Lied van die Liefde.

Dit is my eenvoudige interpretasie van die Lied…
ek weet woorde kan nooit reg daaraan laat geskied.
Lied van die Liefde, suiwer en skoon.
Waarvandaan kom dit, waar wil dit woon?
Betowerende note, op heilige toon.
Onbekend, soos ʼn skone droom.
Hier op aarde, die plek van smart.
Roepend na uitkoms, die sondaarshart.
Alles is donker, die afgrond wat tart.
Wie gaan versag, wie gaan verhard?

Kom na ons, O’ lieflike Lied.
Al is daar niks wat ons U kan bied.
Met ʼn gemoed so dikwels morbied.
Net ʼn hart vol verlange, wagtend op U Lied.
Luister, luister, na die sagte geluid.
Dit kom op die bries wat onhoorbaar daar fluit.
En land soos doudruppels sag teen die ruit.
Van die kleine venster in die hart van die Bruid.
Dis heeltyd nog die Liefde Self.
Wat skitter soos ʼn Ster aan die hemelgewelf.
Wat niemand kan sien terwyl hulle blind in geskrifte delf.
In die pad is die gordyn van die selfsugtige self.

Hoor die Lied, liefling van my.
Laat ons die deuntjie in ons harte kry.
Van nederige Liefde, wat vir jou sal ly.
En vir jou sal baklei.
Wat verklaar… jy is altyd vry.
Om in Liefde te bly.

Hemelse Lied, Lied van verlange.
Laat die trane loop oor ons wange.
Laat U water stroom oor die hange.
Van harte vry en onbevange.
Ons moet vertrou.
Van altyd tot nou.
raak Liefde nooit flou.
Dit is getrou.
Dis die Lewe in jou.
As jy in jou hart aan die wysie klou.
Raak die donker lugruim weer helderblou.
Dat ek baie van jou hou...
so klink die Lied nou vir jou.

Gedig van ’n leser gestuur aan Judith de Beer

Die Sirkus

Eendag, terwyl ek nog ’n tiener was, het ek en my pa in die ry gestaan om kaartjies te koop vir die sirkus. Vir ons klein dorpie was die sirkus ’n groot gebeurtenis en een van die jaar se hoogtepunte op die kalender. Uiteindelik was daar slegs een gesin tussen ons en die kaartjie kantoor.

Die gesin het ’n groot indruk op my gemaak. Daar was agt kinders, almal so onder die ouderdom van sestien jaar. Ek kon aflei dat hulle dit nie baie breed gehad het nie. Hulle klere was nie duur klere nie maar skoon en perfek gestryk.

Die kinders was besonder goed gemanierd, almal van hulle netjies in ’n ry agter hul ouers, twee-twee langs mekaar terwyl hul mekaar aan die hand vashou. Hulle het baie opgewonde geklets oor die narre, die olifante en al die ander toertjies wat hulle die aand sou sien met die vertoning. Mens kon aanvoel dat hulle nog nooit by ’n sirkus was nie. Dit het beloof om een van die hoogte punte in hul jong lewens te wees.

Die pa en ma het trots gestaan aan die voorpunt van die jong brigade. Die ma het sy haar man se hand vasgehou en na hom opgekyk asof sy wou sê, “Jy is my ridder op die wit perd.” Hy het geglimlag vir haar die trots op sy vrou en kinders was duidelik sigbaar in sy hele houding.

Die dame van die kaartjies kantoor het aan die pa gevra hoeveel kaartjies wil hy koop. Hy het trots geantwoord, “Gee my asseblief agt kinder kaartjies en twee volwasse kaartjies.”

Die dame wat die kaartjie verkoop sê aan die man wat die totale koste sal beloop vir die tien kaartjies. Die man se vrou los sy hand en laat sak haar kop, die man se lip begin effens bewe. Die pa leen effens nader en vra, “Hoeveel het jy gesê kos die kaartjies?”

Die kaartjie verkoper herhaal die prys van die kaartjies. Die man het nie genoeg geld gehad om te betaal vir die kaartjies nie.

Hoe was hy veronderstel om aan sy opgewonde kinders te vertel dat daar nie genoeg geld was om hul die sirkus vertoning te laat kyk nie?

My pa wat presies gesien het wat hier besig was om plaas te vind het sy hand in sy sak gedruk en ’n R100-00 uitgehaal en dit op die grond laat val. (Julle moet verstaan dat ons geensins welaf was nie!) My pa buk af, tel die noot op, tik die pa op sy skouer en sê, “Verskoon my meneer, die het uit u sak uit geval.”

