Wilt thou love God, as he thee? Then digest, My soul, this wholesome meditation, How God the Spirit, by angels waited on In heaven, doth make his Temple in thy breast. The Father having begot a Son most blest, And still begetting, (for he ne'er be gone) Hath deigned to choose thee by adoption, Co-heir t' his glory, and Sabbath' endless rest. And as a robbed man, which by search doth find His stol'n stuff sold, must lose or buy 't again: The Son of glory came down, and was slain, Us whom he'd made, and Satan stol'n, to unbind. 'Twas much that man was made like God before, But, that God should be made like man, much more.
Cantiones mysticae
Song Cycle by Godfrey Ridout (1918 - 1984)
1. Wilt thou love God?
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by John Donne (1572 - 1631), no title, appears in Holy Sonnets, no. 15
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]2. Thou hast made me
Language: English
Thou hast made me, and shall thy work decay? Repaire me now, for now mine end doth haste, I runne to death, and death meets me as fast, And all my pleasures are like yesterday; I dare not move my dim eyes anyway, Despaire behind, and death before doth cast Such terror, and my feeble flesh doth waste By sinne in it, which it t'wards Hell doth weigh; Onely thou art above, and when t'wards thee By thy leave I can looke, I rise againe; But our old subtle foe so tempteth me, That not one houre myselfe can I sustaine; Thy Grace may wing me to prevent his art, And thou like Adamant draw mine iron heart.
Text Authorship:
- by John Donne (1572 - 1631), no title, appears in Holy Sonnets, no. 1
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Daniel Johannsen) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
3. At the round earth's imagined corners
Language: English
At the round earth's imagined corners, blow Your trumpets, angels, and arise From death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go, All whom the flood did, and fire shall o'erthrow All whom war, death, age, agues, tyrannies, Despair, law, chance hath slain; and you whose eyes Shall behold God and never taste death's woe, But let them sleep, Lord, and me mourn a space, For, if above all these my sins abound, 'Tis late to ask abundance of Thy grace, When we are there. Here on this lowly ground, Teach me how to repent, for that's as good As if Thou hadst seal'd my pardon with Thy blood.
Text Authorship:
- by John Donne (1572 - 1631), no title, appears in Holy Sonnets, no. 7
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Daniel Johannsen) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Total word count: 350