדַּל הֲמִית יָם,
אֲבָל הוּא לֹא יִכְלֶה עַד נֶצַח.
וְנִשְׁאַר רַק סֻלַּם הַוְּרִידִים,
שֶׁהֻצַּב, רֹאשׁוֹ בַּשָּׁמַיִם,
וְצָנַח. מַלְאָכִים וְשֵׁדִים
נָטְשׁוּהוּ. נִשְׁאַר הַקַּיִץ,
שֶׁכֹּחוֹ מְלַחֵשׁ כְּאוּדִים,
וּמָה עוֹד? עוֹד דָּבָר אוֹ שְׁנַיִם.
וְנִשְׁאֶרֶת גַּם אַתְּ. עַכְשָׁו
אוֹתָךְ, אֶת כֻּלֵּךְ, בְּלִי אֹמֶר
מְמַלְמֵל דְּכִי חַיַּי. הוּא לָךְ אָב.
אַתְּ אׇשְׁרוֹ הַנּוֹתֵן בּוֹ כֹבֶד.
שֶׁמֶשׁ בָּא, יָרֵחַ נֶאֱסַף.
אֵין אוֹר עַד שׁוּבָם, אַךְ אֵין חֹשֶׁךְ.
בַּלַּיְלָה, בְּבוֹא חֲלוֹמוֹת,
לֹא אוֹתָךְ בָּם אֶרְאֶה. אֵין פָּנַיִךְ
עוֹלוֹת בַּחֲלוֹם, כְּמוֹ
הַגּוּפִים הַקַּלִּים מִן הַמַּיִם.
כָּעוֹפֶרֶת צָלַלְתְּ בִּי. דָּמוֹ
שֶׁל לִבִּי לֹא מֵסִיר מִמֵּךְ עַיִן.
ה.
וּדְבָרִים שֶׁל עִקָּר – אֵינָם
שְׁאֵלָה אַחֲרוֹנָה, אוֹ דְבַר פֵּשֶׁר,
אוֹ תַכְלִית אֲמוּרָה. הֵם קֶשֶׁב.
כִּי הִנֵּה קוֹל דְּמָמָה רִאשׁוֹנָה
קָם סָבִיב, אַךְ אֵין זוֹ חוֹמָה,
זוֹ שְׁתִיקַת עַמּוּדֵי הַגֶּשֶׁר
שֶׁנָּשָׂא כׇל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה
אֶת רִיצַת הָעוֹלָם הַנּוֹאֶשֶׁת.
זוֹ דְמָמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ רִחוּק.
אֵין הִיא סְגוֹר. קִנְאָתָהּ אַחֶרֶת.
קִנְאַת כֹּחַ מוּדָע וְנָחוּשׁ
הַגּוֹרֵר וְהוֹפֵךְ חֲמַת־יוֹם שֶׁבָּחוּץ
לְחֵלֶק מלב־וָקֶרֶב,
לְרִקְמַת עֲצָבִים בּוֹעֵרֵת.
ו.
וּפַעַם אַחַת, אולי,
כְּמוֹ לִפְעָמִים, יִשָּׁאֵר,
נִצְנוּצוֹ שֶׁל הִרְהוּר אַחֲרוֹן, כִּילַי,
רוֹבֵץ עֵר. עֲרֵמַת צְרוֹרוֹתָיו שׁוֹמֵר.
הֶחְכִּים לֹא לָחוּס עַל אִבּוּד יָמָיו.
שׁוֹמֵר הֲבָלָיו שֶׁהֵם דָּמָיו.
כִּילַי חָכָם. הֵבִין
כִּי לֹא לַהֲנָאָה נוֹצְרוּ דְּבָרִים.
כִּי אִם לִצְבֹּר אוֹתָם. לִשְׁמָם. כְּדֵי
לָדַעַת כִּי יֶשְׁנָם. הֵבִין הֵיטֵב.
כִּילַי פִּקֵּחַ. צוֹפִיָּה עֵינוֹ.
לְרֶגַע נִבְהָל. מַתְחִיל לִמְנוֹת.
מוֹנֶה מְהֵרָה, בְּלִי דָּלֵּג עַל פְּרוּטָה,
אֲגוֹרוֹת, דִּינָרִים, רִגְבֵי עָפָר,
מְאוֹרוֹת, אוֹתִיּוֹת. רוֹאֶה כֶּי לֹא טָעָה.
נִרְגָּע. לְתָמִיד, אוֹ לִזְמָן קָצָר.
Submitted by 
An Cat Dubh on 2024-01-31
An Cat Dubh on 2024-01-31Last edited by An Cat Dubh on 2024-03-26
An Cat Dubh on 2024-03-26Translation
Finishing Song
A.
It is already late at night.
Soon the night lights will turn off.
Soon there will be another wind1
And suddenly leaves will turn pale,
And the land and sky will silently
Begin to change their appearance.
It is already late at night,
But the circle is not yet completed.
Lamp and lit fire
Light up the edges of the sea.
The dust of the earth, the heavens—
Their pupils are wide open.
The stars, the spaces, the moments
Are awake. Every book is open.
A few more people, here, there,
Are passing by in idle shoes
Through Stamboul, which is no parable,
But one of the parables’ subjects.
Shall we, for the hundredth time, return
To take part in things?