Die man het besef wat aan die gang is. Hy het nie gebedel vir hulp nie maar het verseker die hulp waardeer in hierdie desperate, hartverskeurende, vernederende oomblik. Hy het reguit in my pa se oë gekyk, my pa se hand geneem in beide sy hande en dit styf gedruk. Terwyl sy lip liggies bewe en met ’n traan wat oor sy wang rol antwoord hy, “Baie, baie dankie meneer. Dit beteken werklik ontsaglik baie vir my en my gesin.”

My pa en ek het terug gestap na ons motor en huis toe gery. Ons het nie die aand sirkus toe gegaan nie, maar dit het nie een van ons twee gepla nie. Die blydskap en dankbaarheid in die oë van ’n vader met ’n wonderlike gesin het meer as vergoed vir enige sirkus vertoning.

Skrywer: Anoniem

THE TESTAMENT OF BENJAMIN

The Twelfth Son of Jacob and Rachel.

CHAP. I.

Benjamin, the twelfth son of Jacob and Rachel, the baby of the family, turns philosopher and philanthropist.

THE copy of the words of Benjamin, which he commanded his sons to observe, after he had lived a hundred and twenty-five years.

2 And he kissed them, and said: As Isaac was born to Abraham in his old age, so also was I to Jacob.

3 And since Rachel my mother died in giving me birth, I had no milk; therefore I was suckled by Bilhah her handmaid.

4 For Rachel remained barren for twelve years after she had borne Joseph; and she prayed the Lord with fasting twelve days, and she conceived and bare Me.

5 For my father loved Rachel dearly, and prayed that he might see two sons born from her.

6 Therefore was I called Benjamin, that is, a son of days.

7 And when I went into Egypt, to Joseph, and my brother recognized me, he said unto me: What did they tell my father when they sold me?

8 And I said unto him, They dabbled thy coat with blood and sent it, and said: Know whether this be thy son's coat.

9 And he said unto me: Even so, brother, when they had stripped me of my coat they gave me to the Ishmaelites, and they gave me a loin cloth, and scourged me, and bade me run.

10 And as for one of them that had beaten me with a rod, a lion met him and slew him.

11 And so his associates were affrighted.

12 Do ye also, therefore, my children, love the Lord God of heaven and earth, and keep His commandments, following the example of the good and holy man Joseph.

13 And let your mind be unto good, even as ye know me; for he that bath his mind right seeth all things rightly.

14 Fear ye the Lord, and love your neighbour; and even though the spirits of Beliar claim you to afflict you with every evil, yet shall they not have dominion over you, even as they had not over Joseph my brother.,

15 How many men wished to slay him, and God shielded him!

16 For he that feareth God and loveth his neighbour cannot be smitten by the spirit of Beliar, being shielded by the fear of God.

17 Nor can he be ruled over by the device of men or beasts, for he is helped by the Lord through the love which he hath towards his neighbour.

18 For Joseph also besought our father that he would pray for his brethren, that the Lord would not impute to them as sin whatever evil they had done unto him.

19 And thus Jacob cried out: My good child, thou hast prevailed over the bowels of thy father Jacob.

20 And he embraced him, and kissed him for two hours, saying:

21 In thee shall be fulfilled the prophecy of heaven concerning the Lamb of God, and Saviour of the world, and that a blameless one shall be delivered up for lawless men, and a sinless one shall die for ungodly men in the blood of the covenant, for the salvation of the Gentiles and of Israel, and shall destroy Beliar and his servants.

22 See ye, therefore, my children, the end of the good man?

23 Be followers of his compassion, therefore, with a good mind, that ye also may wear crowns of glory.

24 For the good man hath not a dark eye; for he showeth mercy to all men, even though they be sinners.

25 And though they devise with evil intent. concerning him, by doing good he overcometh evil, being shielded by God; and he loveth the righteous as his own soul.

26 If any one is glorified, he envieth him not; if any one is enriched, he is not jealous; if any one is valiant, he praiseth him; the virtuous man he laudeth; on the poor man he hath mercy; on the weak he hath compassion; unto God he singeth praises.

27 And him that hath the grace of a good spirit he loveth as his own soul.

28 If therefore, ye also have a good mind, then will both wicked men be at peace with you, and the profligate will reverence you and turn unto good; and the covetous will not only cease from their inordinate desire, but even give the objects of their covetousness to them that are afflicted.

