1Oh Thou which circumvolveth
all, 2Not only on this earthly ball
3(Where I, a wretched pilgrim
, crawl), 4But those vast orbs
, which shine so bright 5And are so glorious to our sight,
6from Thee have influence and light.
7Not only those who yearly run
8Round that illustrious globe, the sun
, 9When Thou bidd’st stay
, their race
is done; 10But
those fixed stars, whose radiancies 11Three hundred suns at least outvies,
12Owe unto Thee their splendencies
. 13Should’st Thou Thy glorious beams recall,
14To horrid chaos
they would fall 15And darkness would involve
them all. 16When Thou send’st forth th’all-quick’ning breath
17All that exists begins their birth;
18When Thou draw’st back they turn to earth.
19Who can Thy infinite power rehearse
20Which didst create this universe
21And canst to atoms
it disperse? 22Should all annihilated
be 23(Which is as easy unto Thee),
24Oh what would then become of me?
25Nay, rather all to dust calcine
, 26I gladly will my form
resign, 27It will my carnal
heart refine. 28My tears my dust shall rarify
29To air which, circularly
, 30Thy blessèd name shall magnify.
31But as my tears in air ascends
32I’ll raise no storms to hurt my friends
33(My soul hath far more noble ends).
34But sighs, like winds, so fill my breast
35That in this sphere I cannot rest;
36That glorious beams may crown my crest
. 37For higher still I must aspire;
38Thus noble thoughts do still fly higher
39Till I dilate
myself to fire. 40And as I now burn high and clear
41Let me no prodigy
appear, 42To put the guilty world in fear.
43For love and zeal my breast inflames:
44Then follow, all heroic dames;
45It will immortalise your fames.
46And now I am diffused
to light 47By Thy almighty power and might
48Let me enjoy Thy blessed sight.
49My beams contracted as I shine,
50This world to ashes would calcine
, 51But, oh, I could it not refine.
52Nor back again I would not turn,
53Though I a thousand worlds might burn:
54It would too long my joys adjourn.
55Then let me ever with Thee shine;
56All transmutations I’ll decline,
57The eternal glory shall be Thine.
58Now you that scorn repentant tears
59As if proceeding from base fears,
60When yours lies low my dust it rears
61From this sad solitary grove
62To those eternal joys above,
63Where all’s involved in light and love.