Night Procession
by Itzik Manger
The night procession strides with silent steps
and takes the weeping into all the villages
Hard hands carry corn bread and wine
toward your golden starry shine
Morning star, morning star, eternal light
erase, extinguish the dark face of night.
Over our sky, over the earth
hangs the emperor’s cannon and the emperors sword
black fingers ready to send death,
Tears are our water, blood is our bread
restless our sleep and the wind carries
in its brown hands the eyelids of a child
and gray women kneel before a bunch of lights
burning near a sick appearing icon
Morning star, morning star, eternal light
erase, extinguish the darkness on the face of night
The night procession walks and whispers.