I love thee, land, with all my soul I love thee truly,
I long to lean my soul on thee as on my darling,
I yearn to deck, adorn thee with bright crimson garlands,
I yearn with praise immortal to deck thee and endue thee.
With verdure and with light, thou gleamest with light, newly,
I see in thy expanses visions all-enchanting,
I see bright dawns of love and brotherhood true-hearted,
The heart cries out then: "God, what more is lacking to me?"
But, land, my dreams of thee all fade... My heart is weeping.
Instead of spring and sun, grim darkness meets my eyes now,
Cockle and boulder strew thy flowery fields with sorrow.
And in my soul... all strivings for love are soundly sleeping...
I have no love, land, for thee, though to God I cry now:
"Christ, whence has come this change?..
I plough a stranger's furrow".
1906