ODE TO JOY - Friedrich Schiller Poems

 
 

Poems » friedrich schiller » ode to joy

ODE TO JOY
Joy, thou beauteous godly lightning
  Daughter of Elysium,
Fire drunken we are ent'ring
Heavenly, thy holy home!
Thy enchantments bind together,
What did custom stern divide,
Every man becomes a brother,
Where thy gentle wings abide.

Who the noble prize achieveth,
Good friend of a friend to be;
Who a lovely wife attaineth,
Join us in his jubilee!
Yes--he too who but {one} being
On this earth can call {his} own!
He who ne'er was able, weeping
Stealeth from this league alone!

Joy is drunk by every being
From kind nature's flowing breasts,
Every evil, every good thing
For her rosy footprint quests.
Gave she {us} both {vines} and kisses,
In the face of death a friend,
To the worm were given blisses
And the Cherubs God attend.

As the suns are flying, happy
Through the heaven's glorious plane,
Travel, brothers, down your lane,
Joyful as in hero's vict'ry.

Be embrac'd, ye millions yonder!
Take this kiss throughout the world!
Brothers--o'er the stars unfurl'd
Must reside a loving Father.
He who in the great ring dwelleth,
Homage pays to sympathy!
To the stars above leads she,
Where on high the {Unknown} reigneth.

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