21. Maṟavil Ŏḷivāya (Hidden God!)

This song attributed to Moshe Sarfati (d. 1838) of Kochi recounts the events of the exodus from Egypt, beginning with the plague and the escape at the Red Sea, through the giving of the Torah and concluding with entry into "the land of Jerusalem." Six additional verses are omitted from this translation. The second part of each line is repeated.

Text

Oh Lord hidden behind a veil,                          You created the world saying "It is good".
You give food for men and all creatures       until the day of their death.

By the merit of the three fathers                     and the four mothers' righteousness,
Oh raise up the lowly People,                          we Your children beseech You.

Long ago in Pharaoh's kingdom,                    we worked as slaves at many tasks.

***

After striking with ten plagues,                       You delivered us in the middle of the night.

As the armies of the Father of Heaven          accompanied the best People.
Before them went two pillars -                       "fire" and "cloud" to light their way.

As wise Moshe was commanded,                    he broke the Red Sea in a hundred pieces,
With his wonder-working staff,                         wise Moshe shattered the sea.

Then came Pharaoh, wildly flying,                  to the middle of the Red Sea.
The God sank down,                                             drowned in the depths like rocks, like lead.

Foot soldiers with all their possessions,       hundreds and thousands were chased by God.
And also the mixed mob - eṟab rāb                 were chased to the middle of the Red Sea.