29 If ye do well, even the unclean spirits will flee from you; and the beasts will dread you.

30 For where there is reverence for good works and light in the mind, even darkness fleeth away from him.

31 For if any one does violence to a holy man, he repenteth; for the holy man is merciful to his reviler, and holdeth his peace.

32 And if any one betrayeth a righteous man, the righteous man prayeth: though for a little he be humbled, yet not long after he appeareth far more glorious, as was Joseph my brother.

33 The inclination of the good man is not in the power of the deceit of the spirit of Beliar, for the angel of peace guideth his soul.

34 And he gazeth not passionately upon corruptible things, nor gathereth together riches through a desire of pleasure.

35 He delighteth not in pleasure, he grieveth not his neighbour, he sateth not himself with luxuries, he erreth not in the uplifting of the eyes, for the Lord is his portion.

36 The good inclination receiveth not glory nor dishonour from men, and it knoweth not any guile, or lie, or fighting or reviling; for the Lord dwelleth in him and lighteth up his soul, and he rejoiceth towards all men always.

37 The good mind hath not two tongues, of blessing and of cursing, of contumely and of honour, of sorrow and of joy, of quietness and of confusion, of hypocrisy and of truth, of poverty and of wealth; but it hath one disposition, uncorrupt and pure, concerning all men.

38 It hath no double sight, nor double hearing; for in everything which he doeth, or speaketh, or seeth, he knoweth that the Lord looketh on his soul.

39 And he cleanseth his mind that he may not be condemned by men as well as by God.

40 And in like manner the works of Beliar are twofold, and there is no singleness in them.

41 Therefore, my children, I tell you, flee the malice of Beliar; for he giveth a sword to them that obey him.

42 And the sword is the mother of seven evils. First the mind conceiveth through Beliar, and first there is bloodshed; secondly ruin; thirdly, tribulation; fourthly, exile; fifthly, dearth; sixthly, panic; seventhly, destruction.

43 'Therefore was Cain also delivered over to seven vengeances by God, for in every hundred years the Lord brought one plague upon him.

44 And when he was two hundred years old he began to suffer, and in the nine-hundredth year he was destroyed.

45 For on account of Abel, his brother, with -all the evils was he judged, but Lamech with seventy times seven.

46 Because for ever those, who are like Cain in envy and hatred of brethren, shall be punished with the same judgement.

CHAP. II.

Verse 3 contains a striking example of the homeliness--yet vividness of the figures of speech of these ancient patriarchs.

AND do ye, my children, flee evil-doing, envy, and hatred of brethren, and cleave to goodness and love.

2 He that hath a pure mind in love, looketh not after a woman with a view to fornication; for he hath no defilement in his heart, because the Spirit of God resteth upon him.

3 For as the sun is not defiled by shining on dung and mire, but rather drieth up both and driveth away the evil smell; so also the pure mind, though encompassed by the defilements of earth, rather cleanseth them and is not itself defiled.

4 And I believe that there will be also evil-doings among you, from the words of Enoch the righteous: that ye shall commit fornication with the fornication of Sodom, and shall perish, all save a few, and shall renew wanton deeds with women; and the kingdom of the Lord shall not be among you, for straightway He shall take it away.

5 Nevertheless the temple of God shall be in your portion, and the last temple shall be more glorious than the first.

6 And the twelve tribes shall be gathered together there, and all the Gentiles, until the Most High shall send forth His salvation in the visitation of an only-begotten prophet.

7 And He shall enter into the first temple, and there shall the Lord be treated with outrage, and He shall be lifted up upon a tree.

8 And the veil of the temple shall be rent, and the Spirit of God shall pass on to the Gentiles as fire poured forth.

9 And He shall ascend from Hades and shall pass from earth into heaven.

10 And I know how lowly He shall be upon earth, and how glorious in heaven.

11 Now when Joseph was in Egypt, I longed to see his figure and the form of his countenance; and through the prayers of Jacob my father I saw him, while awake in the daytime, even his entire figure exactly as he was.

12 And when he had said these things, he said unto them: Know ye, therefore, my children, that I am dying.

13 Do ye, therefore, truth each one to his neighbour, and keep the law of the Lord and His commandments.

14 For these things do I leave you instead of inheritance.

15 Do ye also, therefore, give them to your children for an everlasting possession; for so did both Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.

16 For all these things they gave us for an inheritance, saying: Keep the commandments of God, until the Lord shall reveal His salvation to all Gentiles.

