As hie ’k gjin Ear, sa hearde Ik,
Oant der in Wurd fol Lûd
Fan ’t Libben ta my kaam, fan fier,
En ’k wist, no hear Ik goed –
As die myn Each it foar in Oar,
Sa seach Ik, oant in Ding
Dat ik no ken as Ljocht, omdat
It paste, binnengong.
As wie ’k fan Hûs, sa wenne Ik,
Inkeld myn Liif wie yn –
Pas mei’t in Krêft my opmurk, waard
Myn Kearn in Setting jûn –
En Geast gong op Matearje oan,
“Goefreon, jo kenne My”,
En Tiid gong út en brocht it Nijs
En moete Ivichheid
I heard, as if I had no Ear
Until a Vital Word
Came all the way from Life to me,
And then I knew I heard –
I saw, as if my Eye were on
Another, till a Thing
And now I know ’twas Light, because
It fitted them, came in.
I dwelt, as if Myself were out,
My Body but within
Until a Might detected me
And set my Kernel in –
And Spirit turned unto the Dust
“Old Friend, thou knowest Me”,
And Time went out to tell the News
And met Eternity
F996 (J1039)