German composition

Section 23 Spring-Blossoms⁠1

The blossoms of Spring are as brief⁠2 as they are beautiful. For⁠3 a short time they embellish the country, spreading⁠4, as it were, a bridal veil over every⁠5 tree and hedge. It seems, indeed⁠6, as if Nature had given them existence only to (S. 19, N. 7) show their worth, and then to destroy them. Yet⁠7 they are “fair pledges of a fruitful tree,” and teach us the solemn⁠8 lesson—that⁠9 everything lovely on earth is destined soon to perish, and⁠10 like them to glide into the grave.—Rev. E. M. Davies.

Notes

1 Frühlingsblüten.

2 vergänglich.

3 Auf; to embellish, schmücken.

4 spreading = and spread; as it were, gleichsam.

5 ‘every — hedge’, say ‘hedges and trees’.

6 wirklich; as — only, als hätte die Natur ihnen nur das Dasein verliehen.

7 ‘Yet — tree’, say ‘They are however the lovely messengers (Vorboten) of a fruitful (fruchtreich) tree’.

8 solemn lesson, ernste Wahrheit.

9 that — perish, daß alles Schöne auf Erden der Vergänglichkeit geweiht ist.

10 ‘and — grave’, say ‘and like the blossoms must (App. § 18) glide (sinken) into an early grave’.