A little gift! Here is a verse translation from Frederic William Henry Myers:
Pure spirit—once a man—pure spirits now Greet thee rejoicing, and of these art thou; Not vainly was thy whole soul always bent With one same battle and one the same intent Through eddying cloud and earth's bewildering roar To win her bright way to that stainless shore. Ay, 'mid the salt spume of this troublous sea, This death in life, this sick perplexity, Oft on thy struggle through the obscure unrest A revelation opened from the Blest— Showed close at hand the goal thy hope would win, Heaven's kingdom round thee and thy God within. So sure a help the eternal Guardians gave, From life's confusion so were strong to save, Upheld thy wandering steps that sought the day And set them steadfast on the heavenly way. Nor quite even here on thy broad brows was shed The sleep which shrouds the living, who are dead; Once by God's grace was from thine eyes unfurled This veil that screens the immense and whirling world, Once, while the spheres around thee in music ran, Was very Beauty manifest to man;— Ah, once to have seen her, once to have known her there, For speech too sweet, for earth to heavenly fair! But now the tomb where long thy soul had lain Bursts, and thy tabernacle is rent in twain; Now from about thee, in thy new home above, Has perished all but life, and all but love,— And on all lives and on all loves outpoured Free grace and full, a spirit from the Lord, High in that heaven whose windless vaults enfold Just men made perfect, and an age all gold. Thine own Pythagoras is with thee there, And sacred Plato in that sacred air, And whose followed, and all high hearts that knew In death's despite what deathless Love can do. To God's right hand they have scaled the starry way— Pure spirits these, thy spirit pure as they. Ah, saint! how many and many an anguish past, To how fair haven art thou come at last! On thy meek head what Powers their blessing pour, Filled full with life, and rich for evermore!
no subject
Pure spirit—once a man—pure spirits now
Greet thee rejoicing, and of these art thou;
Not vainly was thy whole soul always bent
With one same battle and one the same intent
Through eddying cloud and earth's bewildering roar
To win her bright way to that stainless shore.
Ay, 'mid the salt spume of this troublous sea,
This death in life, this sick perplexity,
Oft on thy struggle through the obscure unrest
A revelation opened from the Blest—
Showed close at hand the goal thy hope would win,
Heaven's kingdom round thee and thy God within.
So sure a help the eternal Guardians gave,
From life's confusion so were strong to save,
Upheld thy wandering steps that sought the day
And set them steadfast on the heavenly way.
Nor quite even here on thy broad brows was shed
The sleep which shrouds the living, who are dead;
Once by God's grace was from thine eyes unfurled
This veil that screens the immense and whirling world,
Once, while the spheres around thee in music ran,
Was very Beauty manifest to man;—
Ah, once to have seen her, once to have known her there,
For speech too sweet, for earth to heavenly fair!
But now the tomb where long thy soul had lain
Bursts, and thy tabernacle is rent in twain;
Now from about thee, in thy new home above,
Has perished all but life, and all but love,—
And on all lives and on all loves outpoured
Free grace and full, a spirit from the Lord,
High in that heaven whose windless vaults enfold
Just men made perfect, and an age all gold.
Thine own Pythagoras is with thee there,
And sacred Plato in that sacred air,
And whose followed, and all high hearts that knew
In death's despite what deathless Love can do.
To God's right hand they have scaled the starry way—
Pure spirits these, thy spirit pure as they.
Ah, saint! how many and many an anguish past,
To how fair haven art thou come at last!
On thy meek head what Powers their blessing pour,
Filled full with life, and rich for evermore!