The lofty king—He sits in His hidden place

Jacob bar Dunash bar Akiva

10th or 11th Century

And so, let me mention the deeds of the living God, and the dying man.

The lofty king.  He sits in His hidden place of enthronement.
 From there He looks out upon all people and their thoughts,
 He investigates what is hidden in their bosoms
 and examines the thoughts deep inside them.
Therefore, He is proud.  He is just to all those that put their hope in Him (Psalms 18:31).
The wretched king.  If he acquires wealth, by stealing it,
 though he keep his eyes on it, it is no longer in his domain.
He abandons his possessions to others, and there is no more proft from his labors.
How can he be proud?  He oppresses the poor to make more for himself (Proverbs 22:16).
The lofty king.   He roofed the ceilings of His heaven,
 He called the earth to be His footstool,
 He bound the sea with His seal,
 and He established dominion and awe around Himself.
Therefore, He is proud.  Holy and awesome is His name (Psalms 111:9).
The wretched king.   He was produced through iniquity and wickedness,
 He goes astray with great sin and crime,
 He toils to work, and sweats to attain food.
 From fears of death, he trembles in horror.
How can he be proud?  Son of man, maggot and worm [see Job 25:6].
The lofty king.   He understood the world before its existence.
 Through His word, He brought it entirely into existence.
 Because he outlives all creatures,
 therefore He is established as praised by all mouths.
Therefore, He is proud.   Examining hearts and innards (Psalms 7:10).
The wretched king.   His deeds are deceit, his words are fraudulent;
 he turns into maggots and worms in his lifetime.
 His spirit returns to God,
 he is from dust, and to dust he will return,
How can he be proud?   His spirit passes away and does not return (Psalms 78:39).
The lofty king.   He dwells in the highest heavens,
 speaks with righteousness, and His words are straight.
 He created heaven and earth to please Himself.
 No comparison can equal Him, nor any image.
Therefore, He is proud.   His ways are justice, the faithful God (Deuteronomy 32:4).
The wretched king.  He toils for wealth and flls treasuries,
 then leaves his possessions to others, exposing them.
 He fnishes of his thoughts of good and bad.1
 He is made unique by his deeds, both these and those.
How can he be proud?   He wastes away like rot ( Job 13:28).
The lofty king.   He is called the merciful God, who shows mercy.
 The Lord keeps kindness, but changes His mind about doing bad.
 [The Jews] are called by His name—He will not abandon them.
 The awesome One will take them out from among the nations.
Therefore, He is proud.   The eternal One of Israel will not lie nor change His mind. (1 Samuel 15:29).

Source: CUL T-S H.5.183.

Translated by Gabriel Wasserman.

Notes

[The meanings of this line and the next are uncertain.— Tr a ns.]

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 3: Encountering Christianity and Islam.

Engage with this Source

This piyyut was written for recitation on Rosh Ha-shanah. In it, Jacob expands upon a poem by Eleazar be-Rabbi Qillir that contrasts God (“the lofty king”) with an earthly ruler (“the wretched king”). This piyyut is structured around an acrostic. Each stanza is made up of fve lines, each of which begins with the same letter. In order, those letters spell out Jacob bar Dunash. The technique of closing each stanza with a biblical verse had become very popular by the tenth century.

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Creator Bio

Jacob bar Dunash bar Akiva

10th or 11th Century

Almost nothing is known for certain about the poet Jacob bar Dunash bar Akiva. It appears that he was active in North Africa, as the name Dunash was popular among Jews there. Several of his piyyutim survive in the Cairo Geniza and were first published in the mid-twentieth century. He composed several poems for Sabbath and holiday liturgies, and for Hanukkah and the Ninth of Av. Although there are similarities to the works of Eleazar be-Rabbi Qillir, Jacob’s poems are far simpler.

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