17 And then shall ye see Enoch, Noah, and Shem, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, rising on the right hand in gladness,

18 Then shall we also rise, each one over our tribe, worshipping the King of heaven, who appeared upon earth in the form of a man in humility.

19 And as many as believe on Him on the earth shall rejoice with Him.

20 Then also all men shall rise, some unto glory and some unto shame.

21 And the Lord shall judge Israel first, for their unrighteousness; for when He appeared as God in the flesh to deliver them they believed Him not.

22 And then shall He judge all the Gentiles, as many as believed Him not when He appeared upon earth.

23 And He shall convict Israel through the chosen ones of the Gentiles, even as He reproved Esau through the Midianites, who deceived their brethren, so that they fell into fornication, and idolatry; and they were alienated from God, becoming therefore children in the portion of them that fear the Lord.

24 If ye therefore, my children, walk in holiness according to the commandments of the Lord, ye shall again dwell securely with me, and all Israel shall be gathered unto the Lord.

25 And I shall no longer be called a ravening wolf on account of your ravages, but a worker of the Lord distributing food to them that work what is good.

26 And there shall arise in the latter days one beloved of the Lord, of the tribe of Judah and Levi, a doer of His good pleasure in his mouth, with new knowledge enlightening the Gentiles.

27 Until the consummation of the age shall he be in the synagogues of the Gentiles, and among their rulers, as a strain of music in the mouth of all.

28 And he shall be inscribed in the holy books, both his work and his word, and he shall be a chosen one of God for ever.

29 And through them he shall go to and fro as Jacob my father, saying: He shall fill up that which lacketh of thy tribe.

30 And when he had said these things he stretched out his feet.

31 And died in a beautiful and good sleep.

32 And his sons did as he had enjoined them, and they took up his body and buried it in Hebron with his fathers.

33 And the number of the days of his life was a hundred and twenty-five years.


Hierdie was die laaste van die testamente van die twaalf aardsvaders – ek hoop van harte dat almal dit net so geniet soos ek dit geniet het.

Leuning aan jou Dak

Deuteronomium 22:8
As jy ’n nuwe huis bou, moet jy ’n leuning aan jou dak maak, sodat jy geen bloedskuld op jou huis bring as iemand daarvan afval nie.

Dit is en bly vir my altyd te wonderbaar wanneer mens ’n ietsie klein in die Skrif raak lees en dit sit ’n hele denkproses aan die gang. Die stukkie noop mens om so bietjie navorsing te gaan doen of dit maak dat iets soms net eenvoudig in plek kliek wat jy nooit verstaan het of na opgelet het nie.

Met die stukkie was dit nou weer die geval gewees. Ons almal kyk na die oorsese flieks (veral Amerikaans) en ons sien al die huise en die meeste van hulle het soos ’n leertjie of ’n stellasie vir ’n ranker wat vanaf die grond strek to by die dak.
Onbewustelik het ek al baie gewonder wat is die doel daarvan want die meeste van die kere in die films gebruik die kinders dit om skelmpies uit die kamer te sluip en in die nag te gaan rondjakker. Ek was onder die indruk dat dit maar hoofsaaklik vir plante bedoel is om teen op te rank.

Hierdie is weer een van daardie dinge wat die meeste huisbewoners al vergeet het waarvoor dit bedoel was en wat is die geskiedenis agter die “klouter leuning”.

In die Engels word daar gepraat van ’n “parapet” wat ’n parapet muur (of ’n keer muur) beteken of ander omskryf dit as “battlement”. Die parapet muur is opsigtelik veral by plat dakke waar die mure aan die kant van die huis hoër opgebou word as die dak en die muurtjie staan gewoonlik sowat 1 meter bokant die dak oppervlak uit. Die parapet muur het dus gekeer dat ’n persoon nie van die dak afval en die bloedskuld op die huis kom nie. Die battlement is soos gevegs mure wat veral op kastele sigbaar was. Die muur het met gereelde tussen poses ’n opening waardeur die soldaat sy boog of vuurwapen kan afvuur.
Met die uitfasering van die gevegs mure en platdakke met hul parapet mure na staandakke het die “klouter leuning” die plek ingeneem van die gevegs muur of parapet muur.

Maar net nog ’n bewys dat selfs in die eenvoudige konstruksie van ’n huis kan steeds die insettinge van YHWH waargeneem word, al is die eienaar van die huis nie eens daarvan bewus nie.