This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
Send forth Thy messenger, Thy interpreter, And let him do wonders with signs and happenings, To cleanse us this night from scandal and defamation! Great God, boundless and unsearchable, Thy righteousness is like mighty mountains, Thy judgments are like the great deep. Bare to Thee and spied out is the heart’s imagination and secret, Lo, shaped in iniquity, how shall man justify the evil of his work? Can the grains of his dust justify it that were accounted vanity even while he was still in being? How then after he has perished and every element passed back to its source, When he is driven like chaff before the wind and like smoke from the lattice? Who shall stand up for Thy people, and who set them free? If for decision Thou shouldst draw nigh them, and if for judgment Thou shouldst take them, Then judge them, I pray Thee, by Thy righteousness, And reprove them not according to Thy wrath. For what is the weak that he should contend with the mighty, And how can dry stubble stand in the flame? Lo, as the flower fadeth and the wind flitteth by like a shadow, So flesh from spirit is rent asunder; If then Thou wilt stir up chastisement, There is no way of deliverance shouldst Thou press hard; For the worker is sluggish, And the day short and the work abundant.
Day | Deeds | Dread | Fear | Glory | God | Good | Lord | People | Praise | Redemption | Sound | Time | Will | Deeds | God | Old |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
Arise, O my rapture, at dawn I exclaim, Go seeking the face of my love, the King, I thirst at the thought of Him, burn as with flame, And chatter like swallow upon the wing. No gifts can I bring save of heart or of wit, My cause to my lips I can only trust. Desires my Redeemer a ritual fit, How should I suffice who am based on dust? When I with my self seek communion, I shrink, Were I mightier far, I should still be small, Soul and strength in adoring Thee faint and sink, Yet sing Thee I must till the end of all.
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
To the glorious one, girdled by praise, Great in deeds and tremendous in ways, Who filleth with wonders our days, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Lord whose decrees never fail, Who spreadeth the clouds like a veil, And maketh the dust hard as mail, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Builder whose measures none knows, By whom the high heavens arose, And beauty like lightning that glows, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Judge who His servants will spare, For the souls of His faithful will care, And will make their inheritance fair, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Chief on whose breast Right is borne, Who is served by the seed to Him sworn, Who gathereth lilies from thorn, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Washer who whiteneth sin, Whose cloud blotteth evil within, Whose forgiveness repentance can win, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Alchemist turning his gold To the diamond’s perfection, clear, cold, Like the streams that Damascus enfold, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet. To the Lord who His scattered will keep, To whom cries of the lowly that weep Are dearer than bullocks or sheep, Blow ye at New Moon the trumpet.
Earth | Glory | Lord | Man | Mercy | Order | Praise | Soul | Will | Wisdom |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
I look for you early, my rock and my refuge, offering you worship morning and night; before your vastness I come confused and afraid for you see the thoughts of my heart What could the heart and tongue compose, or spirit’s strength within me to suit you? But song soothes you and so I’ll give praise to your being as long as your breath-in-me moves.
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
I have made Thee my refuge, my terror and trembling, And when straitly besieged I have made Thee my tower, When to left and to right I have sought for a helper, I could look for dear life to no aid but Thy power. More than all earthly treasure I have made Thee my portion, Through all cares the delight and desire of my days, In the flood of Thy love I have rapture eternal And prayer is but an occasion for praise.
Grief | Heart | Joy | Kindness | Light | Praise | Service | Spirit | Thought | Will | Thought |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
FOR A MARRIAGE - Send to the prince’s daughter Her ruddy, fair-eyed king, Like a fruitful branch he blossoms, Transplanted to a spring. Thy Torah has his worship, He runs, to taste its charms, Before Thee like a warrior, Accoutred in his arms. I day by day am waiting Salvation’s promised day, Enquiring how and whence it Will come to be my stay. Restore the tortured People To the friend of her youth divine, And bring the two together To the house of joy and wine.
Angels | Awe | Earth | Fear | Good | Greatness | Heaven | Little | Praise | Soul |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
Ask of Me, beautiful mouth, What dost thou ask of Me? For thy suppliant cry Hath ascended on high Inclining My ear to thy plea. First with the lion we met, Next came the leopard’s leap, We were fain to take flight From our garden’s delight And into a hiding-place creep. Hardly these creatures had passed, Sated with Judah’s spoil, Than the wild ass we feared Out of midnight appeared To trample and dwell on our soil. Ishmael’s offspring command Back to his Arab land, As his mother of old To her mistress was told To return and submit to her hand.
