Scholar: Ἀγχιβασίη may thus mean neither “going-up-to” nor “approaching,” because in that case only what is near would be represented, without however nearness being thought.
Scientist: That makes sense. Yet you are only establishing what Ἀγχιβασίη does not mean.
Guide: Perhaps we can think that it might mean so much as: goinginto- nearness.
Scientist: You understand this literally in the sense of: letting-one-self-into-nearness.
Guide: That is how I think it.
Scholar: Then in the isolated word Ἀγχιβασίη, going-into-nearness, something like a claim could also be heard resounding.
Scientist: And so it would be easier to understand why this word stands entirely by itself. [156]
Guide: But where does it stand? How do matters stand with this word?
Scholar: It has long ceased to resound.
Guide: Faded-away [Verklungen] perhaps already at the time it began to resound [erklungen].
Scholar: But perhaps the resounding [Widerhall] of its early resonance [Halles] was sheltered at a place that might remain not entirely inaccessible even to us today.
Scientist: Insofar as we now perceive something of its resounding-forth [Anklang].
Guide: So that we could even use it to name that which we are on the trail of as long as we are thoughtfully pursuing the essence of thinking.
Scholar: Ἀγχιβασίη—going-into-nearness—the word of course in no way means the essence of modern research, be it that of the natural sciences or be it historiological research. But the word can, entirely from afar, stand as name over our walking course [Gang] today—
Guide: a course which escorted us deep into the night—
Scientist: night which gleams forth ever more magnificently—
Scholar: and over-astonishes the stars—
Guide: because it brings near the distances of the stars to one another.
Scientist: At least in the mind [Vorstellung] of the naïve observer, but not so for the exact scientist.
Guide: For the child in the human, the night remains the seamstress [Näherin] who brings near [nähert], so that one star next to the other gleams in silent light.
Scholar: She joins the lights together without seam or hem or yarn.
Scientist: The night is the seamstress who in sewing brings near [nähernd näht]. She works only with nearness, which furthers farness.
Scholar: If she ever works and does not rather rest—
Guide: while she astonishes the depths of the height—
Scholar: and in astonishment opens up what is closed shut—