Religion

If I him but have

by Novalis (Friedrich von Hardenberg) 1772–1801

Translated by George MacDonald (Rampolli, 1897) · From Spiritual Songs (Rampolli, 1897)

Religion

If I him but have,
If he be but mine,
If my heart, hence to the grave,
Ne’er forgets his love divine--
Know I nought of sadness,
Feel I nought but worship, love, and gladness.

If I him but have,
Pleased from all I part;
Follow, on my pilgrim staff,
None but him, with honest heart;
Leave the rest, nought saying,
On broad, bright, and crowded highways straying.

If I him but have,
Glad to sleep I sink;
From his heart the flood he gave
Shall to mine be food and drink;
And, with sweet compelling,
Mine shall soften, deep throughout it welling.

If I him but have,
Mine the world I hail;
Happy, like a cherub grave
Holding back the Virgin’s veil:
I, deep sunk in gazing,
Hear no more the Earth or its poor praising.

Where I have but him
Is my fatherland;
Every gift a precious gem
Come to me from his own hand!
Brothers long deplored,
Lo, in his disciples, all restored!

MLA

Novalis (Friedrich von Hardenberg). “If I him but have.” Translated by George MacDonald. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/novalis/4/.

Chicago

Novalis (Friedrich von Hardenberg). “If I him but have.” Translated by George MacDonald. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/novalis/4/.

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