by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)

Language: English 
Our translations:  SPA
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the Sun,
The higher he's a-getting
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times, still succeed the former. 

Then be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.

Composition:

    Set to music by Leonard J[ordan] Lehrman (b. 1949), "Advice to Virgins", op. 35 no. 2 (1978), first performed 1979 [ voice and harp or harpsichord or piano, or mandolin and continuo ], from Simple songs, no. 2

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674), "To the virgins, to make much of time"

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfredo García) , "A las vírgenes, para que aprovechen el tiempo", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 97