"This satisfies the gods, the Earth, the Sun,
But sates not us, who fleeting moments live.-
Yet human life will through the ages run,
For who its count of years the day can give,
Since first upon the world gazed human eyes,
And who can know when last these eyes will close?
Our kind survives though each of us soon dies,
And will so long the Earth existence knows."
"To help the great undying human race
To prosper and a perfect state achieve;
To live and die to give it lofty place,
This is our task, ere worldly life we leave.
And like each person, too, our human kind
To godlike wisdom's state itself can raise.-
But then to ancient gods it soon grows blind,
Who made the Earth for it in bygone days."
"With higher gods, new faith the old amends,
The old alone as heresy holds sway.
This is the mighty task for mankinds' friends,
To stand and guard the folk from evil's way,
Which, fair disguised, will freedom's spirit break.-
But from the gods derives the people's mind.
Inspired by this, their laws themselves they make,
And for these laws their chiefs and rulers find."
"But should these laws the leaders not fulfil,
For their own gain the people sore oppress,
Like all bad servants here the people's will
Can drive the rulers out and end distress.
For freedom's lovers clear the task at hand:
To make just laws that goods and life protect,
On lofty human morals firmly stand,
And nature's deathless wisdom give respect."
"Then in the folk all hate will fade at length,
If they acknowledge nature's perfect law,
And recognize its hidden wondrous strength.
This is the task for those whose gifts are pure:
With glowing ardour strive with spirit vast,
Respect great nature, love the countryside,
Part wide the misty curtain of the past,
New form themselves and build the future's pride."
"Who striving seek the highest good, each one
Will earn great fame and honour with the best.
Their mourning friends, when once their course is run,
Will weeping lay them to their final rest.
And, cradled safe in Mother Nature's womb,
From people's hearts their names will never fade.
In realms of light they soar above the tomb,
Whom Gods' bold Sons eternal life once gave."
Then, silently, Laimdota closed the tome,
And placed it in a chest with others too,
And said: "These chests to more are dusty home,
A task for many years to read them through.
Perhaps in later age some humans bold
Will bring them to the sunlight, in them pore,
And teach the folk the wisdom that they hold,
About the past, its knowledge and its lore."
Scene 5: The Latvians are deceived by the Christians
Laimdota is stolen by the Germans
On All Souls' Day a feast was made complete.
Much strove Laimdota, for upon this night
Old Burtnieks departed souls would greet,
And dear ones' spirits lost to death requite.
Bearslayer worked as did Koknesis too:
They cleaned the barn, the drying rack made sound,
Raked smooth the yards and cleaned the oven's flue,
Pine needles strewed with sand upon the ground.