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183
The Young Man's Prayer.
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From the German of Baron Bunsen: written when he was a Student at Göttingen, in the year 1812, 19th October.
Thou, who of what Thou art,
And what Thou dost in boundless space and time,
Didst plant the thought sublime
Deep in the holiest holy of my heart,
That I might well employ
My strength upon Thy praise,
Catching some far ken of Thy glorious ways
Through the long march of the uncounted days,
Drunk with the fulness of exceeding joy;
And what Thou dost in boundless space and time,
Didst plant the thought sublime
Deep in the holiest holy of my heart,
That I might well employ
My strength upon Thy praise,
Catching some far ken of Thy glorious ways
Through the long march of the uncounted days,
Drunk with the fulness of exceeding joy;
O draw Thou me
Up to Thy world of bright unhindered sway,
Me the Earth-born, and shake my vision free
From mortal films that blind the face of day!
O hallow Thou my heart,
That I may see some part
Of Thy great glory, as a mortal may!
Up to Thy world of bright unhindered sway,
184
From mortal films that blind the face of day!
O hallow Thou my heart,
That I may see some part
Of Thy great glory, as a mortal may!
That me such blessed glimpse may consecrate
Through all the stumblings of this mortal state,
And float me high
Above the bustle of the driving hour,
Above the passion swelling with mad power,
That, with unwinking eye,
I may behold the surging centuries roll,
Serene with stable soul,
Rooted in Thee, from whom my being came,
Thee, through all time unmoved, and through all change the same!
Through all the stumblings of this mortal state,
And float me high
Above the bustle of the driving hour,
Above the passion swelling with mad power,
That, with unwinking eye,
I may behold the surging centuries roll,
Serene with stable soul,
Rooted in Thee, from whom my being came,
Thee, through all time unmoved, and through all change the same!
And, when my thought is laden with rich store,
And my heart streaming o'er
With what Thou art, and what Thou dost, O then
Give Thou my tongue the liberal large employ,
That what I saw, I may make known to men,
Drunk with the fulness of exceeding joy!
And my heart streaming o'er
185
Give Thou my tongue the liberal large employ,
That what I saw, I may make known to men,
Drunk with the fulness of exceeding joy!
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