For _that_ we pray, we praise thy name for _this_, 45
Which, by this _Moses_ and this _Miriam_, is
Already done; and as those Psalmes we call
(Though some have other Authors) _Davids_ all:
So though some have, some may some Psalmes translate,
We thy Sydnean Psalmes shall celebrate, 50
And, till we come th'Extemporall song to sing,
(Learn'd the first hower, that we see the King,
Who hath translated those translators) may
These their sweet learned labours, all the way
Be as our tuning; that, when hence we part, 55
We may fall in with them, and sing our part.
Which, by this _Moses_ and this _Miriam_, is
Already done; and as those Psalmes we call
(Though some have other Authors) _Davids_ all:
So though some have, some may some Psalmes translate,
We thy Sydnean Psalmes shall celebrate, 50
And, till we come th'Extemporall song to sing,
(Learn'd the first hower, that we see the King,
Who hath translated those translators) may
These their sweet learned labours, all the way
Be as our tuning; that, when hence we part, 55
We may fall in with them, and sing our part.
John Donne
_1633-69_]
[209 Pietie; _Ed:_ Pietie, _1633-69_]
[214 offices;] offices, _1633_]
[217 wee _1633:_ me _1635-69_]
[219 wee, _Ed:_ wee _1633-69_
harkning, not _1633-69:_ heark'ning not _Chambers_]
[231 well, _1633_ (_but altered to_ will, _in some copies_),
_A18_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _S_, _TC:_ will, _1635-69_,
_Lec_, _Chambers_, _Grolier_]
[233 decline: _Ed:_ decline; _1633-69_]
[239 apt . . . doe,] apt, . . . doe _1633_]
[243 weake ecchoes, O thou eare, and cry. _1633-69_, _A18_,
_D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _N_, _TC:_ weake wretches, O thou eare and
eye. _B_, _S_, _S96:_ _Chambers adopts_ Eye _from S_,
_O'F reads_ eye_, _and TCC alters_ crye _to_ eye, _all
retaining_ ecchoes. _See note_]
[245 againe,] againe _1633_]
[246 or us _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _JC_, _N_, _S_,
_TC:_ and us _1635-69_, _O'F_, _S96_, _Chambers_]
[248 O Lambe] O lambe _1633_]
_Vpon the translation of the Psalmes by Sir_ Philip Sydney,
_and the Countesse of Pembroke his Sister. _
Eternall God, (for whom who ever dare
Seeke new expressions, doe the Circle square,
And thrust into strait corners of poore wit
Thee, who art cornerlesse and infinite)
I would but blesse thy Name, not name thee now; 5
(And thy gifts are as infinite as thou:)
Fixe we our prayses therefore on this one,
That, as thy blessed Spirit fell upon
These Psalmes first Author in a cloven tongue;
(For 'twas a double power by which he sung 10
The highest matter in the noblest forme;)
So thou hast cleft that spirit, to performe
That worke againe, and shed it, here, upon
Two, by their bloods, and by thy Spirit one;
A Brother and a Sister, made by thee 15
The Organ, where thou art the Harmony.
Two that make one _Iohn Baptists_ holy voyce,
And who that Psalme, _Now let the Iles rejoyce_,
Have both translated, and apply'd it too,
Both told us what, and taught us how to doe. 20
They shew us Ilanders our joy, our King,
They tell us _why_, and teach us _how_ to sing;
Make all this All, three Quires, heaven, earth, and sphears;
The first, Heaven, hath a song, but no man heares,
The Spheares have Musick, but they have no tongue, 25
Their harmony is rather danc'd than sung;
But our third Quire, to which the first gives eare,
(For, Angels learne by what the Church does here)
This Quire hath all. The Organist is hee
Who hath tun'd God and Man, the Organ we: 30
The songs are these, which heavens high holy Muse
Whisper'd to _David_, _David_ to the Iewes:
And _Davids_ Successors, in holy zeale,
In formes of joy and art doe re-reveale
To us so sweetly and sincerely too, 35
That I must not rejoyce as I would doe
When I behold that these Psalmes are become
So well attyr'd abroad, so ill at home,
So well in Chambers, in thy Church so ill,
As I can scarce call that reform'd untill 40
This be reform'd; Would a whole State present
A lesser gift than some one man hath sent?
And shall our Church, unto our Spouse and King
More hoarse, more harm than any other, sing?
For _that_ we pray, we praise thy name for _this_, 45
Which, by this _Moses_ and this _Miriam_, is
Already done; and as those Psalmes we call
(Though some have other Authors) _Davids_ all:
So though some have, some may some Psalmes translate,
We thy Sydnean Psalmes shall celebrate, 50
And, till we come th'Extemporall song to sing,
(Learn'd the first hower, that we see the King,
Who hath translated those translators) may
These their sweet learned labours, all the way
Be as our tuning; that, when hence we part, 55
We may fall in with them, and sing our part.
[Vpon the _&c. _ _1635-69:_ _no extant MSS. _]
[17 voyce, _1635-39:_ voyce; _1650-69_]
[22 sing;] sing. _1635-69_]
[23 three Quires, _1669:_ 3 Quires, _1635-54_]
[28 here _1669:_ heare _1635-54_ (_the same word, not_ hear
_as in Chambers' note_)]
[46 this Moses _Grosart:_ thy _Moses_ _1635-69_]
[55: tuning; _1719:_ tuning, _1635-69_
part, _1719:_ part _1635-69_]
_Ode: Of our Sense of Sinne. _
1. Vengeance will sit above our faults; but till
She there doth sit,
We see _her_ not, nor _them_. Thus, blinde, yet still
We leade her way; and thus, whil'st we doe ill,
We suffer it. 5
2. Vnhappy he, whom youth makes not beware
Of doing ill.
