Where are you, that which is young! that ever 
Wakens me at the morning hour, where are you, light? 
My heart is awake, yet the night ever holds 
And ensnares me in sacred enchantment.

Formerly around twilight, I listened happily, formerly
I gladly awaited you at the hillock, and never for naught!
Never, you lovely thing, did your messengers,
The breezes, deceive me, for you always came,

Came along the accustomed pathway, blessing everything,
Entered in your beauty, where are you, light?
My heart is awake once more, but 
The infinite night ever charms and ensnares me.

Formerly the arbours burgeoned for me, the flowers
Shone for me like my own eyes;
Not far away was the visage of her
Who was mine and who shone for me, and above

And about the woods I saw the pinions
Of Heaven wandering, when I was a youth;
Now I sit quietly alone, from one
Hour to the other, and shapes

Of the love and sorrow of brighter days
My thoughts now create for their own pleasure,
And I listen far into the distance to discover whether
A kindly saviour might perhaps be coming to me.

Then I often hear the voice of the thunderer
At noontide, when the iron one approaches,
When his house trembles and the ground
Beneath him roars and the mountain echoes the sound.

I then hear the saviour in the night, I hear
Him slaying, the emancipator, [hear] him quickening,
The thunderer hastening from the west
To the east and following him, your resounding,

Following him, you my [harp-]strings! With him lives
My song, and as the water-spring follows the river
Whither it lists, thus must I be off and 
Follow the sure one upon the errant path.

Whither? whither? I hear thee hither and yon,
Thou glorious one! and all around the world resounds!
Where dost thou end? and what, what is that
Above the clouds? and oh, what do I feel!

Day! Day! You above the plunging clouds!
Be welcome to me! my eyes blossom for you.
Oh light of youth! oh happiness! the olden things
Again! but more spiritually you rain down,

You golden well-spring from the holy chalice! And you,
You green terrain! peaceful cradle! And you, 
House of my fathers! And you loved ones,
Who once encountered me, oh approach,

Oh, come, that the joy may be yours, yours,
All of you, that the longing one may bless you! 
Oh, that I may bear it, take the life,
[Take] the divine from my heart!