Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/281



Your own light,    Ruler of life;

For You are the brightness,    benign Father,

Of the true Light;    likewise You are Yourself

The firm rest,        Father Almighty,

Of all the true ones. Tenderly You suffer

That they may behold You,    Yes, Yourself even.

You are of all things,    O nations' Ruler,

Beginning and end. O angels' Father,

Of all things You bear    the burden lightly,

Never wearied. Yourself are the Way,

Yes, and the Guide,    of all things living,

And the goodly Bourne    to which the Way bends.

To You all mortals    are moving ever,

All men from below,    in the bright creation.

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O sons of mankind,    over earth moving,

Let each that has freedom    find out the way

To the eternal goodness    whereof our speech is,

And to the blessings    that are our song's burden.

The man that is straitly    bound by the sway

Of the worthless love    of this world glorious,

Let him right soon    seek for himself

Fullness of freedom,    that forthwith he may come,

Into the blessings    of the Bidder of spirits

For this is the rest    from all our wrestling,

The hopeful haven    for the high vessels

Of the minds of us men,    mild harbour bright.