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Backwards shall the rider fall." - Suddenly a Seraph shines
Sent from the heavenly heights by the father of man, 55
Making a sign to the sufferer. He yearningly spreads his arms.
"I long, O Lord, for your salvation.” But the Seraph
Ascended. Brightness beamed from Israel's eyes,
And in a praising voice he continued blessing Gad:
"Being a vigorous warrior, Gad will lead the armed hordes 60
To the battle and make them return with booty to the domestic herds.
Fat shall be
Asher's corn, and fertile his fields.
Lovely meals he gives, worth to be taken by kings.
Naphtali, slim like the body of the hind vehemently flying away,
Beautiful and agile, I See, are the Sons of my Son. 65
Grow, my Joseph, you are shooting up like the green branch near the spring.
Across the towering wall the foliage of the sprouts is growing,
Though marksmen provoked him, aimed hostile arrows at him
And pursued him, firm his missile remained, and the power
Of his arms becomes strong through the hands of Jehova the hero in Jacob,
70
True guardian of the holy stone of Israel's weakness.
Comfort you got from your father's God and help from the Highest,
Advice from the almighty, blessing from the heaven above, and blessing
From the depth and blessing from mothers' breasts and bodies.
The blessings of the father embracing you are ascending higher 75
Than the blessings of the eternal heights your heart is striving
Towards the eternal hills, this they may be on the head of my son,
Dripping from the crown of the head of the greater king of
the other brothers.
Like a wolf Benjamin will rob, eating the robbed pieces in the morning,
In the evening, however, he will share the prey with his brothers." 80
Thus Israel, the grey and venerable, spoke. At him the Seraph smiles, And
Jacob felt the proximity of the mower of lives:
"My people are waiting for me, with them I shall be assembled
Where the fathers took land, in a field bought from Ephron,
In the twofold cave my corpse shall decay, but not my spirit. 85
There Abraham was buried by the hands of the mourning,
