There the bodies, bathed of their sins,
Shall go in gladness; again shall their spirits
520 To their bony frames, and the fire shall burn,
Mounting high to heaven. Hot shall be to many
That awful flame, when every man,
Unblemished or sinful, his soul in his body,
From the depths of his grave seeks the doom of God,
525 Frightfully afraid. The fire shall save men,
Burning all sin. So shall the blessed
After weary wandering, with their works be clothed,
With the fruit of their deeds: fair are these roots,
These winsome flowers that the wild fowl
530 Collects to lay on his lovely nest
In order that easily his own fair home
May burn in the sun, and himself along with it,
And so after the fire he finds him new life;
So every man in all the world
535 Shall be covered with flesh, fair and comely,
And always young, if his own choice leads him
To work God's will; then the world's high King
Mighty at the meeting mercy will grant him.
Then the hymns shall rise high from the holy band,
540 The chosen souls shall chant their songs,
In praise of the powerful Prince of men,
Strain upon strain, and strengthened and fragrant
Of their godly works they shall wend to glory.
Then are men's spirits made spotless and bright
545 Through the flame of the fire-- refined and made pure.
In all the earth let not anyone ween
That I wrought this lay with lying speech,
With hated word-craft! Hear ye the wisdom
Of the hymns of Job! With heart of joy
550 And spirit brave, he boldly spoke;
With wondrous sanctity that word he said:
"I feel it a fact in the fastness of my soul
That one day in my nest death I shall know,
And weary of heart woefully go hence,
555 Compassed with clay, on my closing journey,
Mournful of mind, in the moldy earth.
And through the gift of God I shall gain once more
Like the Phoenix fowl, a fair new life,
On the day of arising from ruinous death,
560 Delights with God, where the loving throng
Are exalting their Lord. I look not at all
Ever to come to the end of that life
Of light and bliss, though my body shall lie
In its gruesome grave and grow decayed,
565 A joy to worms; for the Judge of the world
Shall save my soul, and send it to glory
After the time of death. I shall trust forever
With steadfast breast, in the Strength of angels;
Firm is my faith in the Father of all."
570 Thus sang the sage his song of old,
Herald to God, with gladsome heart:
How he was lifted to life eternal.
Then we may truly interpret the token clearly
Which the glorious bird gave through its burning.
575 It gathers together the grim bone-remnants,
The ashes and embers all into one place
After the surge of the fire; the fowl then seizes it
With its feet and flies to the Father's garden
Towards the sun; for a time there he sojourns,
580 For many winters, made in new wise,
All of him young; nor may any there yearn
To do him menace with deeds of malice.
So may after death by the Redeemer's might
Souls go with bodies, bound together,
585 Fashioned in loveliness, most like to that fowl,
In rich array, with rare perfumes,
Where the steadfast sun streams its light
O'er the sacred hosts in the happy city.