Poems of Friedrich Hölderlin


 


Patmos - 4


And yet the men grieved, now that evening
Had come, and they were taken by surprise,
Since they were full of great resolution,
And loved living in the sun,
And didn’t want to abandon the Lord's
Countenance, which had become their home.
It had penetrated them like fire into hot iron,
And the one they love walked beside them
Like a shadow. Therefore he sent
The Spirit upon them,
And of course the house shook,
And God's storms and thunder rolled
Over their expectant heads, while
They were gathered with heavy hearts,
Like heroes under sentence of death,

When he again appeared to them
At his departure. For now
The majestic day of the sun
Was extinguished, as he cast
The shining scepter from himself,
Suffering like a god, but knowing
All would return at the right time.
It would have been wrong
And disloyal to suddenly sever his work
With humans, since now it pleased
Him to live on in loving night,
And keep his innocent eyes fixed
Steadfastly on depths of wisdom.
Living images flourish deep
In the mountains as well,

 

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