Take me under your wing
Take me under your wing,
Be to me a mother and a sister,
Let your breast shelter my head,
Be a nest for my lonely prayers.
In the merciful time, at twilight,
Bend your head and I’ll tell the secret of my torments:
They say there is youth in the world –
Where is my youth?
And another secret I will confess:
My soul has been seared by a flame;
They say there is love in the world –
What is love?
The stars deceived me,
There was a dream – but it too has passed;
Now I have nothing in the world –
I have not a thing.
Take me under your wing,
Be to me a mother and a sister,
Let your breast shelter my head,
Be a nest for my lonely prayers.
(1905)
Haim Nachman Bialik (9 Jan 1873–4 Jul 1934)
Translated by Eyal Azulay from the original Hebrew version