| Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917. | | | | Dirge of Rachel | | By William Knox |
| | | AND Rachel lies in Ephrath’s land, | |
| Beneath her lonely oak of weeping; | |
| With mouldering heart and withering hand, | |
| The sleep of death forever sleeping. | |
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| The spring comes smiling down the vale, | 5 |
| The lilacs and the roses bringing; | |
| But Rachel never more shall hail | |
| The flowers that in the world are springing. | |
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| The summer gives his radiant day, | |
| And Jewish dames the dance are treading; | 10 |
| But Rachel, on her couch of clay, | |
| Sleeps all unheeded and unheeding. | |
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| The autumn’s ripening sunbeam shines, | |
| And reapers to the field is calling; | |
| But Rachel’s voice no longer joins | 15 |
| The choral song at twilight’s falling. | |
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| The winter sends his drenching shower, | |
| And sweeps his howling blast around her, | |
| But earthly storms possess no power | |
| To break the slumber that hath bound her. | 20 | | | |
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