| Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917. | | | | Oh! City of the World | | By Judah Ha-Levi (Trans. Kate Magnus) |
| | | OH! city of world, most chastely fair; | |
| In the far west, behold I sigh for thee. | |
| And in my yearning love I do bethink me | |
| Of bygone ages; of thy ruined fane, | |
| Thy vanished splendor of a vanished day. | 5 |
| Oh! had I eagles’ wings I’d fly to thee, | |
| And with my falling tears make moist thine earth. | |
| I long for thee; what though indeed thy kings | |
| Have passed forever; though where once uprose | |
| Sweet balsam trees the serpent makes his nest. | 10 |
| Oh! that I might embrace thy dust, the sod | |
| Were sweet as honey to my fond desire. | | | | |
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