Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-09-27
THE DAILY RECORD-UNI6N.
ODE TO GOD.

The beautiful imagery il the world-renowned
rode to God" composed by that most distinguished
nj Russian poets, Gabriel Romanovitch Derzhavin,
deserve republication in the English translation.
The poem has been translated, not o1ly into every
European language, but even into Persian, Chinese
and Japanese aud it received the high honor of be-
ing embroidered in gold, and hung in the great
temple of jeddo:
Oh thou Eternal One whose presence bright
All space doth occupy, all motion guide
unchanged thro Times all devastating flight
Thou ouly God There is no God beside
Being above all beings Mighty One
Whom none can comprehend and Lone explore;
Who fillst existence with Ihysef alone,
Embracing all-supporting-r Ger
ing whom we call God-end know no more
In its sublime research Philosophy
May measure out the ocean deep-nay count
The sands, or the SUMS rays, but God for Ihee
There is no weight nor measure, none can mount
Up to Thy N ;steries. Reasons brightest spark
Though kindled by Thy light, in vain would try
To trace Thy c0unsels, infinite and dark,
And thought is lost ere thought can Soar 80 lhgh'
Fen like past moments INTO eternity.
Thou from primeval nothngness didst call
First chaos, then existence. Lord, on Ihee
Eternity hath its foundations, all
Spring but from The, OF light, joy, harmony,
Sole original life all beauty Time.
Thy word created ALL and doth crea'e,
Thy splendor f Is up ali space with rays divine,
Thou art. and vert and shalt be glorious great
Life-giving, life sustaining potentAte
Thy chains tho unmeasured universe surround,
iJpheld by Thee by Thee inspired with brtath,
Thou the beginning, with the end hass oaund
And beautifully mingled life aud death
As marks mount upward from the fiery aze
50 sups are born, So worlds spring forth from
Thee
And az the spangles in the sunny rays
Shine round the silver snow, the pageantry
OF heavens bright army glitters in Thy praise.
A million torcaes lighted by Thy hand,
Wander Unwearied through the blue abyss
They own Thy power, accomplish Thy command,
All gay with life, all eloquent with bliss;
What shall Te call them' Piles Of crystal light,
A glorious company OF goldea streams
But Thou, to those, art as the moon tonight.
Yes, drop OF water in the sea,
All this magnificence in Thee is lost.
What are thousand worlds compared TO Thee?
Aud what am I, when heavens unnumbered host
Though multiplied by myriads and arrayed
In all the glory of submest thought,
Is but an atom in the balance weighed
Against Thy greatness-isa cipher brought
Against Infnityf What am II Noughtl
Rought but the efIulgence of thy light divine,
Pervadng worlds hath reached my bosom, too
Yes in my sphit doth Thy spirit shine
AS shines the sunbeam in a drop OF dew
Nought but live, and on hopes pinions fly,
Eager. toward Thy presence; for il Thee
live. and breathe and dwell; aspiring high,
Even to the throne Of Thy divinity
am, God, and surely Thou must bel
Ihou art directing, guiding ALL Thou art
Direct my understanding, then, 10 Thee;
Coatrol my spirit guide my wandering heart;
Though but an atom midst immensty
Still am something fashioned by Thy hand
hold middle rank tYiXt heaven and earth,
On the last yer5e of mortal being stand
Close to the reaa where angels have their birth,
Just on the boundary OF spirit land.
The chain Of being is complete in me,
In me is matters last gradation lost,
And the next step is spirit-Deity
can command the lightning, and am dust
a monarch ard 4 slave; a worm, godi
Whence cane here, and how, so marveously
Constructed and conceived unknown? This clod
Lives surely through some higher energy,
For from itself alone it could not be-
Creator Yes Thy wisdom and Thy wod
Created NE Thou source Of Life and Good
Thou spirit Of my spirit and my Lord
Thy Light, Thy Love- III their bright pentitude
Filled me with an immortal soul, TO spring
Der the abys of Death, and bade it
The garments Of EterGal bay, and wing
Its heavenly fight beyond his little sphere,
Up TO its source, to Thee its Author, Thee.
o. thoughtinefable o, vision blest
(rh)ugh worthless our conceptions all Of Thee)
Yet shall Thy Swallowed imsge fill our breast,
And watt its homage to the Deity
God thus alone nv lOwly thoughts can soar;
Thus seek Thy presence. Being, wise and good
Midst Thy vast works admire obey, adore;
And when the tongue is eloquent no more,
Thy soul shall speak in tears Of gratitude.