XVII. Moon

Selected Religious Poems of Solomon ibn Gabirol, tr. by Israel Zangwill, [1923], at sacred-texts.com

XVII.

Who can grasp Thy wonders?
For Thou hast appointed him to furnish light to the stars
Of high or low degree,
And to the Moon,
"If that white bright spot stays in its place"
And according as she moves away to stand opposite the Sun,
She receiveth his shining
Until his light is at the full when she stands before him,
And it irradiates her whole face.
And when that she draws nigh in the latter half of the month,
And declineth from him
And is far from standing opposite him
And proceedeth to the side of him,
In that degree waneth her splendour,
Till the end of her month and her circuit,
And she declineth to her extreme rim.
And when she is in conjunction with him
She is hid in secret places
For a day and half an hour
And some numbered moments,
And after that she is renewed and returneth to her prior self
And "issueth forth as a bridegroom from his chamber."