1Must I be still confined to this sad grove
2Whenas
those vast and glorious globes above 3Eternally in treble motions move
? 4Thrice happy Hermes
moves in endless day, 5Being underneath the sun’s illustrious
ray. 6Next lovely Venus swiftly hurries round
7The sun’s bright throne, with equal luster crowned
. 8Next Tellus
, to whom Sol his light
extends, 9Runs round his orb; fair Cynthia
her attends, 10Whom he irradiates
with constant light, 11Though she appears so various
to our sight. 12Mars
, soldier-like, no sabbath
ever knows, 13For round the fount of light he ever goes.
14Then Jupiter
, attended like a king, 15Four radiant moons he in his train doth bring.
16Saturn, as many
following his huge sphere 17(At least no more to our dim sight appear).
18All these encircle Phoebus’
glorious mound, 19By whom, with splendor, all these stars
are crowned. 20But whether this sun his influence
doth owe 21Unto some other sun
, none sure doth know
. 22But every orb
his fellow doth illustrate
, 23For none the ends
of nature dares to frustrate. 24Thus all those suns and stars forever move
25About the fount of life, and light, and love.
26Then, O my God, irradiate
my sad soul, 27That I about thy glorious throne may roll
. 28Let me the meanest
of these stars attend; 29Then all my rays
in praise shall reascend. 30For Thee, and only Thee, I will adore,
31My God, my God, forever, ever more.