Who By Fire

>From the Hartford Prayerbook Press, 1951,

translation or collection by Rabbi Morris Silverman of a religious verse

by Kelonymus ben Meshullam, 11th century Germany

(this data on the actual author is from a more recent but

less poetic translation)

(verse 1)

On New Year's Day the Decree is inscribed

And on the Day of Atonement it is sealed

How many shall pass away and how many shall be born

Who shall live and who shall die

Who shall attain the measure of man's day

And who shall not attain it

Who shall perish by fire and who by water

Who by sword and who by beast

Who by hunger and who by thirst

Who by strangling and who by stoning

Who shall have rest and who shall go wandering

Who shall be tranquil and who shall be disturbed

Who shall be at ease and who shall be afflicted

Who shall become poor and who shall wax rich

Who shall be brought low and who shall be exalted

But Repentance, Prayer and Righteousness

Avert the Severe Decree

there's 3 verses more to the prayer, and very beautiful ones, in the way of

exposition of the above rather than more to the list, but I won't stretch

your patience further;

now look at "Who By Fire"

Needless to say there's more verses to Lenny's version too,

& all to the list, but that Repentance, Prayer & Righteousness

don't ever begin to enter into it

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