Hölderlin's Hymns "Germania" and "The Rhine". Martin Heidegger

      And eventually astonishment spread across the heavens

      For there was One as great in faith, as they themselves,

      The powers that bless from on high;

      Wherefore they sent the messenger, who, quick to recognize her

      Smilingly thinks to himself: You, unshatterable one,

      60

      Another word must test, and youthfully

      He calls it loud, looking at Germania:

      “You it is, the chosen one,

      “All-loving and a grave good fortune

      “Have you become strong to bear.

V	Since then, when hidden in the woods and flowering poppy

      Full of sweet slumber, drunken, long you took

      No heed of me, until lesser ones too sensed

      Your virgin’s pride and were astonished whose you were and whence you came,

      Yet you knew it not yourself. I mistook you not,

      70

      And in secret, while you dreamt, I left for you

      Departing at midday, a sign of friendship,

      The flower of the mouth, and solitary was your speaking.

      Yet a fullness of golden words too you bestowed,

      Blissful one! with the rivers, and they streamed inexhaustibly

      Into the regions all. For almost like the holy one,

      Who is Mother of all, and carries the abyss,

      Otherwise named the Concealed One by humans,

      So is of loves and sufferings

      And full of intimations too

      80

      And full of peace your breast.

      VI

      O drink morning breezes,

      Until you are open,

      And name what is before your eyes,

      No longer may the unspoken

      Remain a mystery,

      Though long it has been veiled;

      For shame is fitting for mortals,

      And thus to speak most of the time,

      Of gods is also wise.

      90

      Yet where more overflowing than the purest wellsprings

      The gold has become and anger in the heavens earnest,

      Between day and night

      Something true must once appear.

      Threefold you shall circumscribe it,

      Yet unspoken too, as it is found there,

      Innocent one, it must remain.

VII	O name you daughter of the holy Earth!

      Once the Mother. On the rock the waters rush

      And storms in the woods, and in her name too

      100

      From ancient times echoes the divinity of old once more.

      How different it is! And unmistakably gleam and speak

      From great distance also cheering things to come.

      But in the middle of time

      Peacefully with hallowed

      Virgin Earth lives Aether

      And gladly, to be remembered,

      The needless dwell

      Hospitably among the needless

      At your feast days

      110

      Germania, where you are priestess

      And defenselessly give counsel

      Around the kings and peoples.

      1. Hölderlin, Sämtliche Werke. Historisch-kritische Ausgabe, begun by Norbert von Hellingrath, continued by Friedrich Seebass and Ludwig von Pigenot. Second edition. Berlin, 1923. The Roman numerals indicate the volume; page numbers are given in Arabic.

      2. Hölderlin, Sämtliche Werke und Briefe in five volumes. Kritisch-historische Ausgabe by Franz Zinkernagel. Leipzig, 1914.

      3. IV, 181ff.