Is any equal to the truly wise?
To him that can interpret mysteries?
For wisdom makes the face of man to shine
With awful majesty and light divine.
Observe the king's commands: remember thou,
Ev'n in that duty, thy religion's vow.
Depart not discontented, nor dispute
With him who can with punishments confute.
For pow'r is throned in the breath of kings,
And who dare say they charge unlawful things?
He who obeys, destruction shall eschew:
A wise man knows both when and what to do.
For all our purposes on time depend,
And judgment; to produce them to their end.
They wander in the pensive shades of night,
Who want the guide of this directing light;
Surpris'd by unexpected miseries:
Nor can instruction make the foolish wise.
What guard of teeth can keep our parting breath?
Or who resist the fatal stroke of death?
None shall return with conquest from that field;
Nor vice protection to the vicious yield.
This vanity Isaw beneath the sun;
The mighty by abused pow'r undone:
And though intomb'd with sumptuous funeral,
In his own city soon forgot by all.
Impiety delights in her misdeeds;
In that revenge so tardily succeeds.
Although a sinner sin a hundred times,
And were his years as num'rous as his crimes,
Yet God to those his mercy will extend,
Whose humble souls are fearful to offend.
But bold transgressors with destruction meet,
Their shorten'd days shall like a shadow fleet.
Among the sons of men this mischief reigns;
Exalted vice the meed of virtue gains:
And those afflictions which to vice are due,
Suppressed virtue furiously pursue.
Then I commended life-prolonging mirth:
To feed upon the bounty of the earth,
And drink the gen'rous grape's refreshing juice,
Is all the good our labours can produce.
This is the best of life: by God alone
Bestow'd on man; and only is his own.