splendor, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang

Oh, the picture of perfection! the joy unalloyed!

But one cried of a sudden

It seems that somewhere there is a break in the chain of light

and one of the stars has been lost.

The golden string of their harp snapped,

their song stopped, and they cried in dismay

Yes, that lost star was the best,

she was the glory of all heavens!

From that day the search is unceasing for her,

and the cry goes on from one to the other

that in her the world has lost its one joy!

Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile

and whisper among themselves

Vain is this seeking! unbroken perfection is over all!