1When mighty

Nimrod1

, hunting after fame,

2Built this huge

fabric2

to get him a

name3

3(Fearing another

deluge4

might o’erflow,

4And all man’s petty projects overthrow),

5

With slime and brick, instead of lime and stone,5

6He meant to reach unto God’s glorious throne.

7O, vain! To think by those terrestrial towers

8

They6

could ascend

super-celestial7

bowers8

,

9Foolishly dreaming their dim mortal sight

10Could view invisible, inaccessible light!

11From this the

fiction of the giants9

rose,

12When they th’Olympic deities oppose;

13Then fierce

Egeous10

scorned Jove’s

thunderstocks11

,

14When at his head he threw a hundred rocks;

15Like molehills, mountain upon mountains hailed.

16Thus, most presumptuously,

they12

Heaven scaled,

17Till thunder

routed13

this rebellious crew.

18So let usurping Nimrods have their due:

19Let their accurséd plots prove their delusion;

20

For fancied glory, let them find confusion.14

21But from presumption, Lord preserve my soul,

22

That15

in thy mercy I may safely

roll16

,

23Resting in Christ, that blesséd

cornerstone17

;

24Then by his steps I’ll mount his glorious throne.