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(Midrash Yalkut, Chapter 17)
AT Sidon lived a husband with his wife | |
| For ten long years, leading a tranquil life, | |
| With but a single grief—they had no child, | |
| And, to his barren lot unreconciled, | |
| The man upon it brooded. Then he bent | 5 |
| His steps to Rabbi Simeon, with intent | |
| To be divorced; and to the woman’s tears | |
| He steeled his heart, and said: “Ten happy years | |
| In peacefulness with thee, true heart, I spent; | |
| Staunch wert them ever, nor a word to smart | 10 |
| Escaped thy lips. And now, before we part, | |
| I will accord the treasure thou dost find | |
| In thy old home best suited to thy mind. | |
| Take it; whate’er it be, it shall be thine, | |
| To solace thee when thou no more art mine.” | 15 |
| Then said the Rabbi Simeon: “O ye pair! | |
| Before ye separate, a feast prepare, | |
| And pledge each other in the ruddy wine; | |
| Then the feast ended, woman, unto thine | |
| Own father’s house do thou repair.” | 20 |
| That very night the supper board was spread, | |
| According to the law; one seated at the head, | |
| The other at the bottom. To the brim | |
| The woman filled the bowl and passed it to him, | |
| And then he pledged her, and she filled again, | 25 |
| And he the goblet to his wife did drain | |
| Once more, with many wishes good and fair, | |
| But she the generous liquor did not spare, | |
| Until he fell into a drunken sleep, | |
| With head upon the table, heavy and deep. | 30 |
| And thus concluded the farewell carouse. | |
| So then, she took him up with gentle care | |
| Upon her shoulder, and her husband bare, | |
| Nodding and drowsing, to her father’s house, | |
And laid him on the bed.
At peep of day | 35 |
| He started up and said: “Woman! I pray, | |
Tell me, where am I?”
She to him replied: | |
| “You promised me that nought should be denied | |
| To me of what I valued. I could find, | |
| In all thy house, thee only to my mind, | 40 |
| And I have borne thee hither; now I trow | |
| That thou art mine; I will not let thee go. | |
| When I was thine, thou wouldst be quit of me; | |
| Now thou art mine, and I will treasure thee!” | |
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