Week 7 (Book 7): The Swallow is Saying

 B”H

The Swallow is saying, 

Remember the days of old; reflect upon the years of [other] generations.

So that my soul shall praise You, and shall not be silent,

The Almighty is revered in the great assembly of the holy ones, 

In his shade I delighted and sat, and his fruit was sweet to my palate.

Rejoice in the Lord and exult, you righteous ones! 

He brought me to the banquet hall, 

Sing joyously, all you upright of heart!

And his attraction to me [was symbolic of his] love.     

Awe-inspiring to all who surround Him. 

G-d my Lord – I shall give thanks to You forever.

And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of Hashem 

As a rose among the thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters.

Ask your father, and he will tell you; your elders, and they will inform you.

As an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the sons; 

And out of His abode He hears my voice, and my cry enters His ears. 

And with Your great pride You tear down those who rise up against You; 

For the Conductor, a psalm by David. 

Yes I call upon my G-d: 

You send forth Your burning wrath; 

Fortunate is he who is thoughtful of the poor, 

When I am in distress, I call upon the Lord, 

So she vexed her; therefore she wept, and would not eat.   

The G-d of Israel. In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,

[For] the Lord will save him on the day of evil. 

Many are the agonies of the wicked, 

It devours them like straw.

But he who trusts in the Lord is surrounded by kindness. 

This (was at) Sinai, because of the presence of the Lord, 

Week 6 (Book 7): The Songbird is Saying

 B”H

The Songbird is saying, 

The songbird has also found her home, 

Your right hand, O Lord, is most powerful;

Your altars, G-d of Hosts 

The mountains melted at the presence of the Lord

Bands of the nether world have surrounded me; 

Is this how you repay Hashem, 

The snares of death confronted me

You disgraceful, unwise people?! 

Surround me with songs of deliverance forever. 

And the sparrow a nest for herself, 

The beams of our houses are cedars; 

Where she may lay her young 

My King and my Lord. 

Is He not your Father, your Master? 

Your right hand, O Lord, crushes the foe.

You are a refuge to me; protect me from distress; 

He has made you and established you. 

Our corridors are cypresses.

Indeed, who in heaven can be compared to the Lord 

Also our couch is leafy.

And her rival vexed her sore, to make her fret, 

That must be muzzled with bit and bridle 

Also the clouds dripped water.

In the path you should go

Be not like a horse, like a mule, senseless, 

Because Hashem had shut up her womb.

When being adorned, so that it not come near you. 

Behold, you are comely, my beloved, yea pleasant; 

I will enlighten you and educate you 

I am a rose of Sharon, a rose of the valleys.

I will advise you with what I have seen. 

Who among the supernal beings can be likened to the Lord!

Week 5 (Book 7): The Crane is Saying

 B”H

The Crane is saying, 

Give thanks to G-d with the lyre; 

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;  

Then the heavens will extol Your wonders, O Lord

Behold, you are comely, my beloved; 

For the pains of death have encompassed me; 

My marrow became [dry] as the droughts of summer, Selah. 

And the elite of his officers sank in the Red Sea. 

A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me; 

Between my breasts he shall lie.         

My sin I made known to You, my iniquity I did not cover. 

But unto Hannah he gave a double portion; 

For he loved Hannah, but Hashem had shut up her womb.

   

Streams of scoundrels would affright me. 

You crooked and twisted generation. 

The depths covered them;

Indeed, the flood of many waters will not reach him. 

They descended into the depths like a stone.

Destruction is not His; it is His children's defect 

At a time when You may be found; 

Behold, you are comely; your eyes are like doves.  

Make music for Him with the ten-stringed harp. 

The earth trembled, the heavens also dripped;

Your faithfulness, too, in the congregation of the holy ones.

And You have forgiven the iniquity of my transgression forever. 

A cluster of henna-flowers is my beloved to me, 

When You marched out of the field of Edom, 

For this let every pious man pray to You, 

In the vineyards of Ein-Gedi."

          

I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" 

 

Week 4 (Book 7): The Eagle is Saying

 B”H

The Eagle is saying, 

And You, G-d, Lord of Hosts, Lord of Israel, 

A faithful God, without injustice He is righteous and upright. 

With praise, I call to the Lord, for from my enemies I shall be saved. 

Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea,

Awake to [remember] all the nations; 

The Lord is a Master of war; the Lord is His Name. 

The deeds of the [Mighty] Rock are perfect, 

For all His ways are just[ice]; 

Lord, when You went forth out of Seir,

Do not be gracious to any wicked traitors, sela!" 

Make known to me the path of life, 

Your cheeks are comely with rows, your neck with necklaces.     

And it came to pass upon a day, when Elkanah sacrificed, 

With the bliss of Your right hand forever.

Praiseworthy is the man to whom the Lord ascribes no iniquity

And in whose spirit there is no guile.

I shall sing to the Lord, the G-d of Israel.

That he gave to Peninnah his wife, 

And to all her sons and her daughters, portions;

Whose sin is concealed. 

