צוויי מאֶל צווי איז -- פיר,
Two times two is -- four,
Work 420 of 440
Pages 495-496. Conclusion of 'Tsvey mol tsvey iz fir': mathematical-mystical death meditation. Arithmetic becomes metaphysical: 'ikh mol ikh iz du' (I times I is you) - multiplication as mystical union. 'Toyt mol toyt iz ru' (death times death is rest) - death squared yields peace. Jewish burial orientation: head to mizrekh (east, toward Jerusalem), feet to mayrev (west). 'Noent mol noent iz vayt' (near times near is far) - paradox of proximity and distance. 'Shorkh' = rustling (onomatopoeia). 'Stuk. Stuk.' = Knock. Knock. - death arrives. Final equation: 'toyt mol toyt iz zayn' (death times death is being) - death multiplied becomes existence itself. The '1.1' at end may be a section marker. The poem transforms arithmetic tables learned in childhood into eschatological formulas. Beginning of 'Ikh dank far alts' (I Thank for Everything): death personified as a patient, foolish guest. 'Shvel' = threshold (German 'Schwelle'). 'Shkheynim' = neighbors (Hebrew). 'Medume' = terror/dread (Hebrew 'dimyon' = imagination, here terrifying apparition). 'Oyrekh' = guest (Hebrew). 'Tam' = simple/naive (Hebrew, as in the 'tam' of the Four Sons at Passover). 'Nar' = fool. 'Loshn' = language (Hebrew 'lashon'). 'Shlikhes' = errand/mission (Hebrew). 'Shliakh' = emissary/messenger (Hebrew). 'Geduld' = patience (German). The speaker's unique relationship with death: while others flee in terror, he welcomes death as a simple-minded servant, patient and loyal. Ironic inversion - death the mighty reduced to a tongue-tied errand boy. The '152' at top is likely a page marker in original. Poem continues on next page.
צוויי מאֶל צווי איז -- פיר,
איך מאָל איך איז -- דה
דו מאֶל" דו איז -- מיר;
טויט מאָל טויט איז -- רהה
אין מזרחזזייט מיין קמפ,
די פיס אין מערב-זייט :
יאג גיכער, שטיי נושט אָפ --
נאָעַנט מאֶל נאָענט איז --- ווייש,
שאַרך ביי דער טיר. -- סטוק. סטוק.
ס'איז אָפן, קום. אַריין.
לויכט-אויף אין לעצטן קוק: --
טויט מאֶל טויט איז -- זיין.
1.1
152
איך דאנק פאר אַלץ
אויף דער שוועל פון מיין צימער
באַווייזט זיך א גאַסט --
אַן אַלטער באַקאַנטער, --
באַווייזט זיך אַ גאַסט.
אויף די שכנים אויף מיינע,
אד ער ווייוט זיך פּאַר זי
(און ער ווייזט זיך פּאַר זיא
אַזוי פט ווי פּאַר מיר).
וואַרפט ער אַן א מדקומה
און אַנגסטן פון טויט,
און אַלע באַהאַלטן
דעבש פנים פון אים --
נאָר איך קען אים אַנדערש,
און נעם אים אויף גוט,
אַזוי ווי מען נעמט אויף
אַן אורח אַ תם,
אַן אורח אַ נאָר -7
ווייל ער איז אַזאַ נאַר,
אַזאַ מין נאַר..
ער האָט ניט קיין לשון;
ער דאַרף עס ניט אויך.
ער קומט נאַר באַווייזן
זיין גרייטקייט צו טל
צו טאָן פּאַר מיר אַלֶץ,
צו גיין אין שליחות,
און אויספירן אַלֶץ,
וו אַ של"יח פירט אויס. --
ער איז פול מיט געדולד.
(ער וועט זיין ציל דערגרייכן
ווייל ער איז פול מיט געדולד) --
אַזא מין נאַר.
וואָס איך זאָל ניט זאָגה --
שאַקלט ער צו מיטן קאָפ ו
Tsvey mol tsvey iz -- fir,
ikh mol ikh iz -- du,
du mol du iz -- mir;
toyt mol toyt iz -- ru.
