by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
What is't to us
Language: English
Available translation(s): FRE
What is't to us who guides the state, Who's out of favour, or who's great, Who are the ministers and spies, Who votes for places, or who buys? The world will still be ruled by knaves And fools, contending to be slaves. Small things, my friend, serve to support; Life's troublesome at best, and short. Our youth runs back, occasion flies, Grey hair comes on, and pleasure dies: Who would the present blessing lose For empire which he cannot use? Kind Providence has us supplied With what to others is denied: Virtue, which teaches to condemn And scorn ill actions, and ill men. Beneath this lime tree's fragrant shade, On beds of flowers supinely laid, Let's then all other cares remove, And drink and sing to those we love: Here's to Neaera, heaven-designed Perfection of the charming kind; May she be blest as she is fair, And pity me, as I love her.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Blow (1649 - 1708), "What is't to us" [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , title 1: "Que nous importe", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 153