Alexander Pope (1688–1744). Complete Poetical Works. 1903.
Early PoemsA Paraphrase (On Thomas à Kempis)
S
For I ’m thy servant and I ’ll still be so:
Speak words of comfort in my willing ears;
And since my tongue is in thy praises slow,
And since that thine all Rhetoric exceeds:
Speak thou in words, but let me speak in deeds!
What thy celestial Sweetness does impart;
Let in not stop when enter’d at the ear,
But sink, and take deep rooting in my heart.
As the parch’d Earth drinks rain (but grace afford)
With such a gust will I receive thy word.
Thy heav’nly word by Moses to receive,
Lest I should die: but Thou who didst inspire
Moses himself, speak Thou, that I may live.
Rather with Samuel I beseech with tears,
Speak, gracious Lord, oh, speak, thy servant hears.
Must give the Spirit, and the Life inspire;
Our Love to thee his fervent breath may blow,
But ’t is thyself alone can give the fire:
Thou without them may’st speak and profit too;
But without thee what could the Prophets do?
They teach the myst’ries thou dost open lay;
The trees they water, but thou giv’st the fruit;
They to Salvation show the arduous way,
But none but you can give us strength to walk;
You give the Practice, they but give the Talk.
My God! speak comfort to my ravish’d ears;
Light of my eyes, my Consolation,
Speak when thou wilt, for still thy servant hears.
Whate’er thou speak’st, let this be understood:
Thy greater Glory, and my greater Good!