Enough we labour under age, and care;
In number, th'errours of the last place, are
The greatest still. 10
3. Yet we, that should the ill we now begin
As soone repent,
(Strange thing! ) perceive not; our faults are not seen,
But past us; neither felt, but onely in
The punishment. 15
4. But we know our selves least; Mere outward shews
Our mindes so store,
That our soules, no more than our eyes disclose
But forme and colour.
[209 Pietie; _Ed:_ Pietie, _1633-69_]
[214 offices;] offices, _1633_]
[217 wee _1633:_ me _1635-69_]
[219 wee, _Ed:_ wee _1633-69_
harkning, not _1633-69:_ heark'ning not _Chambers_]
[231 well, _1633_ (_but altered to_ will, _in some copies_),
_A18_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _S_, _TC:_ will, _1635-69_,
_Lec_, _Chambers_, _Grolier_]
[233 decline: _Ed:_ decline; _1633-69_]
[239 apt . . . doe,] apt, . . . doe _1633_]
[243 weake ecchoes, O thou eare, and cry. _1633-69_, _A18_,
_D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _N_, _TC:_ weake wretches, O thou eare and
eye. _B_, _S_, _S96:_ _Chambers adopts_ Eye _from S_,
_O'F reads_ eye_, _and TCC alters_ crye _to_ eye, _all
retaining_ ecchoes. _See note_]
[245 againe,] againe _1633_]
[246 or us _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _JC_, _N_, _S_,
_TC:_ and us _1635-69_, _O'F_, _S96_, _Chambers_]
[248 O Lambe] O lambe _1633_]
_Vpon the translation of the Psalmes by Sir_ Philip Sydney,
_and the Countesse of Pembroke his Sister. _
Eternall God, (for whom who ever dare
Seeke new expressions, doe the Circle square,
And thrust into strait corners of poore wit
Thee, who art cornerlesse and infinite)
I would but blesse thy Name, not name thee now; 5
(And thy gifts are as infinite as thou:)
Fixe we our prayses therefore on this one,
That, as thy blessed Spirit fell upon
These Psalmes first Author in a cloven tongue;
(For 'twas a double power by which he sung 10
The highest matter in the noblest forme;)
So thou hast cleft that spirit, to performe
That worke againe, and shed it, here, upon
Two, by their bloods, and by thy Spirit one;
A Brother and a Sister, made by thee 15
The Organ, where thou art the Harmony.
Two that make one _Iohn Baptists_ holy voyce,
And who that Psalme, _Now let the Iles rejoyce_,
Have both translated, and apply'd it too,
Both told us what, and taught us how to doe. 20
They shew us Ilanders our joy, our King,
They tell us _why_, and teach us _how_ to sing;
Make all this All, three Quires, heaven, earth, and sphears;
The first, Heaven, hath a song, but no man heares,
The Spheares have Musick, but they have no tongue, 25
Their harmony is rather danc'd than sung;
But our third Quire, to which the first gives eare,
(For, Angels learne by what the Church does here)
This Quire hath all. The Organist is hee
Who hath tun'd God and Man, the Organ we: 30
The songs are these, which heavens high holy Muse
Whisper'd to _David_, _David_ to the Iewes:
And _Davids_ Successors, in holy zeale,
In formes of joy and art doe re-reveale
To us so sweetly and sincerely too, 35
That I must not rejoyce as I would doe
When I behold that these Psalmes are become
So well attyr'd abroad, so ill at home,
So well in Chambers, in thy Church so ill,
As I can scarce call that reform'd untill 40
This be reform'd; Would a whole State present
A lesser gift than some one man hath sent?
And shall our Church, unto our Spouse and King
More hoarse, more harm than any other, sing?
For _that_ we pray, we praise thy name for _this_, 45
Which, by this _Moses_ and this _Miriam_, is
Already done; and as those Psalmes we call
(Though some have other Authors) _Davids_ all:
So though some have, some may some Psalmes translate,
We thy Sydnean Psalmes shall celebrate, 50
And, till we come th'Extemporall song to sing,
(Learn'd the first hower, that we see the King,
Who hath translated those translators) may
These their sweet learned labours, all the way
Be as our tuning; that, when hence we part, 55
We may fall in with them, and sing our part.
[Vpon the _&c. _ _1635-69:_ _no extant MSS. _]
[17 voyce, _1635-39:_ voyce; _1650-69_]
[22 sing;] sing. _1635-69_]
[23 three Quires, _1669:_ 3 Quires, _1635-54_]
[28 here _1669:_ heare _1635-54_ (_the same word, not_ hear
_as in Chambers' note_)]
[46 this Moses _Grosart:_ thy _Moses_ _1635-69_]
[55: tuning; _1719:_ tuning, _1635-69_
part, _1719:_ part _1635-69_]
_Ode: Of our Sense of Sinne. _
1. Vengeance will sit above our faults; but till
She there doth sit,
We see _her_ not, nor _them_. Thus, blinde, yet still
We leade her way; and thus, whil'st we doe ill,
We suffer it. 5
2. Vnhappy he, whom youth makes not beware
Of doing ill.
Enough we labour under age, and care;
In number, th'errours of the last place, are
The greatest still. 10
3. Yet we, that should the ill we now begin
As soone repent,
(Strange thing! ) perceive not; our faults are not seen,
But past us; neither felt, but onely in
The punishment. 15
4. But we know our selves least; Mere outward shews
Our mindes so store,
That our soules, no more than our eyes disclose
But forme and colour.
