Like to the bubble in the brook; Or, in a glass, much like a look; Or like a shuttle in weaver's hand; Or like the writing on the sand; Or like a thought; or like a dream; Or like the gliding of the stream; Even such is man, who lives by breath, Is here, now there, in life, and death. The bubble's cut; the look's forgot; The shuttle's flung; the writing's blot; The thought is past; the dream is gone; The water glides; man's life is done.
Like to an arrow from the bow; Or like swift course of watery flow; Or like the time twixt flood and ebb; Or like the spider's tender web; Or like a race; or like a goal; Or like the dealing of a dole; Even such is man whose brittle state Is always subject unto fate. The arrow's shot; the flood soon spent; The time no time; the web soon rent; The race soon run; the goal soon won; The dole soon dealt; man's life first done.
Like to the lightning from the sky; Or like a post that quick doth hie; Or like a quaver in short song; Or like a journey three days long; Or like the snow when summer's come; Or like the pear; or like the plum; Even such is man, who heaps up sorrow, Lives but this day, and dies to-morrow, The lightning's past; the post must go; The song is short; the journey's so; The pear doth rot; the plum doth fall; The snow dissolves; and so must all.
Like to the blaze of fond delight; Or like a morning clear and bright; Or like a post; or like a shower; Or like the pride of Babel's Tower; Or like the hour that guides the time; Or like to beauty in her prime; Even such is man, whose glory lends His life a blaze or two, and ends. Delights vanish; the morn o'er casteth; The frost breaks; the shower hasteth; The Tower falls; the hour spends; The beauty fades; and man's life ends.
Like to a silkworm of one year; Or like a wronged lover's tear; Or on the waves a rudder's dint; Or like the sparkles of a flint: Or like to little cakes perfum'd; Or fireworks made to be consum'd; Even such is man, and all that trust In weak and animated dust. The silkworm droops; the tear's soon shed; The ship's way lost; the sparkle dead; The cake is burnt; the firework done; And man as these as quickly gone.
Like to the rolling of an eye: Or like a star shot from the sky; Or like a hand upon a clock; Or like a wave upon a rock; Or like a wind; or like a flame; Or like false news which people frame; Even such is man, of equal stay Whose very growth leads to decay. The eye is turned; the star down bendeth; The hand doth steal; the wave descendeth; The wind is spent; the flame unfir'd; The news disprov'd; man's life expir'd.