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Bialik: Stars Flicker (From Hebrew)

Stars Flicker
By Haim Nachman Bialik
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

Stars flicker and go out.
Men in the dark decay.
In my heart and everywhere
See the dark take sway. 

Dreams sparkle and fade out.
Hearts flower and decay.
In my heart and everywhere
See the ruins splay. 

Everyone prays for the light. 
Their lips rot as they pray. 
This is a tired old tale
Repeated every which way. 

How slow the nights drag! Not even 

The broken moon can stay
Without yawning wearily,
Waiting in slumber for day. 

The Original:


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??????????? ?????????? ????????;
????????? ?????? ??????????? �
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???????? ?????????????? ????????,
?????????? ?????????? ???????????;
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????? ????????? ??????????? ????????.
???????????? � ????, ??????? ????????!
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