Euphrates
Sitting where the rapid waters flow, on the banks of the Euphrates, I think of my past, and all the blessings which faded away so fast back in my youth, in Zion, years ago. But then, a sudden voice addresses my fears and the source of all my misfortunes: “Why not sing? Sing how you’ve overcome your suffering. Or sing about your happy early years. Surely you know that he who sings forgets, even his most tragic and obstinate pain? Don’t curse your present fate, just try to sing!” But I sadly reply, “When sorrow gets so overwhelming, the only compassionate remedy is not to sing—but to die.”
translated by: William Baer