God opens wide the earth, his treasure chest,
the only key: his Word. Its power brings on
Earth’s sprouting, rooting, greening, blossoming.
It makes the sap rise in the hearts of earth and stars;
awakens Nature to delight and pleasure.
God’s word is the root-spirit, heart-sap of little grasses,
flowers’ breath of life, laden with sweet dew—
in short, it is the peace all creatures crave.
In God’s Word, God shows himself as in a mirror,
and is revealed to us in all created things,
as His beauty beams from every flower garland.
His sweetness flows from fruits into our mouths.
Yes, God’s image is in all that we can see—
How high, how rich, how mild God is. How lovely, sweet, and good.
Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.