Afoot and light-hearted we take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before us,
The long brown path leading wherever we choose.
Henceforth we ask not good-fortune, we ourselves are good-fortune,
Henceforth we postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints and criticisms,
Strong and content we travel the open road.
The earth expanding right hand and left hand,
The picture alive, every part in its best light,
Whatever we shall meet on the road we shall like,
and whoever beholds us shall like us.
From this hour we proclaim ourselves free from limits and imaginary lines,
Going where we wish, we inhale great draughts of space,
The east and the west are ours, and the north and the south are ours.
All seems beautiful to us,
We can repeat over to men and women
You have done such good to us and we would do the same to you,
Let us go! Traveling together we will find what never tires.
We must not stop here,
However comfortable this dwelling we cannot remain here,
However sheltered this port and calm these waters we must not anchor
here,
However welcome the hospitality that surrounds us now
we are permitted to receive it but a little while.
We will undergo much: toil through days, rest through nights.
We will see nothing anywhere but that we may reach it and pass it,
Look up or down any road and know that it stretches and waits for us.
To gather the wisdom of men out of their minds as we encounter them, to
gather the love out of their hearts,
To know the universe itself as many roads for traveling souls.
We know not where we go,
But we know that we go toward the best — toward something great.
Forever alive, forever forward.
I give you my hand!
I give you my love more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself? Will you come travel with me?
Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?
