Praise (I)
The Poet's Humble Praise
The speaker offers his meager verses as praise and longs for the wings of prayer to ascend to God.
To write a verse or two is all the praise that I can raise. Mend my condition in any way, and you'll have more.1 I go to church; help me to wings, and I'll fly there. Or, if I rise into the sky, I'll do more.
Weakness Made Strong
Human frailty is no barrier to God's power, as even the lowly can accomplish great things when lifted up.
A human being is completely weak; there is no such thing as a prince or a king. Their arm is short, yet with a sling they may do more. An herb distilled and drunk may dwell next door, on the same floor, to a brave soul: raise up the poor—they can do more.
The Bee's Reproach
A cry for elevation is followed by a self-reproach inspired by the diligent bee, whose labor shames the speaker's delay.
Oh, lift me up then! Poor bees that work all day, sting my delay—I, who have work just like them, and much, much more.2
Read the original English
TO write a verse or two, is all the praise, That I can raise: Mend my estate in any wayes, Thou shalt have more.
I go to Church; help me to wings, and I Will thither flie; Or, if I mount unto the skie, I will do more.
Man is all weaknesse; there is no such thing As Prince or King: His arm is short; yet with a sling He may do more.
An herb distill'd, and drunk, may dwell next doore, On the same floore, To a brave soul: Exalt the poore, They can do more.
O raise me then! Poore bees, that work all day, Sting my delay, Who have a work, as well as they, And much, much more.
Notes
- 1 ↩Herbert's estate means condition/lot/circumstances, not primarily property; rendered as condition.
- 2 ↩Early modern 'Who have a work' attaches to the speaker ('my delay'), not the bees: the bees are asked to sting the speaker's sluggishness because the speaker also has appointed work—and far more of it.
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