| |
| THERE stood upon Moriah’s mount, | |
| Two aged men with hoary hair; | |
| One glanced around with smiling brow, | |
| The other wept in deep despair. | |
| |
| “Jerusalem, Oh! Jerusalem! | 5 |
| Land of my love,” the weeper cried; | |
| “Thy scattered sons in exile weep, | |
| And alien are thy state and pride. | |
| |
| “Fierce jackals ’mid thy ruins howl; | |
| The prowling lion seeks his prey | 10 |
| On the spot where once thy temple stood; | |
| And thy brave children,—Where are they? | |
| |
| “With weary feet, and aching heart, | |
| Scattered, despised, a fallen race, | |
| They wander far in alien lands, | 15 |
| And seek in vain a resting place. | |
| |
| “And then how canst thou smile, to see | |
| Our hopes, our glory perish all? | |
| How canst thou gaze with joyous glance | |
| Upon our temple’s ruined wall?” | 20 |
| |
| “I smile,” the other said, “because, | |
| In all the Eternal’s power I see, | |
| And hope springs up within my heart, | |
| Even from our depths of misery. | |
| |
| “For surely as the Almighty hand | 25 |
| Destroyed our land for guilt and crime, | |
| So surely will he raise us up | |
| To joy, at his appointed time. | |
| |
| “Hath he not said that Israel’s sons | |
| Shall once again be free and great? | 30 |
| Hath he not said, in Zion’s halls | |
| Shall once again be kingly state? | |
| |
| “A great and glorious destiny | |
| Will yet be ours in future years; | |
| And thus my face with smiles is glad, | 35 |
| While thine is dewed with bitter tears.” | |
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