God The Unbeliever Poem by Nazih Abou Afach

God! Tell me the truth!
My enemies say:
"Everybody wants . . ." and so on.
And my enemies' enemies say:
"Everybody wants . . ." and so on.
As for me, since you created all of them and all of them,
I still - being assured of your integrity and justness -
Raise my hand
Like a schoolchild threatened with expulsion,
But, without end,
Getting no one's permission to say a thing.

God! Oh God!
God of the worms, the vegetation, the cattle and the creatures that weep
Have you been mocking me, perhaps?! . .
What everybody says means that there's an "everybody" which is right
And another "everybody" which is also right.
What everybody says means that I don't exist.
What everybody says means that nobody except everybody exists.
What they say means
That you've been mocking me.

Translation: , John Peate