Herman Gorter: "The trees were there and still" (From Dutch)

"The trees were there and still"
By Herman Gorter
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

All the trees were still.
The air was gray
The hills that had no will
Lay a strange way.

The men were laboring 
All over the place
As if digging for treasure
But at placid pace

Things in earth's every spot

Were likely alike:
The world and the human crop
Barely alive

I walked to take in the view
Content and in dread.
My feet were good workers too
Walking under my head.

The Original:

"De bomen waren stil"
Herman Gorter

De bomen waren stil,
de lucht was grijs,
de heuvelen zonder wil
lagen op vreemde wijs.

De mannen werkten wat
rondom in de aard,
als groeven ze een schat,
maar kalm en bedaard.

Over de aarde was
waarschijnlijk alles zo,
de wereld en 't mensgewas
ze leven nauw.

Ik liep het aan te zien
bang en tevreden,
mijn voeten als goede liên
liepen beneden.