Verses Upon the Burning of Our House

¹In silent night when rest I took,

²For sorrow near I did not look,

³I wakened was with thund'ring noise

⁴And piteous shrieks of dreadful voice.

⁵That fearful sound of "Fire!" and "Fire!"

⁶Let no man know is my desire.

⁷I, starting up, the light did spy,

⁸And to my God my heart did cry

⁹To strengthen me in my distress

¹⁰And not to leave me succourless.

¹¹Then, coming out, beheld a space

¹²The flame consume my dwelling place.

¹³And when I could no longer look,

¹⁴I blest His name that gave and took,

¹⁵That laid my goods now in the dust.

¹⁶Yea, so it was, and so 'twas just.

¹⁷It was His own, it was not mine,

¹⁸Far be it that I should repine;

¹⁹He might of all justly bereft

²⁰But yet sufficient for us left.

²¹Under thy roof no guest shall sit,

²²Nor at thy table eat a bit.

²³No pleasant tale shall e'er be told,

²⁴Nor things recounted done of old.

²⁵No candle e'er shall shine in thee,

²⁶Nor bridegroom's voice e'er heard shall be.

²⁷In silence ever shall thou lie,

²⁸Adieu, Adieu, all's vanity.

²⁹Then straight I 'gin my heart to chide,

³⁰And did thy wealth on earth abide?

³¹Didst fix thy hope on mould'ring dust?

³²The arm of flesh didst make thy trust?

³³Raise up thy thoughts above the sky

³⁴That dunghill mists away may fly.

³⁵Thou hast an house on high erect,

³⁶Framed by that mighty Architect,

³⁷With glory richly furnished,

³⁸Stands permanent though this be fled.

³⁹It's purchased and paid for too

⁴⁰By Him who hath enough to do.

⁴¹A price so vast as is unknown

⁴²Yet by His gift is made thine own;

⁴³There's wealth enough, I need no more,

⁴⁴Farewell, my pelf, farewell my store.

⁴⁵The world no longer let me love,

⁴⁶My hope and treasure lies above.