Poetry Archives

Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers?
            O sweet content!
Art thou rich, yet is thy mind perplex’d?
            O punishment!
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are vex’d
To add to golden numbers golden numbers?
    O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny—hey nonny nonny!

Canst drink the waters of the crispèd spring?
            O sweet content!
Swim’st thou in wealth, yet sink’st in thine own tears?
            O punishment!
Then he that patiently want’s burden bears,
No burden bears, but is a king, a king!
    O sweet content! O sweet, O sweet content!
Work apace, apace, apace, apace;
Honest labour bears a lovely face;
Then hey nonny nonny—hey nonny nonny!