The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 01

Can it be, O star transcendent,
That I fold thee to my breast?
Now I know, what depths of anguish
May in parting be expressed.
Yes, 'tis thou, of all my blisses
Lovely, loving partner—thou!
Mindful of my bygone sorrows,
E'en the present awes me now.

When the world in first conception
Lay in God's eternal mind,
In creative power delighting
He the primal hour designed.
When he gave command for being,
Then was heard a mighty sigh
Full of pain, as all creation
Broke into reality.

Up then sprang the light; and darkness
Doubtful stood apart to gaze;
All the elements, dividing
Swiftly, took their several ways.
In confused, disordered dreaming
Strove they all for freedom's range—
Each for self, no fellow-feeling;
Single each, and cold and strange.

Lo, a marvel—God was lonely!
All was still and cold and dumb.
So he framed dawn's rosy blushes
Whence should consolation come—
To refresh the troubled spirit
Harmonies of color sweet:
What had erst been forced asunder
Now at last could love and meet.

Then, ah then, of life unbounded
Sight and feeling passed the gates;
Then, ah then, with eager striving
Kindred atoms sought their mates.
Gently, roughly they may seize them,
So they catch and hold them fast:
"We," they cry, "are now creators—
Allah now may rest at last!"

So with rosy wings of morning
Towards thy lips my being moves;
Sets the starry night a thousand
Glowing seals upon our loves.
We are as we should be—parted
Ne'er on earth in joy or pain;
And no second word creative
E'er can sunder us again!

PROOEMION[27 - Translator: E. A. Bowring.] (1816)

In His blest name, who was His own creation,
Who from all time makes making His vocation;
The name of Him who makes our faith so bright,
Love, confidence, activity, and might;
In that One's name, who, named though oft He be,
Unknown is ever in Reality:
As far as ear can reach, or eyesight dim,
Thou findest but the known resembling Him;
How high soe'er thy fiery spirit hovers,
Its simile and type it straight discovers;
Onward thou'rt drawn, with feelings light and gay,
Where e'er thou goest, smiling is the way;
No more thou numberest, reckonest no time,
Each step is infinite, each step sublime.
What God would outwardly alone control,
And on His finger whirl the mighty Whole?
He loves the inner world to move, to view
Nature in Him, Himself in Nature, too,
So that what in Him works, and is, and lives,
The measure of His strength, His spirit gives.
Within us all a universe doth dwell;
And hence each people's usage laudable,
That every one the Best that meets his eyes
As God, yea, e'en his God, doth recognize;
To Him both earth and heaven surrenders he,
Fears Him, and loves Him, too, if that may be.

THE ONE AND THE ALL[28 - Translator: A. I. du P. Coleman.] (1821)

Called to a new employ in boundless space,
The lonely monad quits its 'customed place
And from life's weary round contented flees.
No more of passionate striving, will perverse
And hampering obligations, long a curse:
Free self-abandonment at last gives peace.

Soul of the world, come pierce our being through!
Across the drift of things our way to hew
Is our appointed task, our noblest war.
Good spirits by our destined pathway still
Lead gently on, best masters of our will,
Toward that which made and makes all things that are.
To shape for further ends what now has breath,
Let nothing harden into ice and death,