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Joy is our duty, glory, health;
the sunshine of the soul;
Our best encomium on the pow'r
who sweetly plans the whole:
the sunshine of the soul;
Our best encomium on the pow'r
who sweetly plans the whole:
Joy is our Eden still possess'd:
be gone, ignoble grief!
'Tis joy makes Gods, and men exalts,
their nature, our relief;
be gone, ignoble grief!
'Tis joy makes Gods, and men exalts,
their nature, our relief;
Relief, for man to that must stoop,
and his due distance know;
Transport's the language of the skies,
content the style below.
and his due distance know;
Transport's the language of the skies,
content the style below.
Content is joy, and joy in pain,
is joy and virtue too;
Thus, whilst good present we possess,
more precious we pursue:
is joy and virtue too;
Thus, whilst good present we possess,
more precious we pursue:
Of joy the more we have in hand,
the more have we to come;
Joy, like our money, interest bears,
which daily swells the sum.
the more have we to come;
Joy, like our money, interest bears,
which daily swells the sum.
"But how to smile; to stem the tide
"of nature in our veins;
"Is it not hard to weep in joy?
"what then to smile in pains?"
"of nature in our veins;
"Is it not hard to weep in joy?
"what then to smile in pains?"
Vic-