As we express our opinion
This night turns into yesterday.
B.
Not all that is told is important.
Much of what is important is missing.
Even what is written
Is waiting anew for an author.
It may be necessary to return.
Another man to another evening.
C.
It is already late at night.
The sleepers are exhaustingly many.
A city is empty, and is as if lit up
From one end to the other.
The body shutting its eyes
Fears not upon slumber falling,
When land and sky are
Taken from him like a soul.
Because they shall return to him ex nihilo
With much compassion, in faith.2
D.
Wondrous is the life of a sleeper,
Unlit by candle.
They wash over like a wandering encampment
With no voice commanding and berating.
It3 is set up like a royal city
With no-one therein. Only its laws 4 oversee
Social customs, and only the work tools
Urgently go out for their work.
Wondrous is the life of a sleeper,
Scurrying in a bubbling whisper,
Mumbling, rushing to be continued,
Not to be stopped and forgotten,
And everything is bustling and breathing
And abuzz in the rapid movement of blood and freshness.
Wondrous is the life of a sleeper
As skin grows beneath skin.5
His senses do not see, do not hear,
Do not covet, do not reach out to touch.
Only his mind, as if in cosmic darkness,
Lies there, bundled up like a cocoon,
Gulping down warm bloods
That come scurrying, galloping.
Every memory is erased,
The foamless depths rage in a storm.
All that remains is the living matter,
Beating and dwelling in the rhythm,
Red, bustling, warm,
Gaping in the world like a wound,
For the roaring of the sea shall grow weary and cease,
But it6 shall never deplete.
And all that remains is the ladder of veins,
Placed with it top in the sky,7
And tumbled down. Angels and demons
Have abandoned it. The summer remains,
Its power whispering like firebrands,
And what else? Another thing or two.
And you,8 too, remain. Now
You, all of you, without words,
Are mumbled by surge of waves of my life. It is a father unto you.
You are its joy, which gives it gravity.
Sun has come, moon has been gathered.9
There is no light until they return, but there is no darkness.
At night, when dreams come,
I shall not see you therein. Your face does not
Come up in a dream, like
Bodies lighter than water.
You sank within me like lead.10 The blood
Of my heart will not look away from you.
E.
And crucial things—those are not
A final question, or a meaning,
Or a stated purpose. They are attention.
For lo, the sound of the initial silence11
Rises about, but it is no wall,
It is the silence of the pillars of the bridge
Which, all year long, has carried
The desperate running of the world.
It is a silence that is no distancing.
It is no cover. Its jealousy is different.
The jealousy of a force that is aware and determined
That drags the wrath of daytime along and turns it
Into a part of one’s heart and guts,
Into burning nerve tissue.
F.
And once, perhaps,
As is so occasionally, there shall remain
The flickering of a final miser of a pondering,
Lying awake, guarding its pile of cash.
It has wisely not pitied the loss of its days.
It guards its vanities, which make up its wealth.
A wise miser. It has understood
That things re not meant to be enjoyed.
But rather, to be accumulated. For their own sake. In order
To know that they are there. It has understood well.
A wide miser. Its eye is watchful.
For a moment it is startled. It begins to tally.
Tallying quickly, without skipping a penny,
Agorot,12 dinars, clods of dust,
Sources of light, letters. It sees that it has not made a mistake.
It calms down. For good, or for a short while.
- 1. The late Mrs. Siman-Tov’s spirit manifested shortly beforehand as a gust of wind (note that in Hebrew, ‘ghost/spirit’ and ‘wind’ are the same word) to stop Woldarski from killng Misha.
- 2. See: mode ani.
- 3. I.e., the sleeper’s life. The original makes it clear through agreement: ‘life’ is plurale tantum in Hebrew, and the adjective ‘set up’ is in the plural as well.
- 4. I.e., the city’s. The noun ‘city’ is feminine in Hebrew, and ‘its cities’ is literally given as ‘her cities’.
- 5. Compare Job 2:4.
- 6. The memory: it is a masculine noun in Hebrew, but ‘roaring’ is feminine, and ‘it’ here corresponds to ‘he’ in the original.
- 7. A reference to Jacob’s Ladder.
- 8. Feminine singular ‘you’—this can either be a person, possibly Miriam Helen or Alterman’s own daughter Tirtza Atar (cf. ‘Song of Guarding’, poem no. 10 in the same book), or a grammatically feminine noun, such as ‘poetry’ or ‘city’.
- 9. The expression ‘gathered unto his people’ is used to mean ‘passed away’, stemming from the First Temple era custom of gathering the bones of deceased people from upper class families in family ossuaries once they no longer have flesh on them.
- 10. Cf. the Song of the Sea, specifically Exodus 15:10.
- 11. Compare 1 Kings 19:11–2.
- 12. 0.01 of an Israeli pound, now of a New Israeli Shekel.
✕
Natan Alterman: Top 3
| 1. | ליל חניה (Lel Xanaya) |
| 2. | שיר בוקר (Shir Boker) |
| 3. | קונצרטינה וגיטרה (Koncertina veGitara) |
Idioms from "שיר סיום"
| 1. | Ex nihilo |
Comments
About translator
השיר האחרון, ה־45 במספר, מתוך ”חגיגת קיץ”.