| Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917. |
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| 22. The Pulley |
| By George Herbert (1593–1633) |
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| WHEN God at first made man, | |
| Having a glasse of blessings standing by | |
| Let us,’ said He, ‘poure on him all we can; | |
| Let the world’s riches, which dispersed lie, | |
| Contract into a span.’ | 5 |
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| So strength first made a way; | |
| Then beautie flow’d, then wisdome, honour, pleasure; | |
| When almost all was out, God made a stay, | |
| Perceiving that, alone of all His treasure, | |
| Rest in the bottome lay. | 10 |
| ‘For if I should,’ said He, | |
| ‘Bestow this jewell also on My creature, | |
| He would adore My gifts in stead of Me, | |
| And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature: | |
| So both should losers be. | 15 |
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| ‘Yet let him keep the rest, | |
| But keep them with repining restlesnesse; | |
| Let him be rich and wearie, that at least, | |
| If goodnesse leade him not, yet wearinesse | |
| May tosse him to My breast.’ | 20 |
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