In mizrekh-zayt mayn kop,
di fis in mayrev-zayt:
yog gikher, shtey nisht op --
noent mol noent iz -- vayt.
Shorkh bay der tir. -- Stuk. Stuk.
S'iz ofn, kum arayn.
loykt-oyf in letstn kuk: --
toyt mol toyt iz -- zayn.
1.1
152
Ikh dank far alts
Oyf der shvel fun mayn tsimer
bavayst zikh a gast --
an alter bakanter, --
bavayst zikh a gast.
Oyf di shkheynim oyf mayne,
az er vayzt zikh far zey
(un er vayzt zikh far zey
azoy oft vi far mir).
Varft er on a medume
un angstn fun toyt,
un ale bahaltn
dem ponim fun im --
nor ikh ken im andersh,
un nem im oyf gut,
azoy vi men nemt oyf
an oyrekh a tam,
an oyrekh a nar --
vayl er iz aza nar,
aza min nar...
Er hot nit keyn loshn;
er darf es nit oykh.
Er kumt nor bavyzn
zayn greytkayt tsu ton
tsu ton far mir alts,
tsu geyn in shlikhes,
un oysfirn alts,
vi a shliakh firt oys. --
Er iz ful mit geduld.
(Er vet zayn tsil dergraykhn
vayl er iz ful mit geduld) --
aza min nar.
Vos ikh zol nit zogn --
shaklt er tsu mitn kop,
Two times two is -- four,
I times I is -- you,
you times you is -- me;
death times death is -- rest.
On the east side my head,
my feet on the west side:
chase faster, don't stop --
near times near is -- far.
Rustling at the door. -- Knock. Knock.
It's open, come in.
light-up in the last glance: --
death times death is -- being.
1.1
152
I Thank for Everything
On the threshold of my room
a guest appears --
an old acquaintance, --
a guest appears.
Upon my neighbors,
when he shows himself to them
(and he shows himself to them
as often as to me).
He casts a terror
and fears of death,
and all hide
their face from him --
but I know him differently,
and receive him well,
just as one receives
a simple guest,
a foolish guest --
because he is such a fool,
such a kind of fool...
He has no language;
he doesn't need one either.
He comes only to show
his readiness to do
to do everything for me,
to go on errands,
and carry out everything,
as an emissary carries out. --
He is full of patience.
(He will reach his goal
because he is full of patience) --
such a kind of fool.
Whatever I say --
he nods his head,
Pages 495-496. Conclusion of 'Tsvey mol tsvey iz fir': mathematical-mystical death meditation. Arithmetic becomes metaphysical: 'ikh mol ikh iz du' (I times I is you) - multiplication as mystical union. 'Toyt mol toyt iz ru' (death times death is rest) - death squared yields peace. Jewish burial orientation: head to mizrekh (east, toward Jerusalem), feet to mayrev (west). 'Noent mol noent iz vayt' (near times near is far) - paradox of proximity and distance. 'Shorkh' = rustling (onomatopoeia). 'Stuk. Stuk.' = Knock. Knock. - death arrives. Final equation: 'toyt mol toyt iz zayn' (death times death is being) - death multiplied becomes existence itself. The '1.1' at end may be a section marker. The poem transforms arithmetic tables learned in childhood into eschatological formulas. Beginning of 'Ikh dank far alts' (I Thank for Everything): death personified as a patient, foolish guest. 'Shvel' = threshold (German 'Schwelle'). 'Shkheynim' = neighbors (Hebrew). 'Medume' = terror/dread (Hebrew 'dimyon' = imagination, here terrifying apparition). 'Oyrekh' = guest (Hebrew). 'Tam' = simple/naive (Hebrew, as in the 'tam' of the Four Sons at Passover). 'Nar' = fool. 'Loshn' = language (Hebrew 'lashon'). 'Shlikhes' = errand/mission (Hebrew). 'Shliakh' = emissary/messenger (Hebrew). 'Geduld' = patience (German). The speaker's unique relationship with death: while others flee in terror, he welcomes death as a simple-minded servant, patient and loyal. Ironic inversion - death the mighty reduced to a tongue-tied errand boy. The '152' at top is likely a page marker in original. Poem continues on next page.
← / → previous & next poem·1–4 toggle columns·hover a line to align all versions