How the Mighty Fell!
—King David’s dirge for the pervious King of Israel
and his son: King Saul and Jonathan who died at the
battle of Mt. Gilboa (2 Samuel 1:19-27)
On your heights, O Israel, is sprawled a slain Gazelle.
O how the mighty fell! O how the mighty fell!
In Gath or Ashkelon may no one ever tell,
Lest festive voices of Philistine daughters swell.
Curse Mount Gilboa! May there be no dew or rain
Or deluges to fall and bless its fields of grain,
For there the warrior’s shield was dirtied with disdain,
The shield that Saul the king had taken up in vain.
But from the life blood that was spilled from all who died
And from the flesh of warriors’ now cast aside
The bow of Jonathan did not from battle hide.
The sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
O Saul and Jonathan, beloved, magnificent!
In life they were as one; in death they were not rent.
And swifter they than eagles in their bold descent;
More powerful they were than lions’ strength unpent.
You Israelitish daughters, mourn for Saul your king
Who clothed you in the finest scarlet coloring,
Who graced your garments then with golden garnishing.
O how the mighty fell in battle, Saul our king!
O Jonathan, now slain upon the heights, I grieve
For you! My brother, Jonathan, I do believe
You were more dear to me than I can scarce’ conceive;
Your love bore glory, more than a woman’s can achieve.
O how the mighty fell! O how the mighty fell!
The weaponry of war has rung its dark death knell!
Jeff Kemper has been a biology teacher, biblical studies instructor, editor, and painting contractor. He lives in York County, Pennsylvania.
Thank you, Jeff, for this skilfully composed and truly evocative version of David’s dirge, which I very much enjoyed reading. I do like your rhyme scheme and also feel that the places where you’ve slightly expanded the concentrated language of the original help to make the meaning more accessible and comprehensible for modern readers. It means a lot to me to see your version, as I spent a number of years up to 2008 writing a biography of David in rhyming couplets – his dirge is lines 2062-2087 of my poem! If you’d be interested to see the poem, or that section of it, I’d be only too pleased to e-mail it to you. It was interesting to me to note that the only rhyme our versions had in common was gazelle/fell. Thank you again. Best wishes, Bruce