1
Behold, I am Neum, the Oracle,
reader of the stars—
I am she who pours out the libations for YHVH;
2
I am she who still dances in prophecy
when the daughters do sing,
and the young men do play their harps
and beat their drums.
3
You know me, O Judah;
yea, you know that I do prophesy truly;
for has not all that I have been told to say among you been true?
4
The remnant of the daughters of Miriam do mock to shame me,
for the sons of Aaron have silenced their voices,
but YHVH shall be heard!
5
If the mouths of the daughters of Miriam be silenced,
then the mouths of the other daughters of Israel shall be opened:
6
For I am not of the seed of Levi,
but am a daughter of Joseph and of Manasseh;
7
Yet did the Presence of YHVH come to me,
calling me Neum, the oracle of Ha’Elohim.
8
Behold, when your daughters were sick with child,
did I not pour out libations
for deliverance of healing and restoration?
9
When your young men did prepare for war,
did I not read the stars for them
to guide them home to safety?
10
When your herds did wander off a far way,
did I not give unto you the words of the Voice
that you did retrieve them?
11
Wherefore, I say unto you this day:
Listen to the Oracle of YHVH,
give ear that you might hear,
12
That your children
and your children’s children
might stave off death at the last day.
13
I shall speak unto you freely;
yea, I shall give unto you the word of YHVH,
that you shall have these sayings among you:
14
And this that you shall stand up,
and give heed, O Judah!
That all those who would understand
these proverbs and these intrigues,
15
And all those who would cut through
to dig out the knowledge,
and all those who would hold fast
to these mysteries and these wonders,
16
That by the strength of El Elyon
you might break the chains of death and hell,
seeing past all those who do walk in naivety.
17
And even those who are devious
in their dealings with their fellows,
18
Yea and the stiff necked,
the hard-headed and hard-hearted,
those intertwined with the customs of fools;
19
Even these shall see at the end,
that would deny YHVH in the flesh,
even these shall see and shall know
that YHVH is Lord and King
over all.
20
And the inheritance of the wise
shall be salvation from death
by the power of YHVH,
for by Him shall death be conquered,
and the graves opened.
21
Yea, and there will be no more death,
nor mourning,
nor crying,
nor pain;
for the old things shall have passed away.
22
Even as in death there is grief,
and in the grave there is sorrow,
YHVH shall show His compassion,
23
So great is His unfailing love for His Israel
that YHVH shall bind up her wounds.
24
And when the time does come,
the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Man,
and those who hearken unto the Voice shall live.
25
And even as YHVH, in His infinite mercy,
shall redeem the life of His Israel from the grave,
surely He will take Israel into Himself;
26
For this One shall pay our ransom,
for He is our Elohim forever and ever:
27
And so it is that YHVH will be our guide
even unto death,
that He swallow up death forever,
having redeemed us
and taken away our destruction.
28
And now I would ask you:
What good is the mystery to you,
all they who search for the beginnings of knowledge?
29
Why is the heart honored,
for it is that which governs the body of man?
30
Does the heart hear when the Voice speaks unto the heart,
when the Oracle tells the parable?
31
Why is the heart precious to the soul
when it is the birth of the soul
that reveals the true heart of mankind?
32
Why is a prince set apart
to look down upon his brother as a ruler?
Is it not YHVH that gives the king his reign?
33
And the prince is born without strength,
yet he dominates his brothers with a whip that cost him nothing.
34
How are the tzaddikimare like unto the stars?
Even as the stars do shine with a fierceness,
they hold true in their glory.
35
Shining in their glory,
they strive not to contend with one another as mankind does,
but find peace in the light of one another,
and contentment as the others shine even brighter than they.
36
And there is one that shines brighter than them all,
and none are envious of the glory of that star;
37
Therefore, might Judah be holy,
even as YHVH, our Elohim, is Holy;
38
Might Judah be righteous
that there will be peace in Israel,
even as there is peace in the Heavens.
39
Who could say they are as the stars I read in the night sky?
Not a soul in Judah,
no.
40
For El Elyon hath given the seed of Jacob her strength
that her fate shall not be tied to the stars
like all the other nations of His creation.
41
Yet who among you seeks the presence
of Light and Understanding
that is given of Ha’Elohim?
42
The path of remembrance without foundation
is without the depth of understanding.
43
Those taught by the angels of El Elyon,
those who sing praises
that they would be even as Ha’Elohim—
44
Unto these are given the fruit
unto the knowing of good and evil.
45
I thank you, O YHVH,
for your eyes are awake
and they do watch over my soul!
46
You have rescued me from the passion of idle talkers,
from the company of those who would seek
the pleasant words of flattery
that lead souls away.
47
Israel to the North, you hath let slip away,
but they are not hidden from you!
48
Save therefore the soul of the poor
who they planned to destroy
by spilling the blood of your servant.
49
I walked this walk for you,
YHVH, my Elohim,
but they did not know this.
50
They laughed at me,
sought to shame me
with lies from their mouths!
51
But you didst support the soul
of the poor and the weak,
you did save me from their harsh arms,
52
You redeemed me amid their taunts;
from the wicked I do not fear destruction.
53
Surely even the maggot can praise you, YHVH,
and the worm remembers your love and kindness;
54
Yet they who have tasted of death but returned
have forgotten you,
and your people have stumbled,
having forgotten to sing your praises.
55
Your kindness has been revealed unto them,
and your righteousness has enlightened them,
Elohim Shaddai.
56
For in your hands are the souls of every living thing;
you have given the breath of life unto all flesh.
57
Deal with us, O YHVH, according to your goodness,
according to your great mercy,
and according to your many righteous deeds.
58
YHVH has listened to the voices of those who love His name,
and He has not deprived them of His love
nor of His kindness;
59
Yet His mighty arm shall be swift in dealing with Judah,
should she not remember her place,
and return to her covenant!