Say rather 'neath the yoke of swarming ants.
Whene'er it pleases Him, ye should submit.
What have we done amiss? The reasons tell.
Amiss? Impatience doth God's crown offend.
Through sorrow we complain, through discontent.
Ye should instead your will resign to God.
Subject to God your Rights and law remain.
Who is resigned--to serve God is to rule. 130
Most freely, let but man rule there below.
Though small his lot, man lives in sweet content.
Ages shall come and go ere this shall be.
Far better were this mystery ne'er disclosed.
God in His kindness thus reveals His heart.
Yet kinder towards mankind, now placed above.
Allied with God's own nature, wonderful! 140
O Angels, would that God did pair with you!
What pleases God is ever rightly praised.
Whatever God does, or yet may do, is well.
How man shall dim the crown the Angels wear!
All Angels shall the God incarnate praise.
And worship clay and dust down in the dust?
And praise God's name with odors and with song.
And praise mankind, constrained by higher Powers?
What murmur this? Dost hear a strife of tongues? 150
What throngs lament here, plunged in sable hue. With veils girt round the breast and loins? None would Believe that one among the Spirits, amid The joys unending and the feast eterne, Could mourn, did we not see this wretched throng Cast down in woeful grief. What great misfortune, What dire disaster them disturbs? Oh! how? O brothers, what doth cause this sad lament? Who hath offended you? Your Rights we'll guard. O brothers, speak. Why miserable? the cause? 160
They make complaint of man's approaching state And triumph, as proclaimed by Gabriel's trumpet; That he outranks the Angels and that God Shall join His Being to Adam's--all the Spirits Thus made subordinate unto man's sway. This briefly, clearly, states their sorrow's cause.
It almost goes beyond our utmost strength.
We pray your aid this difference to compose.
What remedy? How can we them appease? 170 They rest secure upon their lawful Rights.
What Rights? The same power that ordaineth laws Hath might to abrogate those laws as well.
How thus can Justice unjust verdicts speak?
Correct God's verdicts, thou! Write thou His laws!
The child doth follow in his father's steps.
To walk where He hath trod is Him to heed.