Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
Poems of Sentiment: II. LifeThe True Philosophy of Life
William Dunbar (1460?1520?)Full oft I muse and hes in thocht.
T
And Fortune with her changing cheer,
Are ills on ilka hand contest;
We will not mourn for that, my dear,
But to be blythe we ’ll count it best.
As fast her wheel does Fortune ca’,
At no time tired or takin’ rest:
What then? the limmer’s owre us a’,
And to be blythe, I think it best.
Ere Fortune on him turn her wheel,
That earthly honour canna lest,
His fa’ less painfu’ he would feel:
But to be blythe I think it best.
Will a’ his days in dolour drive,
An’, tho’ he stood o’ lands possest,
He couldna weel be said to live,
He ’s only tholin’ at the best.
What profit is there, wantin’ mirth?
Wi’ a’ the craps o’ east an’ west,
Without contentment there is dearth:
So to be blythe is surely best.
The thing is but a vanitee;
And to the life that aye shall lest
Here ’s out the twinkling of an ee:
So to be blythe I think it best.
Tint heart an’ hope, an’ harboured fear,
An’ been wi’ carried cares opprest,
I had been dead langsyne, I ’m sure;
But to be blythe I think it best.
Let ’s blythely live as lang ’s we ’re here;
An’ yet be ready and addrest
To pass content, without a tear,
Believin’ a’ thing for the best.