Had walked together inseparably
With the Son of the Highest,
Because the Storm-Conqueror loved
The simplicity of his disciple.
Thus that attentive man observed
The countenance of the God directly,
There at the mystery of the wine,
Where they sat together at the hour
Of the banquet; the Lord with his
Great spirit quietly foresaw his
Own death, and forespoke it and
His final act of love, for he always
Had words of kindness to speak, even
Then in his own prescience as well,
To soften the raging of the world.
For all is good. Then he died. Much
Could be said about it. At the end
His friends recognized how joyous
He appeared, and how victorious.
And yet the men grieved, now that evening
Had come, and were taken by surprise,
Since they were full of great intentions,
And loved living in the light,
And didn't want to leave the countenance
Of the Lord, which had become their home.
It penetrated them like fire into hot
Iron, and their Beloved followed them
Like a shadow. Therefore he sent
The Spirit upon them, and the house
Shook and God's thunder rolled
Over their expectant heads, while
They were gathered with heavy hearts,
Like heroes under sentence of death,
Hoelderlin, The God is near, and hard to grasp