 

When I was silent, 

While the king was still at his table, 

My spikenard gave forth its fragrance.

My bones decayed with my moaning all day long.

 

Praiseworthy is he whose transgression is forgiven, 

That I may be satiated with the joy of Your presence, 

We will make you rows of gold with studs of silver.   

Of David, a maskil 

 

Week 3 (Book 7): The Dove is Saying

 B”H

The Dove is saying: 

Like a swift or crane, so do I chatter; 

Hear, O kings, give ear, O princes;

When I call out the name of the Lord, 

Ascribe greatness to our G-d. 

The G-d of my father, and I will ascribe to Him exaltation.

The dove says before The Holy One, Blessed be He, 

[He is] my savior Who saves me from violence. 

To worship and to sacrifice unto Hashem of hosts in Shiloh. 

I moan like a dove, my eyes fail with looking upward; 

G-d is my rock, under whom I take cover; 

This is my G-d, and I will make Him a habitation, 

I have set the Lord before me at all times 

O G-d, I am oppressed, be my security." 

My shield, and the horn of my salvation, 

I, to the Lord I shall sing,

And this man went up out of his city from year to year 

Tell me, you whom my soul loves, 

You will not allow Your pious one to see purgatory.

May my sustenance be as bitter as an olive in Your hands, 

Rather than it being sweet as honey through flesh and blood. 

"Master of the World! 

My support, and my refuge; 

Because He is at my right hand, I shall not falter. 

For why should I be like one who veils herself 

I have made a covenant with My chosen one; 

If you do not know, O fairest of women, 

Go your way in the footsteps of the flocks 

My flesh, too, rests secure. 

I have sworn to David, My servant:

At the gathering of the steeds of Pharaoh's chariots 

Have I silenced you, my beloved.

Therefore my heart rejoices and my soul exults; 

And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, 

Were there priests unto Hashem.   

Where do you feed, where do you rest [the flocks] at noon, 

Beside the flocks of your companions?"

For You will not abandon 

My soul to the grave, 

And pasture your kids 

Beside the shepherds' dwellings.

   

Week 2 (Book 7): The Hen is Saying

 B”H

The Hen is saying, 

He gives bread to all flesh, for His kindness endures forever."

And he said, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and a rescuer to me.”

Draw me, we will run after you 

When the people offer themselves willingly, bless the Lord.

My lesson will drip like rain; 

We will rejoice and be glad in you. 

My word will flow like dew;

They have loved you sincerely.

As the heavens, with which You will establish Your faithfulness. 

A horse and its rider He cast into the sea. 

Like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

You guide my destiny. 

Like storm winds on vegetation and like raindrops on grass. 

The king brought me to his chambers. 

And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah 

The Eternal's strength and His vengeance were my salvation;

They made me a keeper of the vineyards;

Even the inheritance pleases me.

My own vineyard I did not keep.

And the name of the second was Peninnah; 

And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

My mother's sons were incensed against me; 

When breaches are made in Israel, 

I am black but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem! 

Portions have fallen to me in pleasant places; 

We will recall your love more fragrant than wine; 

The Lord is my allotted portion and my cup; 

For I said, "Forever will it be built with kindness; 

Do not look upon me [disdainfully] because I am swarthy, 

Even at night my conscience instructs me.

For the sun has gazed upon me; 

I will bless the Lord, Who counseled me; 

Week 1 (Book 7): The Rooster is saying,

 B”H

The Rooster is saying, 

A maskil by Eitan the Ezrachite. 

A michtam, by David. 

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, 

Now Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to the righteous 

Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! 

In the Garden of Eden, all the trees in the Garden of  Eden 

And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!

Scatter their spices, and they rejoice and praise, 

To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.

And then He, too, is aroused and praises."

I will sing of the Lord's kindness forever; 

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, 

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, 

O everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in! 

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's.

Lift up your heads, O gates! Lift them up, O everlasting doors! 

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, 

Who is this King of glory? G-d strong and mighty, G-d mighty in battle!"

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, 

And the King of glory shall come in! 

On the day that the Lord delivered him 

Who is this King of glory? 

G-d of hosts, He is the King of glory, Selah!"

Stand, O righteous ones, and busy yourselves with Torah,

Of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, 

For your love is better than wine.

For I have put my trust in You. 

 

So that your reward will be double in the World-to-Come."

You, [my soul,] have said to God, "You are my Master; 

The son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, 

For the fragrance of your goodly oils, Your name is 'oil poured forth.' 

I have hoped for Your salvation, O G-d."

From the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; 

Watch over me, O God, 

For the sake of the holy ones who lie in the earth, 

"How long will you sleep, O sluggard? 

Those who hasten after other [gods], their sorrows shall increase; 

When will you arise from your sleep?" 

I will not offer their libations of blood, nor take their names upon my lips.

Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; 

And for the mighty-all my desires are fulfilled in their merit. 

Open your eyes and you shall be satisfied with bread." 

You are not obligated to benefit me.” 

"It is time to act for G-d; for they have made void Your Torah." 

The son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

Therefore, the maidens loved you. 

And they spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He;