People quarrel with me

Before 1140

About This Entry

In this unusual poem, Isaac Ibn Ezra responds to accusations about his temporary apostasy, comparing himself to biblical figures who committed serious infractions against God’s law: Moses, who broke the tablets of the Law after the incident of the golden calf; Judah, who slept with his daughter-in-law, thinking she was a prostitute; Amnon, who raped his own sister; David, who had Bathsheba’s husband killed in order to take her for himself; and Samson, whose affair with Delilah led to his downfall. In comparison to them, Isaac suggests, his behavior is far more forgivable.

People quarrel with me because I abandoned God’s covenant,

leaving the covenant of righteousness for iniquity.

But didn’t [Moses], Amram’s son, angrily shatter

the two tablets written by the One awesome in his deeds?

And Judah, the lion’s whelp, was in congress with Tamar,

and Amnon with his virgin sister?

And David, too, was tested by God, and failed,

with Bathsheba; and Samson with Delilah.

Even while I was still [living outside the Jewish faith], I did not eat terefah;

I considered it, and nevelah, abominable flesh.¹

And though I said, “The madman [Muḥammad] is God’s prophet,”

and acknowledged him at the beginning of each prayer,

I said it only in my mouth, for my heart would respond,

“You are lying, and your testimony is invalid!”

I have already returned to the protective shade of the wings of the divine presence;

I beg forgiveness from you, O God!

Translated by Gabriel Wasserman.

Notes

[Terefah and nevelah are two categories of meat that are not kosher (the first from an animal with certain damaged organs, the second from an animal not slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law). Both terms are sometimes used to mean nonkosher food in general.—Trans.]

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