Hebrew Literature Quotes

It's problematic being an Arab who writes in Hebrew.

Hebrew is the language I use to thank the Creator and, also, to swear on the road.

I write in words. And my words are Hebrew words.

Almost every modern literary form existed in Hebrew two thousand years ago. And, yes, it existed even during the middle ages.

My father was a great sympathizer of Ahad Ha'am. Every Friday night we would read Hebrew together, and often the reading was Ahad Ha'am's essays.

The book of Job is pure Arab poetry of the highest and most antique cast.

When my works are being translated, I always get this question from my translators: Up or down? Which means, should it sound biblical and highbrow, or should we take it all down to sound colloquial? In Hebrew, it's both all the time. People in Israel would write in a high register, they wouldn't write colloquial speech. I do a special take on colloquial speech.

Hebrew as a contemporary language, especially for poetry, is no longer the language of the Bible; but neither is it not the language of the Bible.

In the history of old Jewish literature there was never any basic difference between the poet and the prophet. Our ancient poetry often became law and a way of life.

In Israel, the role of the writer is dictated by the language in which you write. Writers see themselves as cultural prophets.

It is a fact that the classics of Yiddish literature are also the classics of the modern Hebrew literature.