THREE things make earth unquiet | |
| And four she cannot brook | |
| The godly Agur counted them | |
| And put them in a book— | |
| Those Four Tremendous Curses | 5 |
| With which mankind is cursed | |
| But a Servant when He Reigneth | |
| Old Agur entered first. | |
| |
| An Handmaid that is Mistress | |
| We need not call upon, | 10 |
| A Fool when he is full of Meat | |
| Will fall asleep anon. | |
| An Odious Woman Married | |
| May bear a babe and mend, | |
| But a Servant when He Reigneth | 15 |
| Is Confusion to the end. | |
| |
| His feet are swift to tumult, | |
| His hands are slow to toil, | |
| His ears are deaf to reason, | |
| His lips are loud in broil. | 20 |
| He knows no use for power | |
| Except to show his might. | |
| He gives no heed to judgment | |
| Unless it prove him right. | |
| |
| Because he served a master | 25 |
| Before his Kingship came, | |
| And hid in all disaster | |
| Behind his master’s name, | |
| So, when his Folly opens | |
| The unnecessary hells, | 30 |
| A Servant when He Reigneth | |
| Throws the blame on some one else. | |
| |
| His vows are lightly spoken, | |
| His faith is hard to bind, | |
| His trust is easy broken, | 35 |
| He fears his fellow-kind. | |
| The nearest mob will move him | |
| To break the pledge he gave— | |
| Oh a Servant when He Reigneth | |
| Is more than ever slave! | 40 |
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