Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/273



For they are one only    in every wise,

You and Your goodness. This is Your own,

For not from without    to You has it come.

But this I guess surely,    that Your goodness is

Goodness almighty,    Yourself, O God;

It is unlike    ours in nature;

From outside comes    all we contain

Of good in the world,    from God Himself.

You have no anger    to anything conceived,

For to You nothing    knows likeness

No, nor even    is anything more crafty;

For You all goodness    by Your contriving,

Alone in Your counsel    carried it out.

Before You there was not    any creature

Either to do    or to leave undone;

But without pattern,    Prince of mankind,

God Almighty,        all You wrought,

All very good. You are Yourself

The Highest Good. Ah! You, holy Father,

After Your will    the world created,

This earth with Your might    made to be,

O Chief of hosts,    as You did choose,

And with Your will        wield all things.

So You, true God,    Yourself grant

All good that is;    for long ago

You all Your creatures    first created

Strongly alike;    yet some there were

Not like in nature. One name You gave,

One name only,    to all together,

World under sky. O God of splendour

This single name    You parted since,

Father, into four:    first the earth,

Second water,    part of the world,

Thirdly fire,    and fourthly air;

These four together    form the world.

Yet each of these four    has