The second year is past and over,

Twice now have you filled your measure,

Measurer of all our days,

East and west and south and northward,

Since I first heard Doris speaking,

Since the first time I her saw.

And still I have not forgotten,

Doris knows as well as I do,

How our friendship first began.

Friendship that has greatly pleased me,

Which has given as much pleasure,

As it gives me sorrow now.

I’d escaped the bustling city,

Fled beyond grass-bordered waters

Where unnumbered oak trees grow,

Ancients would have us believe that

Each was planted, each was set by

Lady Jacoba's own hand.

Solitude I went to seek there

In green darkness of the branches

(How you set my pulse a-race!)

Doris, masterpiece of nature,

Best-beloved of all our neighbours,

Doris came towards me there.

If I could say how the moonshine

In the vaulted depths of heaven

Other lights of stars outshines,

Then I might convey exactly

How then Doris her companions

Rivalled, and each one outbraved.

’Tgoet geselschap dat sy leyden,

Dat ick niet en socht te scheyden,

Maeckte dat ick stondt van cant,

Maer, O! onverwachte tyding!

Doris toonde wat verblyding,

Ende greep my by der handt.

Herder, sprack sy, Waer wilt henen?

Cont ghy U geselschap leenen

Aen des’ Nymphen desen dach?

Gheerne, o ghy Haeghgens eere,

Zeyd’-ick, maer hier isser meere

Daer ick 't niet by halen mach.

Halen? riep sy, ende lachte,

Och kindt! wist ghy myn gedachte,

Dat en seydt ghy nemmermeer.

Hier ontrent en zyn gheen menschen

Diers geselschap ick mach wenschen

U en achte ick noch veel meer.

Voorts zoo wil ick u wel sweeren

Als een Herderin’ met eeren

Datter dry zyn in getal

Die ick inde werelt achte,

Daer ick vruntscap van verwachte,

Maer U stell’ ick boven al.

Doen was 't mynen tydt om spreken,

Maer de flesch en can niet leken,

Die gevult is totten top,

Woorden die my meest gebraken

Conden uyt den mont niet raeken

Blyschap stopte my de crop.

Thinking not to interrupt the

Sweet society they joyed in,

Quietly I stood aside.

Unexpected turn of fortune!

On some joyful impulse, Doris

Came to me and took my hand.