| |
| SHUN delays, they breed remorse; | |
| Take thy time while time is lent thee; | |
| Creeping snails have weakest force, | |
| Fly their fault lest thou repent thee. | |
| Good is best when soonest wrought, | 5 |
| Linger’d labours come to nought. | |
| |
| Hoist up sail while gale doth last, | |
| Tide and wind stay no man’s pleasure; | |
| Seek not time when time is past, | |
| Sober speed is wisdom’s leisure. | 10 |
| After-wits are dearly bought, | |
| Let thy forewit guide thy thought. | |
| |
| Time wears all his locks before, | |
| Take thy hold on his forehead; | |
| When he flies he turns no more, | 15 |
| And behind his scalp ’s naked. | |
| Works adjourn’d have many stays, | |
| Long demurs breed new delays. | |
| |
| Seek thy salve while sore is green, | |
| Fester’d wounds ask deeper lancing; | 20 |
| After-cures are seldom seen, | |
| Often sought, scarce ever chancing. | |
| Time and place give best advice, | |
| Out of season, out of price. | |
| |
| Crush the serpent in the head, | 25 |
| Break ill eggs ere they be hatch’d; | |
| Kill bad chickens in the tread, | |
| Fledged, they hardly can be catch’d. | |
| In the rising stifle ill, | |
| Lest it grow against thy will. | 30 |
| |
| Drops do pierce the stubborn flint, | |
| Not by force but often falling; | |
| Custom kills with feeble dint, | |
| More by use than strength and vailing. | |
| Single sands have little weight, | 35 |
| Many make a drawing freight. | |
| |
| Tender twigs are bent with ease, | |
| Aged trees do break with bending; | |
| Young desires make little prease, 1 | |
| Growth doth make them past amending | 40 |
| Happy man, that soon doth knock | |
| Babel’s babes against the rock! | |
