| |
II. Sam. i: 17.
I THY beauty, Israel, is gone | |
| Slain in the places high is he; | |
| The mighty now are overthrown; | |
| O thus how cometh it to be! | |
| Let not this news their streets throughout | 5 |
| In Gath or Askalon be told; | |
| For fear Philistia’s daughters flout, | |
| Lest vaunt the uncircumcised should. | |
| |
II On you, hereafter, let no dew, | |
| You mountains of Gilboa, fall; | 10 |
| Let there be neither showers on you | |
| Nor fields that breed an offering shall. | |
| For there with shame away was thrown | |
| The target of the strong (alas), | |
| The shield of Saul, e’en as of one, | 15 |
| That ne’er with oil anointed was. | |
| |
III Nor from their blood that slaughter’d lay, | |
| Nor from the fat of strong men slain, | |
| Came Jonathan his bow away, | |
| Nor drew forth Saul his sword in vain. | 20 |
| In lifetime they were lovely fair, | |
| In death they undivided are. | |
| More swift than eagles of the air | |
| And stronger they than lions were. | |
| |
IV Weep, Israel’s daughters, weep for Saul, | 25 |
| Who you with scarlet hath array’d; | |
| Who clothed you with pleasures all | |
| And on your garments gold hath laid. | |
| How comes it he, that mighty was | |
| The foil in battle doth sustain! | 30 |
| Thou, Jonathan, oh thou (alas) | |
| Upon thy places high wert slain. | |
| |
V And, much distressèd is my heart, | |
| My brother Jonathan, for thee; | |
| My very dear delight thou wert, | 35 |
| And wonderous was thy love to me; | |
| So wonderous, it surpasséd far | |
| The love of woman (every way). | |
| Oh, how the mighty fallen are! | |
| How warlike instruments decay! | 40 |
| |
