Exercises Upon the First Psalm in Prose and Verse, Paraphrases in verse
To fill vp the vacant pages of this sheet, here is added, as necessary, to stir the Reader vp to these studies; a metricall Paraphrase, vponupon the first eight verses, of the 12 Chapter of Ecclesiastes, beginning thus: Remember thy Creatour, in the dayes of thy youth, &c.
NOw Young-man; thy Creator thinke vponupon;
Before the prime, of lusty Youth be gone.
Now; e're at hand, that euill day appeares;
With those vnwelcome and abhorred yeares:
When thou (deiected) shalt, the world contemne,
And greeued say; I hauehave no ioy in them.
Now; whilst Sun, Moone, and Stars, their light retaine,
And no black clouds, doe threat a second raine.
Before, the Keepers of the house doe shrinke.
Before, with trembling knees, the Strong-men sinke. prye.
Before, the Grinders less'ned, quiet lye;
And they grow darke, that through the windowes
Before, the Doores without, fast closed bin,
Through their base sound, that faintly grinde within.
Before, the Bird to rise, doth summon thee;
And Musiques Daughters quite abased bee.
Before, the lofty thing doe thee dismay;
And shuddring feare surprize thee in the way.
Before the Almond put his flowers abrode,
The Grashopper, become a heauy lode,
Desires decay, and lothed Age thou meet;
Or troops of Mourners, waiting in the street.
Oh, doe not thou the time, till then prolong.
But minde him, whilst the siluer Cord is strong.
Now; whilst the golden Ewre, vncras'd is found:
And at the Fountaine-head the Pitcher sound.
Before the Wheele, be at the Cysterne tore,
Or Dust grow earth, as earth it was before:
And, from the bodies quite dissolued frame;
The soule returne to God, from whence it came.
Thus spake the Preacher. And he told vsus why:
For all (sayd he) is vainest vanity.
The same, another way paraphrased, according to the signification of the seuerall Metaphors.
NOw; whilst warme bloud, with fresh & kindly heat,
Doth through each part, with liuely vigor beat:
And all thy beauties, in their spring-tide bee;
Thinke on thy God, that so created thee.
Accept this fit aduantage of the time.
GiueGive him, the First-lings of thy golden prime.
Before, thy last vnwelcome dayes, begin
To bring those yeeres, thou hast no pleasure in.
Now; while thou seest prosperities bright Sun,
Enlightens thee, the way thou hast to run:
And Gods pure Word affords a cheerfull light,
To guide thee safely, through blacke errors night.
Doe not forget, that thou a Maker hast,
Till all the morning of thy life be past.
Nor waste the time (from stormes & troubles cleare)
Till greefes on greefes; like clouds on clouds appeare.
Those hands, that youth a while doth powerfull make;
Vnsteddy (through their feeblenes) shall shake.
Those legs, that strongly doe vphold thee, now;
With aches pained, shall beneath thee bow.
Thy few loose teeth, will cease their food to grinde;
And thy dim eyes, stand in their cazements blinde.
Thy iawes, their nimble motion quite shall lose.
Thy lips sunke in, their double wickers close.
Thy wonted sleepe, thy temples shall forgoe;
And daily raise thee, when the Cocke doth crow.
Thy listning eares, their sense aside shall lay:
And eueryevery rub, disturb thee in the way.
The siluer haires, thou on thy head shalt hauehave:
Wilt shew thee ready ripened for the graue.
Each trifling thing, shall be a burthen to thee.
The vaine desires of youth, shall all forgoe thee.
Thee; to his house, shall Age with panting breath
Conduct; there lodge thee, in the bed of death.
And those, who thither, thy attendants were,
Shall mourning, home returne; and leaue thee there.
Oh thou! that wouldst a needfull comfort finde,
In those blacke dayes; now thy Creator minde.
Before thy nerues their sinewie vigor lacke:
And strength, and marrow, leaue thy weakned back,
While neither cares, nor sorrowes, craze thy braine:
Whilst thy sound liuer, fills vp eueryevery vaine.
Whilst thou art yet in health; and feel'st thy head,
By no heart-breaking pang distempered.
Ere flesh dissolue to earth; and spirit bee
Return'd to Him, that first did giuegive it thee.
For then; this saying will most true appeere:
That all is vaine, and nought but vainesse here.
Glory be to God. Amen.
Correct these faults with thy pen.
PAg. 8. lin. 15. for seemes, read seeme. pag. 14. lin. 7. for Catalicticall, in some coppies, read Cabalisticall. pag. 119. lin. the last, for whith, read with. pag. 121. lin. 9. for Righteousnesse, in some coppies, read Vnrighteousnesse. pag. 124. lin. 23. for thirst, read thrift.
The Authours Preparation to the Psalter, somtime mentioned in this Booke, is to bee sold at the signe of the golden Vnicorne, in Pater Noster Row, by Iohn Harrison.
End of the text · George Wither, Exercises Upon the First Psalm in Prose and Verse (1620)