Johannes, heed the warning of thy soul;

The man who, flooding thee with spirit, rose

To be thy nature’s primal energy,

Must at thy side still hold his faithful sway

And claim that thou transform his being’s powers

Through thy will into human deeds. He must,

Himself concealed, work out his task in thee;

That thou some day mayst reach what thou dost know

To be thy being’s distant future goal.

Thy personal sorrow thou must bear through life