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Selected Religious Poems of Solomon ibn Gabirol, tr. by Israel Zangwill, [1923], at sacred-texts.com


XXII.

Who can know Thy pathways?
For Thou hast made palaces for the seven planets
In the twelve constellations,
And to the Ram and the Bull Thou hast imparted Thy strength in uniting them,
And the third is the Twins, like two brothers in their unity
And their human likeness. p. 99
And the fourth is the Crab,
And on him, as on the Lion, hast Thou bestowed of Thy splendour,
And on his sister the Virgin, who is near unto him,
And on the Scales and the Scorpion placed by his side,
And on the ninth that was created in the form of a man of might, whose strength runs not dry,
For he is the Archer, mighty of the bow.
And thus too by Thy great power are created the Goat and the Water-Bearer,
While alone is the last constellation,
"For the Lord did appoint a great Fish."
And these are the constellations high and exalted in their degrees,
"Twelve princes according to the nations."


Next: XXIII. The Ninth Sphere