German Literature

Against all hostile evils.

Thou parriest many a stormy shower

Which o'er us cast in darkest hour,

The hell worm's power

And other ruthless devils.

Stanza 20.---

Thou art a sun, a moon, a star,

'Tis thou can'st give all good and mar,

Yea, and debar

Our enemies great cunning.

That power God to thee hath given

That living light, that light of heaven:

Hence see we even

Thy praise from all lips running.

Thou'st won the purest, noblest fame,

In all the earth's long story,

That e'er attached to worldly name;

It shineth brightly like a flame;

All hearts the same

Adore its lasting glory.

Stanza 32.---

To worship, Lady, thee is bliss,

And fruitful hours ne'er pass amiss

To heart that is

So sweet a guest's host-mansion.

He who thee but invited hath

Into his heart's heart love with faith,

Must live and bathe

In endless bliss-expansion.

To worship thee stirs up in man

A love now tame, now passion.

To worship thee doth waken, then

Love e'en in those love ne'er could gain;

Thus now amain

Shines forth thy love's concession.

From praising Mary, the poet passes to praising Christ.

Stanza 59.---

Thou cool, thou cold, thou warmth, thou heat,

Thou rapture's circle's central seat,

Who does not meet

With thee stays dead in sadness;

Each day to him appears a year,

Seldom his thoughts wear green bloom's gear;

he doth appear

Forever without gladness.

Thou art most truly our heart's shine

Our sun wide joy-inspiring;

A sweet heart's love for all that pine,

For all the sad a joyful shrine,

A spring divine

For the thirsty and desiring.

-----Tr. by Kroeger.