Page:Philip Birnbaum - ha-Siddur ha-Shalem (The Daily Prayer Book,1949).pdf/737

712 My soul is sated with trouble; My strength is consumed with grief; They made life bitter for me With hard service in Egypt; But God with his great power Brought forth the chosen people, While all the host of Pharaoh Sank like stone into the deep.

He brought me to his holy shrine; Even there I found no peace; The foe came and exiled me, Because I had served strange gods And was dazed with poisoned wine. Soon Babylon’s end drew near! Guided by Zerubbabel, I was saved after seventy years.

To cut down Mordecai’s tree Was the design of Haman; But it proved a snare to him, And his arrogance was stilled. Thou didst promote Mordecai And didst blot out the foe’s name; His numerous progeny Didst thou hang on the gallows.

Greeks gathered to attack me In the Hasmonean days; They demolished my towers And polluted all the oils; From the last remaining flask A miracle was wrought for Israel. Men of wisdom then decreed Eight days for hymns of praise.