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Home  »  The Standard Book of Jewish Verse  »  God, Whom Shall I Compare to Thee?

Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917.

By Judah Ha-Levi (Trans. Alice Lucas)

God, Whom Shall I Compare to Thee?

GOD, whom shall I compare to Thee,

When Thou to none canst likened be?

Under what image shall I dare

To picture Thee, when everywhere

All Nature’s forms Thine impress bear?

Greater, O Lord, Thy glories are

Than all the heavenly chariots far.

Whose mind can grasp Thy world’s design?

Whose word can fitly Thee define?

Whose tongue set forth Thy powers divine?

Can heart approach, can eye behold

Thee in Thy righteousness untold?

Whom did’st Thou to Thy counsel call,

When there was none to speak withal

Since Thou was first and Lord of all?

Thy world eternal witness bears

That none its Maker’s glory shares.

Thy wisdom is made manifest

In all things formed by Thy behest,

All with Thy seal’s clear mark impress’d.

Before the pillars of the sky

Were raised, before the mountains high

Were wrought, ere hills and dales were known,

Thou in Thy majesty alone

Did’st sit, O God, upon Thy throne!

Hearts, seeking Thee, from search refrain,

And weary tongues their praise restrain.

Thyself unbound by time and place,

Thou dost pervade, support, embrace

The world and all created space.

The sages’ mind bewildered grow,

The lightning speed of thought is slow.

“Awful in praises” art Thy name;

Thou fillest, strong in strength proclaimed,

This universe Thy hand has framed.

Deep, deep beyond all fathoming,

Far, far beyond all measuring

We can but seek Thy deeds alone;

When bow Thy saints before Thy throne,

Then is Thy faithfulness made known.

Thy righteousness we can discern,

Thy holy law proclaim and learn.

Is not Thy presence near alway

To them who penitently pray,

But far from those who sinning stray?

Pure souls behold Thee, and no need

Have they of light; they hear and heed

Thee with the mind’s keen ear, although

The ear of flesh be dull and slow.

Their voices answer to and fro.

Thy holiness for ever they proclaim;

The Lord of Hosts! thrice holy is His name!