| Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917. | | | | The Royal Crown | | By Solomon Ibn Gabirol (Trans. Rebecca A. Altman) |
| | | HOW shall I stand before Thee, Lord, and I am bowed with shame? | |
| For e’en as I am poor and humble, exalted is Thy name! | |
| E’en as my mortal might is weak and limited, Thy power is eternal, infinite, | |
| Sorely wanting as I am, Almighty! Thou art perfect and complete! | |
| For Thou art One, the only living God, who dost exist for aye. | 5 |
| Thou art wise and Thy might and majesty endure alway, | |
| And I am wrought of dust and for the earth destined, | |
| Full of error, helpless as a stone upon the way and blind— | |
| A flitting shadow, a wind that passeth and returneth not— | |
| Wrathful as a serpent, of stony heart and harboring all evil thought! | 10 |
| Yea, of proud and boastful mien, of unclean lips, a mortal vain | |
| Who followeth his heart’s desire, and counsel doth despise, and thought disdain. | |
| For what I am and what is even this my life and power? | |
| What fruit may bear my righteousness through life’s e’er-changeful hour? | |
| I know not whence I come, nor whither I am bound! | 15 |
| Before Thy might in awe I stand, bowed low unto the ground! | | | | |
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