1 Eternal mind, who rules the fates
Of dying realms and rising states,
With one unchanged decree,
While we admire Thy vast affairs,
Say, can our little trifling cares
Afford a smile to Thee?

2 Thou scatter honors, crowns, and gold;
We fly to seize, and fight to hold
The bubbles and the oar:
So emmets struggle for a grain;
So boys their petty wars maintain
For shells upon the shore.

3 Here a vain man his scepter breaks,
The next a broken scepter takes,
And warriors win and lose;
This rolling world will never stand
Plundered and snatched from hand to hand,
As power decays or grows.

4 Earth’s but an atom: greedy swords
Carve it amongst a thousand lords,
And yet they can’t agree;
Let greedy swords still fight and slay,
I can be poor; but Lord, I pray
To sit and smile with Thee.