German composition

Section 118 The Blessedness of Friendship. — II

And a friend once won (S. 7, N. 3, A) need⁠1 never be lost, if we will only be trusty and true ourselves. Friends may⁠2 part, not merely in body, but in spirit, for a while. In the bustle of (S. 3, N. 2) business and the accidents of life, they may lose⁠3 sight of each other for years (S. 115, N. 4); and⁠4 more—they⁠5 may begin to differ in their success in life, in their opinions, in their habits, and there may be, for a time⁠6, coldness and estrangement between them: but not for ever, if each will be but trusty and true.

For then⁠7, according to⁠8 the beautiful figure of the poet, they will be like two ships which set sail⁠9 at morning from the same port, and ere⁠10 nightfall lose sight of each other, and⁠11 go each on its own course, and at its own pace, for many days, through many storms and seas; and⁠12 yet meet again, and⁠13 find themselves lying side by side in the same haven, when the long voyage is past.—Charles Kingsley, “The Water Of Life.”

Notes

1 need — lost = we need (brauchen) never to lose.

2 may = can, after which place the adverbial clause ‘for a while’, auf kurze Zeit; the verb ‘part’, which is equivalent to ‘be separated’ should stand at the end of the whole passage; ‘in body’, körperlich; ‘in spirit’, geistig.

3 to lose sight of each other, sich aus dem Gesicht verlieren.

4 ja noch mehr.

5 Say ‘it is possible that their success in life, their opinions, their habits begin to differ (differieren)’.

6 for a time, eine Zeit lang, which place after ‘and’; ‘may’, here mag; ‘be’, here = exist, bestehen.

7 Here follow copula and subject according to App. § 14.

8 according to, nach; figure, Bild, n.; to be like, gleichen, which governs the Dat.

9 to set sail, aus´segeln.

10 ere nightfall, vor Dunkelwerden.

11 Say ’and of which each through many storms and upon many seas (Meer, n.) for days pursues its own course (Richtung, f.) and its own pace (Lauf, m.)’.

12 and — again, welche aber dennoch wieder zusam´mentreffen.

13 Say ‘and find that they lie after the long voyage (Seefahrt, f.) side by side (neben einander) in the same haven’.