the song sung by Yudit Ravitz has been on my mind for days now.  The intertwining of erotic and religious drove me mad.  listen

so i translated it = with the consultation of chat. this is the first draft

Leah Goldberg

forgiveness

You came to me to open my eyes,
your body my gaze, my window and mirror.
You came like night that comes to the owl,
to show it all things in the dark.

And I learned: the name of each lash, every nail,
and every hair on naked flesh;
and childhood’s scent—the smell of glue and pine—
is the night fragrance of the body.

If there were torments, they sailed toward you,
my white sails into your darkness.
Permit me to flee, permit me to flee
to kneel upon the shore of forgiveness.

The month told fortunes with chamomile petals,
plucked out my days, cast them to the abyss:
radiance and torture, sorrow and pleasure,
through the interpretation of the dream.

Then I sighed, tied your shoes,
and silently walked you to my low threshold.
And on the way to her, in all your paths,
my sorrow blossomed like a smile.

And I knew every vow of betrayal you had sworn,
and stored up for you the serenity of days.
And bowed my yielding head when you returned—
returned, intimate and guiltless.

לאה גולדברג

בָּאתָ אֵלַי אֶת עֵינַי לִפְקוֹח
וְגוּפְךָ לִי מַבָּט וְחַלּוֹן וּרְאִי,
בָּאתָ כְּלַיְלָה הַבָּא אֶל הָאֹחַ
לְהַרְאוֹת לוֹ בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אֶת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים.

וְלָמַדְתִּי: שֵׁם לְכָל רִיס וְצִפֹּרֶן
וּלְכָל שַׂעֲרָה בַּבָּשָׂר הֶחָשׂוּף,
וְרֵיחַ יַלְדוּת – רֵיחַ דֶּבֶק וָאֹרֶן
הוּא נִיחוֹחַ לֵילוֹ שֶׁל הַגּוּף.

אִם הָיוּ עִנּוּיִים, הֵם הִפְלִיגוּ אֵלֶיךָ,
מִפְרָשִׂי הַלָּבָן אֶל הָאֹפֶל שֶׁלְּךָ.
תְּנֵנִי לָלֶכֶת, תְּנֵנִי לָלֶכֶת
לִכְרוֹעַ עַל חוֹף הַסְּלִיחָה.

הַחֹדֶשׁ נִחֵשׁ עַל טַרְפֵּי הַבַּבֹּנֶג,
תָּלַשׁ אֶת יָמַי וּזְרָקָם אֶל הַתְּהוֹם:
זֹהַר וָעֹנֶשׁ, צַעַר וָעֹנֶג,
דֶּרֶך – פִּתְרוֹן הַחֲלוֹם.

אָז גָּנַחְתִּי, קָשַׁרְתִּי שְׂרוֹכֵי נַעֲלֶיךָ,
לִוִּיתִיךָ דְּמוּמָה עַד סִפִּי הַנָּמוּךְ.
וּבַדֶּרֶךְ אֵלֶיהָ, בְּכָל מִשְׁעוֹלֶיךָ
לִבְלֵב יְגוֹנִי כְּחִיּוּך.

וָאֵדַע כָּל נִדְרֵי הַבְּגִידָה שֶׁנָּדַרְתָּ,
וְאָגַרְתִּי לְךָ אֶת שַׁלְוַת הַיָּמִים.
וְהִרְכַּנְתִּי רֹאשִׁי הַנִּכְנָע כְּשֶׁחָזַרְתָּ,
חָזַרְתָּ קָרוֹב וְתָמִים.

I changed a lot and Chat wasn’t totally satisfied, but I was.  now i can rest and go to the beach.