Two spry youths left home

Two spry youths left home

for the first time,

and set sail with jubilation in the bright,

splashing and singing waves

during the fullness of Spring.

They aspired after high things,

wishing, despite pleasure and pain,

to bring what is right into the world;

and if they went past,

their minds and hearts laughed.

The first one found a sweetheart,

whose mother bought him a farm and a house;

soon he was cradling a little baby

and looking out from a secret little room

cosily into the field.

The second one was sung to and lied to

by a thousand voices in the earth:

tantalizing siren songs pulled

him down into the enticing waves,

into the waves of the colorful abyss.

And when he surfaced from the abyss,

he was exhausted and old,

his boat lay grounded;

it was so very quiet around,

and across the waters cold winds blew.

The waves of Spring sing and splash

well beyond me;

and when I see such bold youths,

the tears swell in my eyes -

ah God, guide us lovingly to you!