INTRODUZIONE
“A New World” è il primo libro di Mosè, più noto come la Genesi, raccontato in modo unico. Versi scorrevoli in rima baciata ed un incalzante ritmo trasportano il lettore dalle delizie verdeggianti del Giardino dell’Eden, oltre Noè e l’alluvione e le avventure di Abramo e Isacco, fino all’arrivo di Giuseppe in Egitto e la sua ascesa al potere come braccio destro del Faraone. Uno stile scanzonato ma mai irriverente, porta in vita i personaggi di questa storia biblica e fa di ‘A New World’ una lettura molto piacevole sia per bambini che per adulti.
Per trarre il massimo beneficio dalla traccia audio, si consiglia di fare l’ascolto almeno una volta prima di passare alla lettura del testo.
A
wife
for Isaac
[Genesis 23:1]
Several years later, Isaac’s mother died,
Aby knelt down by her side, mourned for her, and cried.
She was pretty old, they say, a hundred and twenty-seven,
When, at last, her spirit left and took its place in heaven.
But Abraham was on a journey, far away from home,
He had no place to bury her, no land to call his own.
And so he asked the sons of Heth if he could buy some land,
And they were more than happy to help a man so grand.
The place that Abraham had seen to make a perfect grave,
Was in the field of Ephron, the old Machpelah cave.
Ephron posed no problems, he said that as a price,
Four hundred silver shekels would certainly suffice.
Now Abraham was getting old but felt, before he died,
That he should seek for Isaac a fine and fitting bride.
And so he sent a servant to see if he could find
A suitable young maiden from Aby’s land and kind.
The servant said to Abraham, “I’ll do what’s in my power,”
Then saddled up ten camels and left within the hour.
He called a halt at Nahor’s town, beside the city wall,
And waited near a water well, till night began to fall.
In those parts, at sunset, they often sent a daughter
Out beyond the city walls to fetch a pail of water.
As the girls approached the well, the servant kneeled to pray,
And asked the Lord to intervene and help him on his way.
He planned to pin his chances on the girl who was the first
To offer him some water to quench his raging thirst.
He prayed she’d be the very one that Abraham desired,
Befitting of his only son, graceful and well sired.
He begged the Lord to guide him and lend a helping hand,
Then getting up upon his feet, he strolled across the sand.
The first girl was Rebekah, Bethuel’s pretty daughter,
She was quickest off the mark to offer him some water.
Not only did she draw for him, but for his camels too,
It seemed the servant’s wishes were already coming true.
Encouraged by his progress, he thought he would be bold,
And gave the girl two bracelets and an earring, all of gold.
As soon as he discovered that she was Aby’s kin,
He asked her if her dad would be prepared to take him in.
Becky said to wait a sec and went to ask her mother,
And soon he was invited in by Laban, Becky’s brother.
They offered him some dinner and water for his feet,
But first he told his story, and then sat down to eat.
Becky’s family was impressed by what he had to say,
They felt the presence of the Lord and knew it was the way.
They gave away their daughter, their first and only one,
To be the wife that Aby so desired for his son.
The servant offered, in exchange, jewels, gold and raiment
To Becky’s mum and brother as a sort of wedding payment.
The next day they got ready to leave the house in style,
Despite the pleas of Becky’s mum to stay a little while.
They were both determined to leave that very day,
So Becky’s parents blessed them, and sent them on their way.
Rebekah was excited to start her life anew,
Although the trip would take them at least a day or two.
When they got to Hebron they stopped upon a mound,
And spotted Isaac in the fields wandering around.
Rebekah pulled a veil out and covered up her face,
She felt a little timid and somewhat out of place.
But after introductions, she yielded to his charm,
And off they went to Isaac’s tent, together, arm in arm.
Though Abraham was getting old, he wasn’t one to tarry,
He found another girlfriend, and they agreed to marry.
They had a lot of children, six of them, they say,
Before he gave the ghost up at suppertime one day.
They buried him with Sarah, according to his plan,
And mourned the final passing of such a righteous man.
