Frailtie
The Deception of Worldly Glory
The speaker confesses that in silence he sees through worldly honors and riches as mere dust, gilded clay, and grass.
Lord, in my silence how deeply I despise what, taken on trust, is called honor, riches, or beautiful eyes—when it is only pretty dust!✦1 I nickname them gilded clay, costly earth, fine grass or hay; in all of them, I think my foot is always treading on their head.✦✦2
The Temptation of Splendor
When comparing the world's glory to God's simplicity, the speaker feels the old temptation rise again and prays that worldly allure not conquer the joy God has planted in his soul.
But when I look out and survey both regiments—the world's and yours: yours clothed in simplicity and somber trials; the other dressed fine, full of glory and showy clothes, grand speech, still grander deeds—what was dust before quickly rises and stings my eyes.3 O don't allow this, lest if what my foot was even now treading on affronts those joys with which you endowed and long since wed my poor soul—even sick with love—it may prove a Babel, convenient for conquering heaven and you planted in me.45
Read the original English
LOrd, in my silence how do I despise What upon trust Is styled honour, riches, or fair eyes; But is fair dust! I surname them guilded clay, Deare earth, fine grasse or hay; In all, I think my foot doth ever tread Upon their head.
But when I view abroad both Regiments; The worlds, and thine: Thine clad with simplenesse, and sad events; The other fine, Full of glorie and gay weeds, Brave language, braver deeds: That which was dust before, doth quickly rise, And prick mine eyes.
O brook not this, lest if what even now My foot did tread, Affront those joyes, wherewith thou didst endow; And long since wed My poore soul, ev'n sick of love: It may a Babel prove Commodious to conquer heav'n and thee Planted in me.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Gen.3.19 — By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
- ↩Gen.2.7;Isa.64.8;2Cor.4.7 — Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Isa.64.8 — But now, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. 2Cor.4.7 — But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the surpassing power belongs to God and not from us.
- ↩Isa.40.6-Isa.40.8;1Pet.1.24 — A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its faithfulness is like the flower of the field. Isa.40.7 — The grass withers, the flower fades, for the breath of the LORD blows upon it; truly, the grass is the people. Isa.40.8 — The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. 1Pet.1.24 — For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern 'upon trust' means by repute or on credit: things accepted as honor/wealth/beauty on conventional naming rather than true substance.
- 2 ↩Source 'guilded' is period spelling of 'gilded'; 'Deare' = dear/costly; 'grasse' = grass.
- 3 ↩Early modern 'gay weeds' = bright/showy garments (not plants); 'brave' = fine/splendid rather than courageous. 'Sad events' carries grave/solemn hardship as much as mere sorrow.
- 4 ↩Early modern 'sick of love' is lovesickness (yearning), not modern 'fed up with love'; rendered 'sick with love' to preserve sense.
- 5 ↩'Brook not' = do not tolerate/permit; 'commodious' = convenient/serviceable; 'Babel' kept as the pride-tower figure of rebellious ascent.
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