The Proverbs Of Confucius
Friedrich Schiller 1759 (Marbach am Neckar) – 1805 (Weimar)
Threefold is the march of time
While the future slow advances,
Like a dart the present glances,
Silent stands the past sublime.
No impatience e'er can speed him
On his course if he delay;
No alarm, no doubts impede him
If he keep his onward way;
No regrets, no magic numbers
Wake the tranced one from his slumbers.
Wouldst thou wisely and with pleasure,
Pass the days of life's short measure,
From the slow one counsel take,
But a tool of him ne'er make;
Ne'er as friend the swift one know,
Nor the constant one as foe!
II.
Threefold is the form of space:
Length, with ever restless motion,
Seeks eternity's wide ocean;
Breadth with boundless sway extends;
Depth to unknown realms descends.
All as types to thee are given;
Thou must onward strive for heaven,
Never still or weary be
Would'st thou perfect glory see;
Far must thy researches go.
Wouldst thou learn the world to know;
Thou must tempt the dark abyss
Wouldst thou prove what Being is.
Naught but firmness gains the prize,--
Naught but fulness makes us wise,--
Buried deep, truth ever lies!
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 17, 2023
- 59 sec read
- 129 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABCA DEDEXBFFGGHH XIIJJ IIKKHHXC LLL |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,034 |
Words | 191 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 12, 5, 8, 3 |
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"The Proverbs Of Confucius" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/14422/the-proverbs-of-confucius>.
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