Hymn 14

Gitanjali (Rabindranath Tagore)

from the online program Hymns of God, Cosmos, Humanity

 

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– 1 –

Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure.
This frail vessel thou emptiest
again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life.
This little flute of a reed thou hast
carried over hills and dales,
and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new.
At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart
loses its limits in joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable.
Thy infinite gifts come to me only on
these very small hands of mine.
Ages pass, and still thou pourest, and
still there is room to fill.

– 2 –

When thou commandest me to sing
it seems that my heart would break with pride;
and I look to thy face, and tears come to my eyes.
All that is harsh and dissonant in my life
melts into one sweet harmony
and my adoration spreads wings like a glad
bird on its flight across the sea.
I know thou takest pleasure in my singing.
I know that only as a singer I come before thy presence.
I touch by the edge of the far spreading wing of my song
thy feet which I could never aspire to reach.
Drunk with the joy of singing I forget myself
and call thee friend who art my lord.

– 3

I know not how thou singest, my master!
I ever listen in silent amazement.
The light of thy music illumines the world.
The life breath of thy music runs from sky to sky.
The holy stream of thy music breaks
through all stony obstacles and rushes on.
Ineffable: too great or intense to be
expressed in words; unutterable.
My heart longs to join in thy song, but
vainly struggles for a voice.
I would speak, but speech breaks not
into song, and I cry out baffled.
Ah, thou hast made my heart captive
in the endless meshes of thy music, my master!

– 4 –

Life of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure,
knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs.
I shall ever try to keep all untruths out from my thoughts,
knowing that thou art that truth
which has kindled the light of reason in my mind.
I shall ever try to drive all evils away from my heart
and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast thy seat
in the inmost shrine of my heart.
And it shall be my endeavour to reveal thee in my actions,
knowing it is thy power that gives me strength to act.

 

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