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This post presents medieval Spanish Jewish physician poet and philosopher Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s poem “Jerusalem,” translated to English by Robert Mezey. The poem expresses his deep desire to return to the holy city of Jerusalem. He died shortly after arriving in the Land of Israel in 1141.
Jerusalem
Beautiful heights, city of a great King,
From the western coast my desire burns towards thee.
Pity and tenderness burst in me, remembering
Thy former glories, thy temple now broken stones.
I wish I could fly to thee on the wings of an eagle
And mingle my tears with thy dust.
I have sought thee, love, though the King is not there
And instead of Gilead’s balm, snakes and scorpions.
Let me fall on thy broken stones and tenderly kiss them—
The taste of thy dust will be sweeter than honey to me.