| |
| GO out, my heart, and seek delight, | |
| In this dear summer time so bright, | |
| In God’s abundance daily; | |
| The beauty of these gardens see, | |
| And look, how they for me and thee | 5 |
| Have decked themselves so gaily. | |
| |
| The trees with spreading leaves are blessed, | |
| The earth her dusty rind has dressed | |
| In green so young and tender. | |
| Narcissus and the tulip fair | 10 |
| Are clothed in raiment far more rare | |
| Than Solomon, in splendour. | |
| |
| The larks soar high and higher rise, | |
| And from her cave the pigeon flies, | |
| Into the forest winging. | 15 |
| The most accomplished nightingale | |
| Fills mountain, meadow, hill and dale | |
| With sweetness of her singing. | |
| |
| The hens with all their chickens stride, | |
| The stork has built her nest with pride, | 20 |
| Her young the swallow’s feeding. | |
| The nimble hart, the deer so light | |
| Rejoice, and, leaping from their height, | |
| Into the grass come speeding. | |
| |
| Fast grows the wheat, like waving gold, | 25 |
| And gives delight to young and old; | |
| They praise with glad thanksgiving | |
| Him, who through mercy measureless | |
| Vouchsafed the soul of man to bless | |
| With goods that grace his living. | 30 |
| |
| I, too, cannot and will not rest, | |
| My senses all awake with zest, | |
| The Lord’s great goodness knowing; | |
| I sing when all sings round about, | |
| And praises of the Lord, devout | 35 |
| Out of my heart are flowing. | |
| |
| Thy splendour here doth shine so bright, | |
| And lets us feel so much delight, | |
| While on poor earth abiding: | |
| What blessings may hereafter be, | 40 |
| For those that heaven’s glory see, | |
| In golden halls residing? | |
| |
| Ah, what a lucid light divine | |
| In Christ’s fair garden then will shine! | |
| What music will be ringing, | 45 |
| With many thousand Seraphim | |
| Of never-weary lips, to Him | |
| Their Alleluiahs singing! | |
| |
| Would I were there! Oh, if I stood | |
| Before Thy throne—Thou highest Good!— | 50 |
| My palms most humbly raising! | |
| Then, like the angels worshipping, | |
| A thousand noble psalms I’d sing, | |
| Thy name forever praising. | |
| |
| Yet I shall never silent stay, | 55 |
| While here upon my earthly way | |
| This yoke of flesh I’m bearing. | |
| My heart shall sing unceasingly | |
| Here and wherever I may be, | |
| Thy praises never sparing. | 60 |
| |
| Help Thou my spirit, let it grow | |
| With blessings that from heaven flow, | |
| To bloom for Thine adorning. | |
| And may Thy mercy’s summer heat | |
| Raise fruits of faith, all ripe and sweet, | 65 |
| Till eve from early morning. | |
| |
| Oh, choose me for Thy Paradise, | |
| Let soul and body, till I rise, | |
| Still flourish, tiring never. | |
| By Thee alone I shall abide, | 70 |
| Thine honour serve, and none beside, | |
| Both here and there forever. | |
| |
