Vanitie (II)
A Warning to the Earthbound Soul
The speaker warns the soul that its lowly earthly delights are deceptive and urges it to listen before it is too late.
Poor simple soul, whose hope and head lie low; whose shallow delights creep and grow on the earth; to whom the stars don't shine as fair as eyes, nor solid work as fair as false embroidery: listen and beware, lest what you now measure and write down as sweet prove a most sour displeasure.1 Listen while there's still time, or your change of heart may come too late!2
The Cost and Call of Heaven
Repentance is a fair price for heaven, and the soul, being from above, must return to its true home rather than chase earthly bubbles.
Gaining heaven by repentance is no high price. If souls are made of earthly clay, let them love gold; if they are born from above, let them fly to their own kind—for they can never be at rest until they regain their ancient home.✦3 So take heed, simple soul: earthly joy is only a bubble, and it makes a child of you.4
Read the original English
POore silly soul, whose hope and head lies low; Whose flat delights on earth do creep and grow; To whom the starres shine not so fair, as eyes; Not solid work, as false embroyderies; Heark and beware, lest what you now do measure And write for sweet, prove a most sowre displeasure.
O heare betimes, lest thy relenting May come too late! To purchase heaven for repenting Is no hard rate. If souls be made of earthly mold, Let them love gold; If born on high, Let them unto their kindred flie: For they can never be at rest, Till they regain their ancient nest. Then silly soul take heed; for earthly joy Is but a bubble, and makes thee a boy.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Gen.2.7 — 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.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source 'silly' is early modern for simple/helpless/pitiable, not ridiculous; rendered 'simple' to keep that sense for modern readers.
- 2 ↩Source 'relenting' means the soul's softening into repentance, not mere mildness toward others.
- 3 ↩'Born on high' / 'kindred' / 'ancient nest' figures the soul's heavenly origin and true rest in God, set against an earthly nature that clings to gold.
- 4 ↩Source 'silly' is Early Modern for simple/pitiable/foolish, not modern comic silliness; 'makes thee a boy' means it reduces you to childishness.
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