ittle treasure I can give to thee,
Jewels or beaten gold, I fain would win
Thy friendship, if I might, most glorious lord.
So shalt thou gain good gifts, and blessed joy 480
In heavenly glory, if of thy great lore
Thou'rt bountiful to weary voyagers.
One art I fain would learn of thee, brave sir;
That since the Lord, the Maker of mankind,
Hath given might and honor unto thee,
Thou shouldst instruct me how thou pointest out
The course of this thy billow-riding ship,
Thy sea-horse wet with spray. Though sixteen times,
In former days and late, I've been to sea, 490
And rowed with freezing hands upon the deep,
The ocean-streams--this makes one voyage more--
Yet even so mine eyes have ne'er beheld
A mighty captain steering at the stern
Like unto thee. Loud roars the surging flood,
Beats on the shore; this sea-boat is full fleet;
It fareth foamy-necked most like a bird,
And glides upon the deep. I surely know,
I never saw upon the ocean-road
Such wondrous skill in any seafarer. 500
It is as though the ship were on the land,
Where neither storm nor wind can make it move,
Nor water-floods can break it, lofty-prowed;
Yet on the sea it hasteth under sail.
And thou art young, defense of warriors,
Not old in winters, rider of the surge;
Yet in thy heart thou hast the noble speech
Of princes, and dost wisely understand
All words employed by men upon the earth."

Him answered then the everlasting Lord:-- 510
"Full oft it happens when we sail the sea
That with our ships, our ocean-coursing steeds,
We break our way across the watery roads[1]--
We and our seamen--when the tempest comes,
And many times we suffer sore distress
Upon the waves, though sailing bravely on
We end our journey; for the seething flood
Can hinder no man 'gainst the Maker's will.
The power of life He holds--He who doth bind
The billows, and doth threaten and rebuke
The dusky waves. With justice He shall rule 520
The nations--He who raised the firmament,
And made it fast with His own hands; who wrought
And did uphold; and with His glory filled
Bright Paradise--so was the angels' home
Made blessed by His sole eternal might.

[Footnote 1: Lit. "bath-road."]

The truth is manifest and clear to all,
That thou art thane most excellent of Him,
The King who sits enthroned in majesty;
Because