If thou art present, every care is turned to joy.
High station, true, may be attained by charlatan;
But moral worth alone gives eminence to man.”
To them, now, he replied: “Your prayer ’s of no avail.
My counsel take and ponder. Naught else shall prevail.
If I’m a trusted man, my word is not a lie,
E’en though I’d say that black is white, or earth is sky.
If I’m perfection, who the perfect’s word denies?
If I am otherwise, why all this fuss and noise?280
Forth from my solitude to come I’m not designed.