Collections on Ethics for All People

A small decorative symmetrical vignette is centered at the top of the page, featuring floral and leaf-like elements arranged in a pattern resembling a stylized butterfly.

Stronger then, in the early morning,
                                        again
He goes behind the plow into the open field,
Drawing many furrows, singing songs,
Heeding not the sweat that from his
                                        brow falls;
He disregards all the hardships
And the sorrow original: "Kummer." This refers to the inner grief or anxiety that weighed on the farmer in the previous stanzas. that sometimes weighs him down;
When he looks toward his dark-haired wife, original: "braune Gattin." In 18th-century German literature, "braun" often described dark hair or a sun-tanned, healthy complexion typical of those who worked outdoors.
Heaven smiles original: "Lachet" (laughs). In this poetic context, it means to look upon someone with favor or to experience divine joy. upon him even here on earth.

When a friend takes the thousandfold cares
                                        of this
Life from us, and places them upon his
                                        own shoulders,
Bearing suffering and worry for us lovingly;
When the lady-friend original: "Freundinn." In the sentimental style of the period, "friend" and "female friend" were common terms for a spouse or lover, emphasizing the intellectual and emotional bond over mere passion. already in the early
                                        morning
Watches over the joys of her friend,
Tenderly embracing him, and secretly
Preparing one joy after another for him;