O how cheating, O how fleeting
Are the world’s enjoyments!
All the hues of change they borrow,
Bright to-day and dark to-morrow—
Mingled lot of joy and sorrow!
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is all earthly beauty!
Like a summer flow’ret flowing,
Scattered by the breezes, blowing
O’er the bed on which ’twas growing.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is the strength of mortals!
On a lion’s power they pride them,
With security beside them—
Yet what overthrows betide them!
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is all earthly pleasure!
’Tis an air-suspended bubble,
Blown about in tears and trouble,
Broken soon by flying stubble.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is all earthly honour!
He who wields a monarch’s thunder,
Tearing right and law asunder,
Is to-morrow trodden under.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is all mortal wisdom!
He who with poetic fiction,
Sway’d and silenced contradiction,
Soon is still’d by death’s infliction.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is all earthly music!
Though he sing as angels sweetly,
Play he never so discreetly,
Death will overpower him fleetly.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Are all mortal treasures!
Let him pile and pile untiring,
Time, that adds to his desiring,
Shall disperse the heap aspiring.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is the world’s ambition!
Thou who sit’st upon the steepest
Height, and there securely sleepest,
Soon wilt sink, alas! the deepest.
O how cheating, O how fleeting
Is the pomp of mortals!
Clad in purple—and elated,
O’er their fellows elevated,
They shall be by death unseated.