On the Nature of Man.
299
That 'tis a folly to aspire below,
Since life and pleasure both their limits know;
That man should not of grief or toil complain,
And less of death, which frees him from his chain:
That he should not fatigue the heavenly throne,
Since to the Almighty change was never known.
Convinced, not satisfied, the sage his flight
Bent to the earth, and owned that all is right;
But still he murmured, 'midst the earthly throng,
A doctor never can be in the wrong.
More flexible was Matthew Garo's mind,
To praise for all things God his soul inclined.
Perhaps God erst on men more wealth bestowed,
Perhaps their plains with milk and honey flowed;
The night, perhaps, was lightsome as the day,
And winter bloomed with all the flowers of May;
Whilst man, the king of earth, in peace retired,
Wrapt up in self, himself alone admired.
But let us rest contented with our fate,
Our bliss is suited to our present state:
Against our Maker murmurs must prove vain,
Mortals should not the laws of God arraign:
Let us to serve him all our lives employ,
And gratefully the bliss he gives, enjoy.
If to two days the Almighty had confined
The time allotted to all humankind,
We should to God those two short days consign,
And consecrate the time to love divine.
He who assiduous every call attends,
Never complains that life too quickly ends.
Since life and pleasure both their limits know;
That man should not of grief or toil complain,
And less of death, which frees him from his chain:
That he should not fatigue the heavenly throne,
Since to the Almighty change was never known.
Convinced, not satisfied, the sage his flight
Bent to the earth, and owned that all is right;
But still he murmured, 'midst the earthly throng,
A doctor never can be in the wrong.
More flexible was Matthew Garo's mind,
To praise for all things God his soul inclined.
Perhaps God erst on men more wealth bestowed,
Perhaps their plains with milk and honey flowed;
The night, perhaps, was lightsome as the day,
And winter bloomed with all the flowers of May;
Whilst man, the king of earth, in peace retired,
Wrapt up in self, himself alone admired.
But let us rest contented with our fate,
Our bliss is suited to our present state:
Against our Maker murmurs must prove vain,
Mortals should not the laws of God arraign:
Let us to serve him all our lives employ,
And gratefully the bliss he gives, enjoy.
If to two days the Almighty had confined
The time allotted to all humankind,
We should to God those two short days consign,
And consecrate the time to love divine.
He who assiduous every call attends,
Never complains that life too quickly ends.
