Latter-Day Psalms/Strife
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STRIFE
Spirit rages against spirit. The sons of God contend together in long war.
The storm breaks up the trees. The storm casts down the strong trees gladly.
The sea has no regard for ships. He devours the mariners like food.
Plagues rot the peoples. The little creatures of pestilence revel in the bodies of men.
With mild eyes the stag beseeches the hunter; but the hunter will not understand.
Warriors go forth from their homes, fresh with kisses. They go to destroy one another, made glad with the prayer of nations.
Each host calls the sun friend, and the stars give heart to each on the night marches.
They rush together in battle, calling on God for victory. Each cries, "God is on our side."
But the one conquers and the other is swept away. The deed of the one flourishes, but the other has striven in vain.
The victor exults, saying, "The stars are jubilant for us." The vanquished mourns, "The stars weep because of our fall."
For I am my universe. Out of my own heaven I gather splendour, and weave thereof the desire of my heart.
From the midst of myself I look out upon my neighbour; but how shall I fathom what is beyond the stars?
I cannot see his heaven. He strives for what I scorn.
We meet together without understanding of one another, as it were two ships passing in the night. We are but as meteors in one another’s sky.
But if the desires of our hearts clash, our worlds are shattered together. We rush into conflict, crying, "God is on our side."
We gather our friends together, crying, "Help to resist the Fiend, lest he tear the world asunder, and Hell triumph."
It is so with the selfish and the unselfish, the wise and the foolish, the lowly and the mighty; with him who labours for his children, and him who would save the people.
It is so with kings and priests, warriors and meek men. It is so with the prophets of God.
Spirit rages against spirit; the sons of God call upon God to destroy his sons.
In the multitude there are innumerable longings. The desires of a people are like a host of wings that clash together striving to soar.
A multitude of men is as a multitude of worlds; and in the midst of each is a heart’s desire.
Who shall measure the span of the minds of all the living; and the longings of all the generations?
Who shall count the sum of all striving since first there was desire; or tell the pain of all failing since the first heart broke?
The achievement of men is glorious as a tower reaching up to heaven; but the deeds that have had no fruit, and the striving whose fruit is bitterness, cannot be told.
It has left no trace; yet is it great as the host of the dead.
Is it wasted and utterly lost? Or does it live in some good done without knowledge?
Martyrs bear witness in the world. Their zeal gives light.
But what of him that strives in secret and prevails not? And of him whose heart is broken within him, and yet he must make merry?
And what of the trees overthrown by the tempest, and the seed that is strewn upon the water?
What of the mariners whose lives are cut short; and the soldiers whose homes are desolate?
What of the peoples that have destroyed one another; and the peoples whose spirit has not lived?
And what of the sacrifice that is rejected, and the love that is driven away?
Believe that these are of great worth! Doubt not that their worth is everlasting!
For spirit lives by energy and love. Out of suffering also blossoms the flower, spirit.
Though we utterly die and cease, spirit dies not. Wherefore do we live and die but that spirit may be?
Believe that spirit is eternal! Yea, though the world a thousand times prove thee that it dies, believe, for it is cowardly to doubt.
There is that within thee which compels thee to believe; so that thou shalt triumphantly affirm, "I know."
Behold! The wrath of spirit against spirit is the raging of wave against wave, wherein is the strength of the ocean.
The diversity of spirit, which is infinite as the universe, is but the diversity of one soul. The diversity of spirit is God’s joy.
The storm breaks up the trees. The storm casts down the strong trees gladly.
The sea has no regard for ships. He devours the mariners like food.
Plagues rot the peoples. The little creatures of pestilence revel in the bodies of men.
With mild eyes the stag beseeches the hunter; but the hunter will not understand.
Warriors go forth from their homes, fresh with kisses. They go to destroy one another, made glad with the prayer of nations.
Each host calls the sun friend, and the stars give heart to each on the night marches.
They rush together in battle, calling on God for victory. Each cries, "God is on our side."
But the one conquers and the other is swept away. The deed of the one flourishes, but the other has striven in vain.
The victor exults, saying, "The stars are jubilant for us." The vanquished mourns, "The stars weep because of our fall."
For I am my universe. Out of my own heaven I gather splendour, and weave thereof the desire of my heart.
From the midst of myself I look out upon my neighbour; but how shall I fathom what is beyond the stars?
I cannot see his heaven. He strives for what I scorn.
We meet together without understanding of one another, as it were two ships passing in the night. We are but as meteors in one another’s sky.
But if the desires of our hearts clash, our worlds are shattered together. We rush into conflict, crying, "God is on our side."
We gather our friends together, crying, "Help to resist the Fiend, lest he tear the world asunder, and Hell triumph."
It is so with the selfish and the unselfish, the wise and the foolish, the lowly and the mighty; with him who labours for his children, and him who would save the people.
It is so with kings and priests, warriors and meek men. It is so with the prophets of God.
Spirit rages against spirit; the sons of God call upon God to destroy his sons.
In the multitude there are innumerable longings. The desires of a people are like a host of wings that clash together striving to soar.
A multitude of men is as a multitude of worlds; and in the midst of each is a heart’s desire.
Who shall measure the span of the minds of all the living; and the longings of all the generations?
Who shall count the sum of all striving since first there was desire; or tell the pain of all failing since the first heart broke?
The achievement of men is glorious as a tower reaching up to heaven; but the deeds that have had no fruit, and the striving whose fruit is bitterness, cannot be told.
It has left no trace; yet is it great as the host of the dead.
Is it wasted and utterly lost? Or does it live in some good done without knowledge?
Martyrs bear witness in the world. Their zeal gives light.
But what of him that strives in secret and prevails not? And of him whose heart is broken within him, and yet he must make merry?
And what of the trees overthrown by the tempest, and the seed that is strewn upon the water?
What of the mariners whose lives are cut short; and the soldiers whose homes are desolate?
What of the peoples that have destroyed one another; and the peoples whose spirit has not lived?
And what of the sacrifice that is rejected, and the love that is driven away?
Believe that these are of great worth! Doubt not that their worth is everlasting!
For spirit lives by energy and love. Out of suffering also blossoms the flower, spirit.
Though we utterly die and cease, spirit dies not. Wherefore do we live and die but that spirit may be?
Believe that spirit is eternal! Yea, though the world a thousand times prove thee that it dies, believe, for it is cowardly to doubt.
There is that within thee which compels thee to believe; so that thou shalt triumphantly affirm, "I know."
Behold! The wrath of spirit against spirit is the raging of wave against wave, wherein is the strength of the ocean.
The diversity of spirit, which is infinite as the universe, is but the diversity of one soul. The diversity of spirit is God’s joy.