tHE FACE OF GOD

[Guest guest]

The Face of God

By Hekhalot Hymns (Anonymous)

(4th Century)

English version by T. Carmi

Lovely face, majestic face,

face of beauty, face of flame,

the face of the Lord God of Universe

when He sits upon His throne of glory,

robed in praise upon His seat of splendour.

His beauty surpasses

the beauty of the aged,

His splendour outshines

the splendour of newly-weds

in their bridal chamber.

Whoever looks at Him

is instantly torn;

whoever glimpses His beauty

immediately melts away.

Those who serve Him today

no longer serve Him tomorrow;

those who serve Him tomorrow

no longer serve Him afterwards;

for their strength fails and their faces are charred,

their hearts reel and their eyes grow dim

at the splendour and radiance

of their king's beauty.

Beloved servants, lovely servants,

swift servants, light-footed servants,

who stand before the stone of the throne

of glory,

who wait upon the wheel

of the chariot.

When the sapphire of the throne of glory

whirls at them,

when the wheel of the chariot

hurls past them,

those on the right

now stand again to the left,

those on the left

now stand again to the right,

those in front

now stand again in back,

those in back

now stand again in front.

He who sees the one says,

'That is the other'.

And he who sees the other says,

'That is the one'.

For the visage of the one

is like the visage of the other;

and the visage of the other

is like the visage of the one.

Happy the King

who has such servants,

and happy the servants

who have such a King.

Happy the eye

that sees

and feeds

upon this wondrous light --

a wondrous vision

and most strange!