English Poetry I: From Chaucer to Gray.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Thomas Dekker
183. O Sweet Content
A
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!
O sweet content!
Swimm’st thou in wealth, yet sink’st in thine own tears?
O punishment!
No burden bears, but in 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!