Art | Day | Dread | Glory | Heaven | Omnipotence | Praise | Will | Art |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
O God, my Sun, up now and rise, I pray thee, And be as the moon to illumine my darkness: Wherefore wilt Thou play the passing wayfarer And vanish like the fleeing gazelle? When shall the bud come to blossom, And the tender grape yield its sweet savour? How long wilt Thou cast off the remnants of Joseph? I was as a lamb led to the slaughter, One man drawing me from the fold and another performing the sacrifice. The lion rose murderous against me, And the wild ass breaketh my bones. The wild boar tore me, breathing fury, Pushing westwards and northwards. Dread God, who hast stretched out the heavens, Who closest and none can open, Now at last reprove kings for my sake— For far be it from Thee to be forgetful!— Thou shalt bring forth my prisoners from the pit: For the sake of our hero-ancestor’s righteousness, And shalt cleave the crown of the woman of Uz And shave off the hair of Esau. Take the young brood and prosper them, But do not let go the mother. O restore the maiden in her beautiful freshness, And fill with moisture all that is withered. Renew the Temple and the altar And establish singing men for Thy praise; One to glow with a song of loves, And one to make melody for the chief musician. Thus wilt Thou cause the horn of the Messiah to shoot up, And I shall be wholly joyful.
Children | Day | God | Grace | Love | People | Power | Praise | Safe | God |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
Almighty God, on lofty throne In wisdom Thou didst build the world, Thy might the firmament unfurled And Thou wast King ere kings were known. Sole King, who hung the earth on naught, In great assemblies I will cry, For every soul must testify, The Lord of hosts rules all He wrought. His seat is hid in mystery, Myriads of holy ones in dread, His ministers in lowlihead, Surround His awful Majesty. His praises in set order sing, Although all praise He hath outsoared, Declare the Kingdom of the Lord, Proclaiming that the Lord is King. The depths of sky His mercy planned, The waters are His footstools. He Their measures gave to stream and sea And poured them in with royal hand. The sea unto His bounds submits, Our King and God, so great and high, His glory covers all the sky When that upon His throne He sits. Sole King, He spreads for curtain Space, The sun uprises from the east To draw from earth a dainty feast, A strong man glad to run a race. O glorious Sovereign whom I sing, Be gracious unto us and kind, For Thine own sake, if but I find Grace in Thine eyes, my Lord and King.
Art | Day | Fear | Justice | Passion | Praise | Receive | Right | Art |
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
Six years were decreed for a slave to wait When his freedom he sought at his master’s hand, But the years of my bondage lack term or date, It is hard, O my Master, to understand. Why, Sire, should a hand-maid’s son bear sway, And me with affliction and anguish task? There cometh no answer, howe’er I pray, In despite that each day for reply I ask. What word at the last wilt Thou say, my King? An Thou findest no ransom, O Lord, take me! Take me for Thy people as offering, I will serve Thee for ever and ne’er go free.
Salomon ibn Gabirol, aka Solomon ben Judah or Avicebron
Strayed in mid-youth, rouse up, nor sleep, for lo! The days of youth like clouds of smoke will pass. Ere evening falls, thou shalt be withered grass, Though morning saw thee like a lily blow. Why waste on ancestors a heated breath, Or note which progeny was Abraham’s? Whether his food be herbs or Bashan rams, Man, wretched wight, is on his way to death.
Abundance | Anger | Awe | Day | Destroy | Fate | God | Gold | Judgment | Little | Man | Praise | Regard | Riches | Silence | Trust | Vengeance | Will | Riches | Fate | God |
No doubt but ye are the People - your throne is above the King's. / Whoso speaks in your presence must say acceptable things.
When first under fire an' you're wishful to duck, Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is struck, Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your luck And march to your front like a soldier. Front, front, front like a soldier... If your officer's dead and the sergeants look white, Remember it's ruin to run from a fight: So take open order, lie down, and sit tight, And wait for supports like a soldier. Wait, wait, wait like a soldier. When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier. Go, go, go like a soldier, Go, go, go like a soldier, Go, go, go like a soldier, So-oldier of the Queen!
Age | Critic | God | Good | Joy | Need | Praise | Work | God |
Rumi, fully Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rumi NULL
Today I'm out wandering, turning my skull into a cup for others to drink wine from. In this town somewhere there sits a calm, intelligent man, who doesn't know what he's about to do!
Praise |
Rumi, fully Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rumi NULL
When one sense perceives the hidden, the invisible world becomes apparent to the whole.
Rumi, fully Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rumi NULL
Your essence is gold hidden in dust. To reveal its splendor, you need to burn in the fire of Love.
Do not praise yourself while going into battle; praise yourself coming out of battle. (Do not rejjoice till you are sure that your difficulties are at an end)