¹ Lo! I will tell the best of dreams,
what I dreamed in the middle of the night,
after speech-bearers had settled in rest.

² It seemed to me that I saw a most wondrous tree. lifted into the air, wound about with light,
the brightest of beams. All that beacon was. covered with gold. Gems stood
beautiful at the base of the earth, and there were five
upon the crossbeam. All the angels of the Lord beheld it there,
fair through all eternity. It was not a wicked gallows,
but holy spirits watched it there,
men upon the earth, and all this glorious creation.

³ Wondrous was that victory-tree, and I, stained with sins,
wounded with guilt. I saw the tree of glory,
adorned with garments, shining with joys,
decked with gold; gems had
covered splendidly the Ruler’s tree.
Yet through that gold I could perceive
the former suffering of the wretched, how it first began
to bleed on the right side. I was all afflicted with sorrows,
afraid because of that fair sight. I saw that eager beacon
change in clothing and colors; at times it was soaked with moisture,
drenched with the flow of blood, at times adorned with treasure.

⁴ Yet as I lay there for a long while,
sorrowful, I beheld the Savior’s tree,
until the best of woods began to speak these words:

⁵ “It was long ago that I was cut down at the forest’s edge,
removed from my stem. Strong enemies seized me there,
made me into a spectacle for themselves, and commanded me to bear their criminals.
Men carried me on their shoulders, until they set me upon a hill,
fastened me there—many foes surrounded me. I saw then the Lord of mankind
hasten with great courage, as He wished to climb upon me.
There I dared not bow nor break
against the Lord’s word, though I saw
the earth’s surface tremble. I could have
destroyed all my enemies, yet I stood firm.

⁶ Then the young hero stripped Himself—(that was God Almighty),
strong and resolute. He climbed onto the high gallows,
brave in the sight of many, as He intended to redeem mankind.
I trembled when that man embraced me. Yet I dared not bow to the earth,
fall to the ground, but I had to stand firm.
I was raised as a cross. I lifted the mighty King,
the Lord of Heaven—I dared not bend.
They pierced me with dark nails;
the wounds are clearly seen upon me,
open malicious wounds. I dared not harm any of them.
They mocked us both together. I was all drenched with blood,
poured out from the man’s side, after He had sent forth His spirit.

⁷ Many cruel fates have I endured
upon that hill. I saw the Lord of hosts
in great agony. Darkness had
covered the Ruler’s body with clouds,
the shining radiance; a shadow had passed,
dark under the heavens. All creation wept,
mourned the King’s fall. Christ was on the cross.

⁸ Yet there eager ones came from afar
to the noble Lord. I beheld it all.
I was sorely troubled with sorrows, yet I bowed
to those men’s hands, humble with great courage.
They took Almighty God there,
lifted Him from the heavy torment.
Then the warriors left me,
standing covered in blood; I was all wounded with arrows.
They laid down the Lord of Heaven, and He rested there for a while,
weary after the great battle.
Then they began to build a tomb for Him,
men in the sight of His slayer;
they carved it from bright stone,
laid therein the Ruler of victories.
Then they began to sing a dirge of sorrow,
wretched in the evening, when they wished to depart,
weary from the glorious Lord.
He rested there with a small company.

⁹ Yet we, weeping, stood there for a while
in our places after the warriors departed.
The body grew cold,
the fair dwelling of the soul.
Then men began to fell us all to the earth—
that was a fearful fate!
They buried us in a deep pit.
Yet the Lord’s servants, His friends,
found me there
and adorned me with gold and silver.

¹⁰ Now you may hear, my beloved man,
what I have endured of the works of evil ones,
of painful sorrows. Now the time has come
that men over the earth and all this glorious creation
honor me far and wide,
pray to this beacon.
On me, the Son of God
suffered for a time;
therefore I now rise in glory
under the heavens, and I am able to heal
each one who fears me.
Once I was the hardest of punishments,
most hated by men, before I
opened the right way of life
to speech-bearers.
Behold, the Prince of Glory honored me
over all the trees of the forest,
the Guardian of Heaven’s kingdom!
Just as also He honored His mother, Mary herself,
Almighty God, above all women
for the sake of all mankind.

¹¹ Now I command you, my beloved man,
that you reveal this vision to men,
uncover it with words, that it is the tree of glory
on which Almighty God suffered
for the many sins of mankind
and the ancient deeds of Adam.
There He tasted death, yet the Lord arose again
with His mighty power to help mankind.
Then He ascended into the heavens. He will come again
to this middle-earth to seek mankind
on Judgment Day, the Lord Himself,
Almighty God, with His angels,
so that He will judge each one
according to what they have earned here before
in this fleeting life.
No one there can be unafraid
at the word which the Ruler speaks.
He will ask before the multitude where the man is
who would taste bitter death
for the Lord’s name, just as He did before on that tree.
But they will be afraid, and few will think
what they should begin to say to Christ.
No one there needs to be fearful
who has previously carried in their heart
the best of beacons,
but through the cross, each soul
who intends to dwell with the Lord
shall seek the kingdom from this earthly way.

¹² Then I prayed to that tree with a joyful heart,
with great courage, where I was alone
with a small company. My spirit
was eager for the journey forth;
I endured many times of longing.
Now my hope in life
is that I may seek that victory-tree
more often than all other men,
to worship it well.
My desire for that
is great in my heart,
and my protection is
set upon the cross.
I do not have many
powerful friends on earth,
for they have departed hence,
left the world’s joys,
and sought the King of glory.
They now live in heaven with the Father on high,
dwell in glory, and I expect
each day when the Lord’s cross,
which I once gazed upon
here on earth,
will fetch me from this fleeting life
and bring me where there is great bliss,
joy in heaven, where the Lord’s people
are set at the feast, where there is eternal joy.
Then may He place me where I may afterwards
dwell in glory, fully with the saints,
to partake of joy. May the Lord be my friend,
He who here on earth once suffered
on that gallows-tree for mankind’s sins.
He redeemed us and gave us life,
a heavenly home.
Hope was renewed
with blessings and with joy for those who endured the burning there.
The Son was victorious in that journey,
mighty and successful, when He came with a multitude,
a host of spirits, into God’s kingdom,
the Almighty Ruler,
to the joy of angels
and all the saints who had previously
dwelt in glory in heaven,
when their Ruler, Almighty God,
came to His homeland.