certain

[Taka]

We never know the value of our own work, for we can be certain that few contemporaries will be read in a hundred years. To desire to write poems that endure, we undertake such a goal certain of two things: that in all likelihood we will fail and that if we succeed we will never know it.

Question#1: What does 'such' in bold refer to? To write poems that endure'?

Question#2: About 'certain of', is the sense subject, or the notional subject if you will, of 'certain of' 'we' (i.e. we undertake such a goal+we are certain of two things)?

[5jj]

'Such a goal' refers to the writing of poems that endure.

It is 'we' who are certain

I do not understand this:We never know the vale of our own work,

[Taka]

'Such a goal' refers to the writing of poems that endure.

It is 'we' who are certain.

Great! Just as I thought. Thanks.

'I do not understand this:[I]We never know the vale of our own work,

Oops. Sorry, it's a typo (and you knew it was a typo, didn't you?). I've fixed it.

[5jj]

you knew it was a typo, didn't you?

As the typo champion of this forum, I normally recognise a typo when somebody else makes one, but I really didn't spot that. I thought it was some pretentious attempt (the writer's, not yours) at presenting a deep idea.

[Taka]

The text is about poems, so you may have been all the more confused. Sorry about that.

(The 'typo champion' you are? Really? Anyway, I like that phrase)