University of Virginia Library

Psalm 49.

[Ye sons of men, where-evĕr o're earths great globe disperst]

Ye sons of men, where-evĕr o're earths great globe disperst;
Both ye of noble race, and ye, whom fathers unrehearst
In menenes have obscurĕd; ye rich, and poor, attend:
My mouth shal wisdom stream; which hart from muzings deep dooth send.
My thoughts on sentence grave, on parable profound
Defixt, at length my matter dark to harp shal cleerly sound.
WHY should unpleazing fears my sadded mynd torment,
When evil days approach, sweet years of pleasure when are spent;
When sin with death at heels my wasting life pursues?
See mighti man, whose ey his wealth with gloryĭng trust revieus:
No one e're brother deer from thralling death redeems;
Can God the ransom pay: who price too high of soules esteems
For mortal powĕr to reach: that cease may vain attempt,
Mans life in line stil on to draw, from iaws of grave exempt.
HE seeth great sages dy; evĕn so the brutish fool:
And leve their wealth th'untimeli thirst of thankles heirs to cool.
In inward thoughts then count, their houses yet secure;
Their stateli seats shal undevourd through ages all endure;
And lands shal bere their names. But man in honour placĕd,
Like beasts fals doun; his house, his seat, his name, from earth effacĕd.
LO ways of fool-wise men: which yet their worldli race,
As proiects high of wisdom deep with much applause embrace.
But they in grave doo ly, like sheep in narrŏed holds:
Where death, as wolf, devoured flesh in gnawing panch infolds.
There dead, they dy. And when worlds morning fair renues,
Their yelling crys shal iudging Saints with lordli doom refuze.
From grave then hell shal seaze, and seaz'd their shapes consume.
When God, my soule, mee, shall from bothe to him redeemd resume.
THEN feare not, grieve not thow, when godles person thrives;
His house when gloriŏus mounts. For not when death of life deprives,
He all shal hence transport; ne glori train to grave:
Though foolish mouth oft cursed soule in life fair blessings gave:
And though men praize thy mynd stil folŏing worlds delight.
He hence to fathers race shal pack, ay shut from heavĕnli light
O man, great woork of price! of wisdom if bereft,
If beast-like lives, like beast he dys, in dark destruction left.