Seeking_Thy_Kingdom
Puritan Board Sophomore
This is my own translation of a poem I found in the prologue to a commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians by Petrus van der Hagen.
The poem is by Petrus Van Staveren and is dated 1593. It is not dedicated to anyone, but it seems to be in remembrance of a friend.
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Did the cold death also have to silence this golden Mouth?
And press the dagger into the Heart of Him,
who drove so much disaster and heartache out of the daughters of Zion?
O death! His joy, but painful for God’s people
O death, where too? Spare this newborn child.
Rip out the lesser! Devour
With open mouth God’s people honor with tears.
Why do I complain about death and her anger?
The tears over the corpses are many, they have been poured out,
and the portion of God’s beloved divide brings sadness and fear to courage.
Mine also are gushed out, and washed.
But the speechless paper makes sad
Again, stirs my soul, and my heart,
and reminds me of my friend in the ashes.
I do not deny you rest, nor joy, my Jonathan, my brother!
I miss only your person.
As for me, and God’s people,
Joyfully offering fire, numbed sorrow, confounded.
Your Word, printed with dead letters, warms my heart;
I remember your smooth tongue,
That never failed to sing Heavenly,
Always sharp, old and new tones.
How did you touch the heart? When here Paul showed to desire after death, the gain.
For him, by storm and city walls.
His lust for life, was for those who are on earth.
Do we fight here below? When you demonstrated the love of the Lord, who in death, The Cross, presented as a curse.
The offering, who rightfully, could reign with God?
When you were perfectly presented, your delightful laws,
All that Judas gave on Earth,
Bearing the disaster and injury,
As someone who kept Him on the Cross?
Repay your newly suffered injuries,
By shutting your profitable Mouth.
Thank God still, who has gifted you,
And taste of His Spirit, His Kingdom, in these pages.
Petrus Van Staveren,
Preacher to Leyden.
The poem is by Petrus Van Staveren and is dated 1593. It is not dedicated to anyone, but it seems to be in remembrance of a friend.
————-
Did the cold death also have to silence this golden Mouth?
And press the dagger into the Heart of Him,
who drove so much disaster and heartache out of the daughters of Zion?
O death! His joy, but painful for God’s people
O death, where too? Spare this newborn child.
Rip out the lesser! Devour
With open mouth God’s people honor with tears.
Why do I complain about death and her anger?
The tears over the corpses are many, they have been poured out,
and the portion of God’s beloved divide brings sadness and fear to courage.
Mine also are gushed out, and washed.
But the speechless paper makes sad
Again, stirs my soul, and my heart,
and reminds me of my friend in the ashes.
I do not deny you rest, nor joy, my Jonathan, my brother!
I miss only your person.
As for me, and God’s people,
Joyfully offering fire, numbed sorrow, confounded.
Your Word, printed with dead letters, warms my heart;
I remember your smooth tongue,
That never failed to sing Heavenly,
Always sharp, old and new tones.
How did you touch the heart? When here Paul showed to desire after death, the gain.
For him, by storm and city walls.
His lust for life, was for those who are on earth.
Do we fight here below? When you demonstrated the love of the Lord, who in death, The Cross, presented as a curse.
The offering, who rightfully, could reign with God?
When you were perfectly presented, your delightful laws,
All that Judas gave on Earth,
Bearing the disaster and injury,
As someone who kept Him on the Cross?
Repay your newly suffered injuries,
By shutting your profitable Mouth.
Thank God still, who has gifted you,
And taste of His Spirit, His Kingdom, in these pages.
Petrus Van Staveren,
Preacher to Leyden.
