Fare Well, Thank You

Fare Well, Thank You

Fare well, thank you
for coming, what
is the mere life of man
with his wicked heart
with his abject heart, with his shifty eyes.
Let us converse a while, let's live
as in the Agada, exchange 
a few words. We shall say
Shalom, shalom.
The flowering water. The bread complete.
Yes. I was. Here. We all were. Yes.
Thank you.
 

Be Well, Thank You

Be well, thank you
For coming, what
Is man's mere life
With his evil heart
With his meek heart, with his
veiled/mysterious/hidden (sturot) eyes.
Let's talk a little, let's live
As in the legend*, exchanging 
A few words. We shall say
Shalom, shalom,**
The flowering waters. The full bread.
Yes. I was. Here. We were all. Yes.
Thank you.
 

* TR uses thefable rather than afable here. I think that for a Jewish reader this is likely to hint at the Agada which is the literary commentary on the bible where rabbis are said to freely muse over various possible interpretations.

**Israeli short form of ‘Shalom Aleychem’ – literally, ‘peace upon you’ but used as ‘hello’ as well as ‘goodbye’.

Original Poem by

Tuvya Ruebner

Translated by

Oded Manor with The Poetry Translation Workshop Language

Hebrew

Country

Israel