1When mighty Nimrod
, hunting after fame, 2Built this huge fabric
to get him a name 3(Fearing another deluge
might o’erflow, 4And all man’s petty projects overthrow),
5With slime and brick, instead of lime and stone,
6He meant to reach unto God’s glorious throne.
7Oh vain! To think by those terrestrial
towers 8They could ascend supercelestial
bowers
, 9Foolishly dreaming their dim mortal sight
10Could view invisible, inaccessible light!
11From this, the fiction of the giants
rose, 12When they the Olympic deities
oppose; 13Then fierce Egeous
scorned Jove’s
thunderstocks
, 14When at his head he threw a hundred rocks;
15Like molehills, mountain
upon mountains hailed. 16Thus, most presumptuously, they Heaven scaled,
17Till thunder routed this rebellious crew.
18So let usurping
Nimrods have their due, 19Let their accursed plots prove their delusion,
20For fancied glory, let them find confusion.
21But from presumption, Lord, preserve my soul,
22That in thy mercy I may safely roll
, 23Resting in Christ, that blessed corner-stone
, 24Then by his steps I’ll mount his glorious throne.