Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/283



Of God Almighty;    for every spirit

'Tis ceaseless, eternal,    for the souls of the blest.

XXII
He that desires    the Right in due measure,

In its inner nature    anxious to track,

And know it fully    so that none be able

To drive it out,    nor anything earthly

Have power to hinder:    first him behoves

In his own soul    to seek what he earlier

During a season    sought from without.

Then let him bring it    forth from his bosom,

And leave behind,    as long as he may,

Every sorrow    that serves for nought;

And let him muster    with might and with main

Each thought within him    to that end only.

Let him say to his mind,    that it may find

Within itself only    all that it now

Oftenest seeks    ever outside,

Every goodness. Then he gets to know

Things evil and idle,    all that he had,

Hid in his bosom    so long before,

Even as clearly    as he can the sun

Behold with the eyes    of this present body

And he moreover    his mind perceives

Lighter and brighter    than is the beaming

Of the sun in summer,    when the sky's jewel,

Sheer orb of heaven,    shines brightest.