I cannot answer the man who despises the dust he is made of.
And you, O skeptic, who profess to know nothing - how shall I argue?
If you would learn a room by shutting your eyes
And discovering by touch what e’er you can find
I shall not prohibit thee.

“But it is rather that
I know nothing with certainty,” say you.
Very well.
I shall go and find someone who does.

“You are naive,” say you.
Oh?
“It is arrogance,” say you,
“To suppose you have discovered the well of truth.”
Ah.

Well, enjoy wandering your trackless wastes
And I, I shall drink from this well,
This sweet Oasis.
You say it is not Truth,
But if that is true,
I cannot understand why I am free,
Dear heart.

Dear heart,
I will still be here when you thirst;
The well will not run dry.
Come then, and be satisfied.

O Fear of the Lord! Wisdom’s beginning!
Humbler of the exalted! Exalter
Of the humbled! Thou, when none from sinning
Have refrained, cause Vanity to falter
In its stride, giving us David’s psalter
So that we might gain the ability
To tread well the path of humility!

O Fear of the Lord! Creation’s reverence
For her Creator! You make the poor one’s
Trembling dread a bridge to span the severance
Which disobedience made between sons
And their Father; He who all evil shuns
And yet with haste will pardon the contrite
Heart, for His mercy is His truest might!

O Fear of the Lord! Give us instruction!
By thy teaching all presumption destroy,
Lest our conceit become an obstruction -
Let not our hubris the Most High annoy!
Teach us how best this wisdom to employ:
“Know, O man, that thou wert formed from the dust;
And at thy end, return to it you must!”

O Piety! O enlightenment true!
O humbler of the haughty heart! The head
Of prideful man bows low in awe when you
Address him to the Giver of the Bread
Which is called daily; true Reverence is shed
Like light upon the soul, and darkness flees
When poor man your humble majesty sees!

O Piety! You teach the timid to
Rise and cry “Father!” When rebels arise
With clamorous shouts to overthrow, you
Teach them to fall, not daring to raise eyes
To Heaven, and pay homage with great sighs
Of contrition to their Lord and King! It
Is by thine aid for prayer man is made fit!

O Piety! Come, devotion inspire,
Let fall down our faces sweet holy tears,
Fan into a furnace our inner fire!
Fill us with that love which casts out all fears,
Attune to the voice of the Lord our ears!
To us who ask for direction you say -
“Kneel, as though you knew to Whom you dare pray!”

O Fortitude! Strength of the wav’ring heart!
Steadfastness summoned when the blood runs cold!
When allies flee and none will take our part,
Where honor and friendship are cheaply sold,
Thine aid divine makes the trembling soul bold!
When terror would invade our feeble frame,
Thy subtle power puts the foe to shame!

O Fortitude! O encouraging voice!
When darkness attempts to blot out the sun,
And slav’ry’s law to deprive us of choice,
You brace the nerves of the poor frightened one,
Reminding that the vict’ry can be won:
If to perseverance we should hold fast,
We shall the adversaries all outlast!

O Fortitude! Come, and run in our veins,
Fire our tepidity and make us brave!
As long ages pass, ‘tis thee who remains,
Long suff’ring Patience, who never shall cave!
Come, Resolution, from all weakness save -
Where the frail man falls, and in despair lies,
You reach out your hand, and bid him to rise!

O Counsel! Now I am bound to withdraw,
I must - for there is no prudent rhyme or
Melody that I might compose, save awe
Or list’ning silence, unless to the door
You lead me, and open it as well, for
Guidance and discerning are yours, and none
save you directing has e’er glory won.

O Counsel! I may distinguish right from
Left, but no more; to mark right from wrong, such
Judgement belongs to thee. Life’s very drum
Beats in or out of tune, little or much,
According to thy reckoning; your touch
Is my rule, for whate’er song the world sings,
Thou alone art the measure of all things.

O Counsel! Hear me, and to me descend!
Sweet Prudence! Guard against folly and fad!
Good Judgement, on whom I wholly depend!
Decisions without thee are all but mad,
The path which follows thee is sweet and glad!
Advisor, as discreet as thou art great,
Whoe’er seeks thy word second, asks too late!

O Understanding! What Wisdom unveils
And Knowledge sees, you delicately grasp,
Untying knots and unfurling the sails
Of comprehension! Lock’d chains you unclasp
All gently, treading underfoot the asp
Of bitterness and division. O Thou,
Before whom petty conflicts scrape and bow!

O Understanding! Thou fair surmounter
Of all obstacles! No adversary
May with stumbling folly hope to counter
Thee or thy designs! Earthen and airy
Obstructions alike tremble, the very
Thought of thee putting to flight problems of
Heart, mind, soul, from below and from above!

O Understanding! Come unto me, poor
One that I am, come, grant that I may see
And drain the headache’s source! Show the way, or
Speak the password, or bestow the bright key
Which unlocks the nightmare’s gate - I beg thee
(Knowing, O spirit, that you hear my call),
For with thine aid I can scale any wall!

O Knowledge! Thou, in vestments plain and white
Art deceptively appareled, for deep
Runs the well of thy treasures; human sight
Cannot fathom the depth of such wealth. Leap
Into her pasture, poor searcher! Her sheep
Are ne’er shepherded awry; you will find
Her embrace the true fortune of the mind.

O Knowledge! Vision to a brain born blind!
O Sweet sight intellectual! I’ll praise
Thee, who alone art so gracious, so kind
As to seek out poverty so to raise
Up the poor captive from the witless maze
With gifts abounding, though unseen. I’ll sing
Thee, who in false silence makes truth to ring!

O Knowledge! Do thou my petition grant,
And come, my pauperdom to richly bless,
Break up the noisesome dark with thy fair chant!
O consoling balm to ignorant stress,
Thy seal upon our anxious minds impress;
For when the glass of our wits seems filled up,
Thy divine outpouring deepens the cup.