Vainglory

List what to me a prudent sage,
in days of old,
said, a wise messenger,
rare wonders many,
his word-hoard disclos'd,
with a sage's lore,
a man skill'd in books,
a preacher's word of old,
that I truly
might after
comprehend, through that lore,
God's own Child,
a welcome guest among us,
and the weaker likewise,
of shields depriv'd,
with reason direct ;
so that may every man
easily think,
who himself lets,
in this fading time,
be by his thoughts seduced,
his mind's luxuries,
and in his number of days
But many are
lovers of social converse,
haughty warriors,
in pleasant cities,
they sit at the feast,
tales recount,
in words converse,
strive to know
who the battle-place,
within the house,
will with men abide ?
then wine whets
a man's breast-passions,
suddenly rises
clamour in the company,
an outcry they send forth,
various.
So are dispositions
by parts distributed,
people are
unlike :
one in overweening
proudly presses forth,
swells within him
immensely his mad mood :
too many are that.
If that of grudges be
all fill'd,
with a foe's flying-darts,
with treacherous wiles,
he terrifies and becomes angry,
more by much
than a better man ;
thinks that his wise
seems to every one
all undeprav'd.
Another is so wily,
that when he of treachery
the sequel sees,
he practises fraud and blenches,
devises many
stratagems,
his mind's dart lets forth,
in vollies shoots ;
he the shield knows not
lets the shafts of treachery
break the town wall,
which his Creator to him intrusted,
that he that fortress
should defend.
He sits with feasting proud,
guilefully lets,
mov'd by wine,
words go forth,
audaciously burst forth,
with pride inflated,
with envy inflam'd,
of overweening full,
with odious afflicting wiles.
Now thou may'st be able,
if thou such
a man meetest,
dwelling among us,
to know by these
few intimations,
that that a child is of the fiend
with flesh invested,
has a dissembling life,
an earth-prone spirit,
of God devoid,
the Glory-King ;
what the prophet sang,
a reverend man of yore,
and that lay recited :—
‘He who himself,
in this dire time,
through presumption,
exalts,
haughty, raises,
he shall be low,
after his destin'd lot,
nether bow'd,
shall dwell in torments fast,
with worms surrounded.
It was in days of old,
in God's kingdom,
that with angels
presumption rose ;
they far-fam'd contest,
crime, instigated,
stern warfare ;
heaven they polluted,
despis'd their superior ;
then they treachery devis'd,
and the King of glory
of his throne,
the powerful, to bereave,
as it was not right,
and then to place
in their own power
the joyous land of glory,
so that them in war withstood
the Father of first beings :
for them was the fight too grim.
Then it for that other is
unlike,
he who here on earth
humble lives,
and towards all his kindred
ever holds
peace among people,
and his friend loves,
(though that he offence against him
oft have perpetrated ;)
willingly in this world ;
he may into the delight of glory,
into the joys of the holy,
from hence ascend,
into the abode of angels.
Not so will it to the other be,
who in pride,
in wicked deeds,
lives, in vices ;
the rewards shall not be like,
with the Glory-King.’
Know from this,
if thou a lowly
person meet,
a man in the people,
to him will ever be
a gather'd guest
God's own Child,
dear in life,
if the prophet spake me not false :
therefore we should ever, studious of
healthful counsel,
in mind remember,
at all times,
the most excellent
Ruler of victories. Amen.