how to hide text on a tag without removing text inside :before pseudo element css -

i hide text inside tag, keep text inside before pseudo element, without change html , without javascript

<a href="#">text hidden</a>

css

a:before{     content: "i need show up" }

this wipes out of text

a {     text-indent: -999em;     display: inline-block; }

i don't think it's possible, unless wrap text element <span>.

a > span {      display: none;  }  a:before {      content: "i need show up"  }

<a href="#"><span>text hidden</span></a>

Script