1When mighty

Nimrod1

, hunting after fame,

2Built this huge

fabric2

to get him a name

3(Fearing another

deluge3

might o’erflow,

4And all man’s petty projects overthrow),

5

With slime and brick, instead of lime and stone,4

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

7Oh vain! To think by those

terrestrial5

towers

8They could ascend

supercelestial6

bowers7

,

9Foolishly dreaming their

dim mortal sight8

10Could view invisible, inaccessible light!

11From this, the fiction of the

giants9

rose,

12When they the

Olympic deities10

oppose;

13Then fierce

Egeous11

scorned

Jove’s12

thunderstocks13

,

14When at his head he threw a hundred rocks;

15Like molehills,

mountain14

upon mountains hailed.

16Thus, most presumptuously, they Heaven scaled,

17Till thunder routed this rebellious crew.

18So let

usurping15

Nimrods have their due,

19Let their accursed plots prove their delusion,

20For fancied glory, let them find confusion.

21

But from presumption, Lord, preserve my soul,16

22That in thy mercy I may safely

roll17

,

23Resting in Christ, that blessed

corner-stone18

,

24

Then by his steps I’ll mount his glorious throne.19